Farewell to a Long Time Friend

August 15, 2008 we said our final farewell to our beloved, precious Dante. He entered our lives eleven years ago, almost to the day. We were desperate after losing Sampson and Dante became our saving joy. When he came into our family he was six weeks old and he filled our hearts with immense joy and love. I love my dog and miss his sweetness already.

He was so tiny when we got him in, August 1997. He came to us a little early because his mom was sick, so the puppies were weened early. There were two in that litter that we wanted, but he had a precious little whine and he won our hearts. He drove home with us and I wouldn't let go of him. He was no bigger than a little dog statue we had and we were all so afraid of stepping on him. He was so small that Elida put him in her hoodie pocket (you know? the ones with the pocket in the middle).

We discovered that he was a talker. On second or third day of him joining our family, my mom came home from work and he ran up to her with his itty bitty puppy dog legs, barking the whole time. We all thought he hated her until the next day when he did the exact same thing. He liked to tell you his story.
I remember Elida and I taking him up to Echo Reservoir, in the fall of 1997. He was about four months old. We held him above the water and he began to doggy paddle about 3 inches above the water. We laughed and laughed. Now tears flow in memory of it.

He took over all the blankets when he shared the bed with me. I'd fall asleep with him at the foot of the bed and wake up FREEZING cold to find I was on my pillow and spilling out over the edge of the bed while he slept peacefully in the middle.

He woke us up in the middle of the night, one July, barking of a naked intruder-boy who had entered our premises. We thought he would welcome any intruder into the house and were relieved to know that he was not okay with anybody walking into the house at will. The kid was high as a kite and jumped from our windows only to shatter his heal bones. Dante was our hero! He saved the day!

He LOVED Richard's kids - really, he loved ALL kids. We'd been so worried about how he would handle children. We found there was never any need. All of Richard's kids have climbed all over him, pulled on his ears, pushed their little hands into his mouth and he's only ever just laid there. Once in a while he had a look of "could you help me out, here, they're all over me." He played games with the kids: they would chase each other around and around the dining room table.

He loved his rides up Emigration Canyon, walks around the block and through Hobbit Land and treats of whatever he could find left on the table (especially chocolate); but most of all he really loved Lake Powell and being with the family. He loved when his sisters came home from California and how he missed them when they went back.

He left us on Friday evening in a peaceful slumber. He was surrounded by most of his family when he was released from this world.

I hope he runs and runs through the fields of heaven - he's probably prancing around, like a little deer. We are going to miss our baby. Our hearts are again broken.

As Collin put it: I hope I'll see him again.

I took this video of Dante, Bruno and Beenie in July. Sandy was taking pictures. (You might ask: "What is Bruno looking at on the floor?" Well, Dante was drooling, waiting for his treat and it distracted Bruno from the prize)

Dante was very thirsty and loved to drink water where ever he could find it.

I love and miss my sweet sweet dog!