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Yes I'm Red, and No, I'm NOT an Irish Setter...by Remo the Red

It's been one year...

since you left us for your journey to the Bridge. You laid on the living room rug all week, newspapers underneath you, your head resting on that last stuffy from Rocky & Sarge. You were a strong pup and, even though you'd stopped eating, with your sub-q fluids we could have held you close a while longer. But that would have been wrong. That would have been selfish. That would have been poor repayment for the 14 years of love and joy you had given us.

I sat tonight, in the dark, crying for what I had no longer, instead of celebrating all that you were to me. Then to login to find that sweet Teddy has left to join you. Bob suffered so much after Layla left, but he opened his heart again to Teddy. And now, not even a year later, Teddy, #966024, is an angel. It puts things quickly, so quickly, into perspective. Remo, turn that special smile toward the gates and welcome sweet Teddy-bear as he comes over the Bridge.

Remo the Red, turning White, always true Blue, I celebrate your life. Thank you for all that you've given me. You will live in my heart... forever.

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Today's Zelda Wisdom, available from www.ZeldaWisdom.com:

"Life should be a snuggle, not a struggle.
Savor your time together."

Another Golden Memory: Remo, Whirlin' Dervish

One of our favorite memories of Remo was how he loved our son's ferrets, Clarke and Belle. He was introduced to them at a very young age, and was taught "don't you hurt that baby". Remo understood that meant he had to lay down and play gently with whatever animal was around.

Remo loved to play hide and seek with Belle and Clarke. We would first prepare the playing field by lining up all of the dining room chairs along the wall of the hallway, and by making other "safe passage" barriers between furniture. Then we'd let Clarke and Belle out to roam.

The ferrets would scurry through the house behind the chairs, furniture and other barriers. Remo would follow them, half crawling on his belly, frantic to keep up, until they all made it into the living room. Then Belle and Clarke would have their fun. Ferret #1 would sneak up behind Remo and do the Happy Ferret Dance, bouncing around complete with an excited vocalization of "shnuck-shnuck-shnuck". Remo would whirl around on his belly and chase Ferret #1 back under the couch, table or chair. He'd lay there whining, tail wagging furiously, nose pressed up to whatever piece of furniture the ferret dashed under.

Then it was Ferret #2's turn to sneak up behind Remo, do the Happy Ferret Dance, cheering "shnuck-shnuck-shnuck". Remo whirls, chases Ferret #2 underneath something. Then Ferret #1 sneaks out... shnuck-schnuck-shnuck... whirl... chase... whine... Then Ferret #2. Then Ferret #1. Then Ferret #2. Around and around and around Remo would go! They would play this game until Belle and Clarke were tuckered out and then, like all ferrets, they'd drop right where they were and go to sleep.

It was really something to see these tiny little creatures spin 89 lb Remo around like a top. Remo the Red, Whirlin' Dervish...

Another Golden Memory: Remo, Stunt Coordinator

One of Mum's favorite Remo moments occurred the first time she tried to jog while walking little Remo:

They were walking around the neighborhood, practicing sitting at every curb; practicing "watch it" when they came to an alley or driveway... things were going fantastic! Mum could see BIG things in Remo's future... obedience title? He was obeying every command and making NO mistakes!

So, Mum gets this bright idea about JOGGING with Remo... so she picks up the pace... a quick step...an easy lope... a slight jog... quicker... quicker... quicker... Remo doesn't break "heel" and soon they're both flying up and down the sidewalks. A thing of beauty... a joy forever...

The first big test was just around the next corner. A group of three young adults... standing on the walkway going up toward a house... would Remo stay with Mum and run past them without stopping? We all know how much Golden Retrievers LOVE people... but Remo continued to be the Perfect Pup... he didn't even glance at them as he jogged passed--his entire attention was focused on Mum. What a Brilliant Dog!!!

So, Mum is now confident that this jogging thing was going to work... she felt so proud of her little red boy... she could just imagine how impressed the people they'd just passed must be... she could just

WHAM! BAM! STARS!!! BIRDS CIRCLING!! CUCKOO SOUNDS!!! EARS RINGING!! WHY AM I LOOKING AT THE SKY???

Mum suddenly found herself doing a complicated twist, turn, and subsequent flip of some sort, landing flat on her back on a front lawn next to the sidewalk. She had the wind knocked out of her and she was seeing stars... but as Mum lay there catching her breath she realized she was no longer holding the LEASH....

She heard something to her left and rolled over to her side only to see the Perfect Puppy sniffing happily, tail wagging, doing a "meet 'n greet" with a small white dog through a fence! Oh, Remo wouldn't break stride while passing a group of HUMANS, but he WASN'T gonna pass up the chance to meet a new DOG!!!!!

To this day Mum still can't figure out how she ended up on her back! (and that was the first and LAST time Mum tried to jog while holding a leash!) And to his last breath, Remo was ALWAYS interested in meeting... not the people holding the leashes... but the DOGS!!! Totally unGolden-like, but totally Remo!