Memories of Shadow

On a cloudy January day in 2004 my family and I drove home from an animal shelter that rejected our application. They wouldn't even let us look at the dogs because we planned on keeping our dog outside. We had lost our family dog Oreo just 2 weeks prior and we were devastated. On the way home my dad sneakily went a different way that would take us past the Bass Pro Shop. As he exited we were all confused until he said, "Sometimes people are selling puppies on the side of the road over here." We anxiously stared out the window to see if there were any puppies. There were a couple of cars, but they were only selling little dogs. My family doesn't do little dogs. Once again we were all disappointed as we turned for home. While we were stopped at a light I turned around and looked at where the puppies were being sold. All of a sudden a little yellow lab head poked up from a cardboard box. I shouted, "There are lab puppies! Turn around! Turn around!"

Of course we turned around. Because Oreo was a black, female lab mix we decided that we wanted a yellow male this time. When we got to the cardboard box there were 2 puppies inside- a yellow female and a black male. We decided to get the little yellow girl. As we stood there talking with the breeder we couldn't help but feel sorry for the poor little guy that was going to be left all alone. No one dared to ask if we could have a second puppy, but we all kept hinting that we wanted him too. Once again my Dad surprised us all when he suggested that we should get the black puppy. Later he told us that he had had a dream the night before that we had a yellow and black lab puppy. I'll be forever grateful that my dad had that dream and that we got to take Scout and Shadow home.

When we got Shadow @ 10 weeks old he was 20 lbs of flab. He was such a little butterball. He grew big and he grew fast. His average weight was around 115-120 lbs but all muscle. We always called him the Gentle Giant because he didn't have a mean bone in his body. He never nipped at anyone and was just a mellow, happy go lucky guy. We also called him The Dumb Jock because he was obsessed with his red ball. He always had it in his mouth, and if it wasn't there he was running around the back yard desperately trying to find it.

It took him a while to like it, but Shadow loved swimming. He could swim really fast and I may have one or two scars from when his paws caught up with me in the pool. Shadow also loved to bark, we hated it, but he loved it. Sometimes he'd just be laying on the grass barking every minute or so at nothing. Around meal time you'd often hear the back door handle jingle as Shadow reminded us that he was hungry.

Yesterday July 31, 2013 Shadow passed away. My mom found him lying behind the shed. The vet said he most likely had a stroke. He was a goofball, full of life right up to the end. I find it silly when people refer to their pets as their children, but I have definitely lost a family member. Shadow wasn't the perfect dog by any means, but he taught me patience and was a good example of loving everyone. Cesar Millan, the Dog Whisperer, often says, "We don't get the dogs we want, we get the dogs we need." As silly as it sounds Shadow taught me a lot and helped me get through high school, a time when I really didn't have that many friends. Life goes on, but I'll never forget that little black puppy that we just couldn't leave behind.

Shadow

Nov. 22, 2003- July 31, 2013