As the pain begins to cease, I'd like this post to be a celebration of Rudy's life. A life that was well lived, full of travel and adventure, humiliation, and love. We believe in our hearts that Rudy lived more life in his six years then most dogs do in their entire life.
Perhaps I will start at the beginning, when I wasn't even planning to get a dog. Out shopping for a matress and stumbled into Pete's Petland. It sounded like a good idea at the time. And there was Rudy, pre wirey hair, looking all sad, at 6 months of age in a small crate with red marker indicating 50% off. What a deal! When I took Rudy out and let him play in the shredded newspaper pen I was enamored with his spirit. He was fun, way past that irresitible 8 week puppy stage, and he needed a home. And so the $200 purchase ensued.
Rudy was my best pal when I really had nobody. My boyfriend and I had broken up, family lived in MN and I had not met Jeff yet. I was living in a dumpy apartment in Forest Park IL and Rudy was my world. He wore clothes and diapers, this is where humiliation comes into play. He was "special". And he was a model, I couldn't have been prouder. Rudy and I went on walks and frequented the dog park. He was my travel buddy back to MN to visit my family. He was the topic at all of my work staff meetings. He was "spirited" and I loved it.
Then I met Jeff. Jeff loved dogs. He loved Rudy from the start because he loved me, and I loved Rudy. We hit things off right on our first visit to Jeff's house. Rudy and I were lost, it took us almost two hours to get there from Oak Park to Elgin. Rudy must have had to go poop bad. Or maybe it was his first encounter as alpha male. He left a very large turd in Jeff's house. And Jeff said I was too pretty to clean it up. (I must have turned ugly shortly thereafter). The first Christmas we spent together we were like a little family. We took Rudy's picture under the tree. Summer followed and Rudy got basket rides on the back of our bikes and then the traveling began.
Rudy swam in 4 of the 5 great lakes. He was very well traveled going to Cobleskil, NY, UP Michigan, Denver Colorado, Detroit, MI, Akron, OH, Cincy, OH, St Joe's MI, Door County, WI, McGregor IA, Galena, IL, and our last trip with him to the North Shore-Duluth, MN. Rudy might be the only dog that has been snuck into a Marriott 5 star hotel experience. Colorado is where Rudy really belonged. He was a mountain dog, so agile and quick on our hike climbing up the steepest and unstable rocks with such ease and with such pride. Jeff and I just got the biggest charge out of his ambitious spirit. My favorite memory of Rudy was on our trip to the UP at Whitefish Point. It was his first real encounter with water and he was trying to catch the waves with his mouth. Running up and down the beach, so free spirited grinning from ear to ear. Throw a rock or a stick to Rudy and he would fetch, not so great at retrieving but true to form, Rudy was all about the adventure. Loved the adventure of sticking his face under water to try to find the rock or leaping into the water to snatch up a floating stick. Afterall, all of these years he's been telling us that he is a small game hunter. I believe it.
Rudy was there when Jeff and I exchanged our vows. He wore a tux that day, took pictures with me before I even saw Jeff. I will never forget how adorable and ridiculous he looked. And nobody would have expected anything different from me, wearing my wedding dress holding a bouquet in one hand and Rudy's lease in the other. :-)
Rudy's world changed when Nolan was born and so did ours but all for the better. Rudy learned to be selfless. He learned that pulling hair and tails was affection and that he would never hurt the single most important thing to Jeff and I. He was tolerant, patient, and concerned; creeping on Nolan when he was upset and stealing food from him as he got older. Rudy never missed an under the high chair dining experience.
And then Macey. This was just old hat for Rudy. Just one more reason why dinnertime had been pushed from 6p.m. sharp to maybe 7 or sometimes 8. When I came home from the hospital Roo was so happy to see me. I have a picture of that day, I was weak and tired, and there was Roo paws up on my legs tongue just going a million miles per hour hoping my hand or arm would land on it somehow.
On our last special time with him was on our 4th of July trip to Duluth where we think his life made a fatal turn. But I will never forget, because this was the Rudy we will always remember. Acting like a nut when we left him out of any adventure. He sat out on the patio with us for breakfast because he just couldn't bear to stuck inside without his people. He sat on the beach with us and caught the waves splashing up to shore. He played with Nolan and caught sticks and dug in the sand. He ran up and down the beach without a leash. He also enjoyed a few minutes of quiet with Jeff and I on the rocks while the kids napped in the car, watching the Lake Superior waves crash against the rocks. We took our last walk as a family in the rose garden park. It was a typical Roo kind of time.
I will never forget Rudy. He will forever be in our hearts and the memories and joy he has brought to everyone in our family will live on and far surpass the sorrow we have had from our loss. Here's to Rudy who we owe life's simple pleasures: how to play, show affection, seek adventure, and be loyal.
Forever rest in peace Roo and in our hearts. We love you buddy.
