Dear Scooter,
When we picked you up to come home with us, we had no idea what we’d be getting ourselves into for the next 11 years. Your backstory had our hearts right away: You were a two-year-old Yellow Lab and Weimaraner mix from Tennessee who had been abused by previous owners and had spent time living on the streets. Plus, your picture on the adoption website was adorable. You were always a very photogenic puppy. I remember you running around the backyard of the house you were fostered in. We could tell how much energy you had, but we figured you would calm down. As we would come to find out, that word was never in your vocabulary.
As we drove you home in the van, we had to make a stop at Circuit City. That shows how long we had you, those are long gone now. I frantically called mom as Marcus tried to hold you back from climbing over the center console and destroying your bag of food. We didn’t know to handle a dog that behaved the way you did. When we got home, you jumped on the couch and bit my hand trying to get to my slice of leftover pizza.
You used to bark at us incessantly and at all the wrong times. It was loud, it was shrill, and it had a way of making everyone in our house very angry. Mom was your favorite to pick on. If she was busy, you would usually leave her alone. You would save your barking for when she finally got to sit down and relax. Then, once she fell asleep, you would bark at her to be let out at 2:30 and 5:30 in the morning. This became the nightly ritual for the rest of your days. You loved begging for food and breathing in our face whenever we wouldn’t give it to you, with the occasional bark mixed in if you really felt like being a jerk.
In case you forgot, here are the top five moments of you being a naughty puppy:
- Dad was bringing a taco to the table and you jumped up to steal it right out of his hand (you had an insane vertical for a dog).
- I let you out back to pee and you wandered through the woods, pretended you didn’t hear me calling for you, and walked all the way down the road when I was already running late to class.
- When we left the house one day, we had a brand new 24 count Utz variety snack pack sitting in our cabinet. We came home to discover that you had managed to break into the cabinet, unwrap each bag very neatly, and eat the entirety of the box.
- You ate an entire box of pancake mix and threw up all over our rug.
- The time you ate all of Marcus’ Halloween candy.
To be frank, you were pretty terrible at times. We had a love-hate relationship throughout the early part of your life for understandable reasons.
But when I graduated high school and went off to Myrtle Beach, it made me realize that I missed you more than I thought I would. I missed having a dog despite all the annoying parts that came along with it.
So when I came back and took my gap year before starting at New England College, I returned with a greater appreciation for you. We had a good time hanging out together before I had to go to work when it was just the two of us. I learned to love you more and you learned to calm down, it was an excellent combination.
Your last few years were terrific. When I enrolled at NEC and couldn’t go on February vacation with my family anymore, I house sat the week they were gone. It was just you and me and we had some quality time together. I was able to get over all the annoying things you did and bond with you like never before. We took good walks, you waited for me at the bottom of the stairs every morning, and I could see your nose peeking over the windowsill when I pulled back into the driveway.
Now that you’re gone, it’s the fond memories that stick with me:
The way you would trot into the kitchen whenever we took the bag of almonds down from the cupboard. They were your favorite.
When you would sprint into the kitchen whenever the deli drawer in the fridge opened.
When you would lay on your back with all four paws in the air, waiting for someone to come rub your tummy.
How we had to hide your medicine in mini marshmallows because it was the only way you would take it.
Throwing the tennis ball to you in the yard until you got tired and sat underneath the evergreen tree.
How sweet you were to other dogs (even when they weren’t nice to you) and to people.
Your super soft ears.
And the way you would rest your head on the arm of the couch.
When I walk down the hallway, my first instinct is to glance around the corner at where your bed used to be. Dad almost called your name when he walked in the house the other day. Last night, Marcus put up the gate so that you wouldn’t go upstairs. Mom is still waking up in the middle of the night at all the times you used to bark at her. I think it’s safe to say that we’re not used to you being gone yet.
You were a frustrating, adorable, lovable, snuggly dog for the 11 years we had you. I hope you’re chasing a tennis ball with all the other dogs in puppy heaven right now and eating as many almonds and marshmallows as you’d like.
Love, Matt
