Shadow

Shadow 3/1/95 to 9/23/10

A sad day in our family today. My brother Jerry had to put his beloved dog Shadow to sleep. The time had come, without any doubt, but that didn't make the event any easier I'm sure. My sister Kate went with them, as she did the day the two of them picked him up at the pound. A smallish lab, he grew to be about half the size of a "normal" lab. With twice the energy.

Shadow came to our family the spring before Jerry and Jenny got married. He was to be their dog, but he started out as Kate's baby first. She would dress him up in *rolling my eyes* clothes, things like a jean jacket, and a letter jacket. I seem to recall a red sweater of sorts. He may also have had a leather bomber jacket. He just ate up all of that attention, rotten little bugger that he was. :) Wilder than the wind with a bark that would stop anyone in their tracks. All bark, no bite was Shadow. However, the neighbor lady actually called the cops because she honestly thought the dog would eat her Grandchild. Not that Shadow was anywhere near her Grandchild, he was always tied up when in the yard. Thus fort Meys was constructed.

Shaddy was a humper. That dog would go after anything and everything if it was on the floor, or if he could (in poor Ashlyn and later Pablo's case) knock it to the floor. One of my favorite Shadow stories was Jenny telling me that she thought Shadow had finally stopped humping. Then being outside one day she hears 5 year old Pablo call up from the mud puddle he was knocked into "Mama! Shadow is humping me!"

After getting married Jenny and Jerry lived next to Steve and me for a short time. Steve took great delight in opening our front door and whispering "Shadow! Shadow!" Then watching as Shadow tear like a mad dog back and forth through their house. Eventually you'd hear Jenny yelling at Steve to knock it off. Good times. :)

So I raise my glass (of milk) to Shadow. A wild, crazy, sweet, lovable, humper. So full of energy in his younger years, it was hard to watch him these last few. He actually had gray hair, and had the look of an old, old man. I know that you are in a better place at Mom's side, eating home made cookies and sandwiches by the dozen. I can see you running and jumping again, barking like an insane attack dog, humping everything in sight! You will be missed. ♥