01/03/2025
Velvets care taker, Ricky passed on Valentine Day he loved Velvet.
Ricky Sprenkle, my beautiful Papillon
8 Oct 2010 – 14 Feb 2025
Ricky Sprenkle was returned to our Lord on Valentine’s Day after a brief but intense battle with liver disease. He passed peacefully in my arms with the aid of compassionate euthanasia. He will be missed by all who loved him…his caring dad Dave, his incredible dog sitter Jodie, but most of all by me and is daughter and companion throughout his life, Lucy.
Ricky was born at the Serenglade Kennel in Plymouth, England. The kennel is noted for champion Papillons, and Ricky was registered as Serenglade Perfect Harmony. A Papillion breeder in San Antonio, Texas, seeking a champion squire to mate with their champion bitch (terrible word), acquired a male from Serenglade, Ricky’s brother. Serenglade, having no interest in Ricky since he had a confirmation fault white mark on his ear, shipped Ricky off to Texas as a traveling companion for his prized brother. Renamed as Simon, Ricky was not to be outdone by his more favored brother destined for breeding. He quickly seized the opportunity to impregnate the prospective the Texas bitch, producing a wonderful litter of “pet quality” Papillons.
In 2013 I was seeking a Papillion puppy. I had recently lost my first Papillion, Rocky, and was determined to adopt another of this incredible breed. I discovered a litter available in San Antonio, and proceeded to adopt the last remaining puppy, a female. As good fortune would have it, the breeder offered me her daddy, Simon. By then Simon had been neutered but could serve no purpose as a breeder or confirmation competitions. But to me Simon was perfect! At 2-1/2 years old and a reputation for being a total “mush” of a lover, Simon accompanied his daughter to our home in Colorado in February, 2013. With his daughter being named Lucy by Dave, I couldn’t resist renaming Simon as Ricky.
From the beginning Ricky was my “dream dog”, and over the following 12 years he totally stole my heart. His beautiful black and white coat, superb athleticism, high energy and boundless demonstration of love made each day with him a blessing. We went on walks every day, rain or shine. He enjoyed romping in the snow and racing back and forth between Dave and me to receive treats. He was quick to give a high-five, turn circles, and leap high on command. Together we enjoyed taking lessons for agility competition until I could no longer keep up with his quickness. He spent evenings by my side watching television, and slept on a pillow above my head in bed. Ricky brought sunshine to every day and a smile to everyone who met him.
Ricky was quick to share his love with everyone. With his daughter, Lucy, he snuggled at night and while taking naps. With Dave he had a peculiar habit of kissing relentlessly at bedtime, and jumping onto his chest at precisely 5:00 a.m. every morning. When we adopted our precious rescue Chihuahua, Velvet, he showered her with affection by cleaning her face…a routine she enjoyed with visible gratitude. As Velvet grew old and prone to deep sleep, he became her wake-up call with his bark to announce upcoming potty breaks and feeding times.
Ricky was an integral part of our family. We called him our “Happy Pappy”, and sometimes “Grasshopper” as he loved to hop through high grass. Other than an occasional leg injury from being overly rambunctious, Ricky lived a very healthy life. As he grew older, he slowly lost much of his hearing and some of his eyesight, but that never slowed him down. His last dental cleaning left him with one tooth that resulted in his tongue often hanging from the left side of his mouth. Even that didn’t diminish his handsomeness. I cherished watching him gracefully sprint to me, hair flowing across his chest and ears raised in perfect Papillion fashion. Being 14 years old, I looked forward to having my senior baby boy for several years. But in early February 2025, Ricky suddenly became ill. He lost his normally voracious appetite and became weak and unsteady. A trip to an emergency veterinarian diagnosed the possibility of pancreatitis accompanied by severe liver failure. Attempts to overcome this life threatening condition were unsuccessful. My heart broke as I watched him slip further into confusion, weakness and instability. How helpless I felt as prayers and medications failed. I had to give my Ricky up to God, returning one of the greatest blessings in my life.
I love dogs, and I absolutely treasured my sweet Ricky. While I would love to honor him by adopting another dog in need of a home, my heart is too broken to consider being broken even further. I take some comfort in the hope that God has prepared a special place for all creatures, big and small, and that Ricky is free from his failed body to run and romp with the six other special dogs that shared their lives with me and brought so much joy. Good bye my dear Ricky, I will never stop loving you. I know in time the heavy emptiness in my chest from your absence will give way to fond memories of you, forever
