Farewell Skipper
Emma and Skipper
Today there will be no political column, because to be honest, there are things in life more important. After fortunately a very short illness, we were forced to put to sleep our dog Skipper, as shown to the right in 2016, with then-a-very-young Emma behind him, plotting evil. Emma passed away prematurely a year and a half ago at only a decade of life. At his passing Skipper was about seventeen years old.
We think Skipper was a mix of Schipperke and Chihuahua. Both breeds are known for their uppity nature. Skipper had that in spades. For almost his entire life he was active, friendly, and independent. He would only do what he wanted to do, which sometimes was great and sometimes not so great. For example, we have a dog door and a very large fenced back yard. He liked to go outside and bark at the coyotes, sometimes facing off against them with only our six-foot-high cattle fence in-between. The coyotes were unphased, but to Skipper, he had declared that our yard was his territory. Stay out!
Until the last year he also like to bark when visitors arrived, but his only desire in doing so was to get petted. If they stopped, he’d bark again. Pet me!
His outside barking was not always perfect however. If we didn’t close the dog door, he would always go outside at about 4 am every night, plant himself five feet from our bedroom window, and bark relentlessly. I’m the boss! One of us would have to get up and bring him in.
Yes, he wasn’t perfect, but Diane had rescued him in 2012 when he had been for several years shifted from one foster home to another. His original owner had died, and the foster organization had been unable to find him a permanent home. We gave one to him, one he liked quite a lot, and for this the heavens smiled.
I’d go on, but I need to dig a grave in the backyard, next to the graves of Emma, Fitz, and Wolfie.
On Christmas Eve 1968 three Americans became the first humans to visit another world. What they did to celebrate was unexpected and profound, and will be remembered throughout all human history. Genesis: the Story of Apollo 8, Robert Zimmerman's classic history of humanity's first journey to another world, tells that story, and it is now available as both an ebook and an audiobook, both with a foreword by Valerie Anders and a new introduction by Robert Zimmerman.
The ebook is available everywhere for $5.99 (before discount) at amazon, or direct from my ebook publisher, ebookit. If you buy it from ebookit you don't support the big tech companies and the author gets a bigger cut much sooner.
The audiobook is also available at all these vendors, and is also free with a 30-day trial membership to Audible.
"Not simply about one mission, [Genesis] is also the history of America's quest for the moon... Zimmerman has done a masterful job of tying disparate events together into a solid account of one of America's greatest human triumphs."--San Antonio Express-News
Emma and Skipper
Today there will be no political column, because to be honest, there are things in life more important. After fortunately a very short illness, we were forced to put to sleep our dog Skipper, as shown to the right in 2016, with then-a-very-young Emma behind him, plotting evil. Emma passed away prematurely a year and a half ago at only a decade of life. At his passing Skipper was about seventeen years old.
We think Skipper was a mix of Schipperke and Chihuahua. Both breeds are known for their uppity nature. Skipper had that in spades. For almost his entire life he was active, friendly, and independent. He would only do what he wanted to do, which sometimes was great and sometimes not so great. For example, we have a dog door and a very large fenced back yard. He liked to go outside and bark at the coyotes, sometimes facing off against them with only our six-foot-high cattle fence in-between. The coyotes were unphased, but to Skipper, he had declared that our yard was his territory. Stay out!
Until the last year he also like to bark when visitors arrived, but his only desire in doing so was to get petted. If they stopped, he’d bark again. Pet me!
His outside barking was not always perfect however. If we didn’t close the dog door, he would always go outside at about 4 am every night, plant himself five feet from our bedroom window, and bark relentlessly. I’m the boss! One of us would have to get up and bring him in.
Yes, he wasn’t perfect, but Diane had rescued him in 2012 when he had been for several years shifted from one foster home to another. His original owner had died, and the foster organization had been unable to find him a permanent home. We gave one to him, one he liked quite a lot, and for this the heavens smiled.
I’d go on, but I need to dig a grave in the backyard, next to the graves of Emma, Fitz, and Wolfie.
On Christmas Eve 1968 three Americans became the first humans to visit another world. What they did to celebrate was unexpected and profound, and will be remembered throughout all human history. Genesis: the Story of Apollo 8, Robert Zimmerman's classic history of humanity's first journey to another world, tells that story, and it is now available as both an ebook and an audiobook, both with a foreword by Valerie Anders and a new introduction by Robert Zimmerman.
The ebook is available everywhere for $5.99 (before discount) at amazon, or direct from my ebook publisher, ebookit. If you buy it from ebookit you don't support the big tech companies and the author gets a bigger cut much sooner.
The audiobook is also available at all these vendors, and is also free with a 30-day trial membership to Audible.
"Not simply about one mission, [Genesis] is also the history of America's quest for the moon... Zimmerman has done a masterful job of tying disparate events together into a solid account of one of America's greatest human triumphs."--San Antonio Express-News
With sympathy. I know how it feels.
So sorry to hear about Skipper.
My condolences. We develop such a tight bond with our pets, and especially our dogs. Remember his barking at 4 AM when you can’t sleep. It is a delicious treat.
Sorry for your loss.
Skipper was a lovely dog. My deepest sympathies.
God speed, Skipper.
In the past 30 years I’ve hosted 7 cats, only one still lives. They lived better lives with me than they would have out in the wild. (They were outdoor cats from the neighborhood.) The area where I live was once a stray cat free for all. The city eventually decided to round up the cats in masse and euthanize them. I know of only one stray cat who currently frequents my yard.
I appreciate my cats for reminding me that life is more than ‘all about me’.
Just got home from putting down our last surviving dog, Toobie. She was almost 14.
http://www.richardcmoeur.com/critters.html#toobie
My heart breaks for your loss. Your memories of his playful nature will one day ease your loss but for now know that we support you.
Very sad to lose a good dog friend.
As my vet said when we had to put down our 16.25 year old puppy in 2020, “It was a pretty good run”. It is HARD to lose a beloved pet. Condolences Bob.
Solid.
Bob, Skipper is on his way to Sirius, the Dog Star – where he will play, run and bark forever. Condolences and Bbst wishes to you and Diane
meant that to be best!
I have a friend who is a gifted professor at a seminary. Occasionally he preaches sermons in churches to fill in for pastors on vacation. One Sunday I went to a church to hear him preach a sermon. In the middle of his sermon he completely changed the subject and said “One of the questions I get asked the most by people is will a beloved pet, Fido the dog or Ginger the cat, be in heaven. He paused for a moment to think about his answer. I was sitting in the back of the church and I could see everyone in the congregation lean forward in the pews and a tension, almost like all the air getting sucked out of the church, as they waited in anticipation for his answer. He continued “The Bible doesn’t specifically say and I’m getting into the area of theoretical theology, but based on the Bible as a whole and what I know of God, I believe they will.”
Everyone sat back in their pews and there was a rush of relief and comfort in the room.
Sorry for the lose. Pets often become more than pets but become a member of the family.
When one dies it breaks your heart.
Mark Levin Talks “Rescuing Sprite”
Hannity & Colmes (11/5/2007)
https://youtu.be/kUFAwEmwNAU (part 1)
and
https://youtu.be/-GcOvbwSfP8 (part 2)
Condolences Bob. Sounds like you provided Skipper with the best environment for a dog – a family who loves them. Rest in peace Skipper.
My condolences, Robert, on the loss of Skipper and belated condolences on the loss of Emma as well. Losing two friends in a year and a half must be tough. My deepest sympathies.
The worst thing one can ever do is to make people love you and die on them….I keep no pets… can’t afford them anyway. Growing up, seeing them run over… it’s bad.
If you have a cat and an older car…in the winter…knock on the hood before you crank it.
Cats like to sleep between the block and the radiator.
I learned that the hard way.
Tough, but a loving home for so many years was Skipper’s good fortune.
Take care this weekend.
Sending positive vibes to you and your’s Bob.
Rough times.. Eventually get better.
Nothing better than a good dog, nothing worse than when you lose them.
I am certain he had a great home.
Very sorry for your loss. We’ve lost two elderly cats in the last three years, and it’s hard every time.
If a stranger may offer condolences on the passing of your dog, you have my sincerest sympathies. I don’t know if you’ve read this by Kipling, but it affects me every time I read it:
https://poets.org/poem/power-dog
I haven’t had the courage to get another dog after having put mine down, so many years ago. I’m a dog-grandfather (spoil them rotten, then return them to their parents) to half the dogs in the neighborhood, and it still hurts when one of them dies. I hope the two of you have more strength than I do, and rescue yet another animal to become part of your family.
Such fine and loving creatures they are,, and can be, inspite of our shallow and self centered lives.
I have put down my finest creature friend long ago, and she is still in my heart and memory.
A good friend, and hiking buddy.
“… and for this the heavens smiled.”
Amen
Our Critters burrow deep under our hide. I lost my Blue Heeler on 7 Feb 2001. She was almost 13, ancient for a heeler. She is still greatly missed.
Your Skipper was so fortunate that Diane and you rescued him. The more important things in life. . .
Oh brother! We had Simba (Shittzu) pass away at 15. Never cried harder. Now we have Sophie (also shittzu) at age 12…whew! They love you so much! But so devastating when you lose them.
Yes, it’s so sad each time we lose a long-term companion. But, keep in mind
that Skipper’s life was better with you and Diane, than other potential courses.
You mentioned the names of Skipper’s predecessors. I fondly remember, one year
at the PSC Jamboree, watching Wolfie getting attention from the attendees. :-)
DonM
You have our sympathies, as we have just lost a most loving companion as well. We always said she would have made a great therapy dog, as she always sensed when we were struggling.
But we are all better, because of our dogs.