Rain Mountain Chinooks

09/08/2024

I am still looking for the right homes for two pups, out of the six I have in the Farco x Umiak litter. Both have wonderful temperaments, just like both their mom and their dad. Both are cuddly and people oriented.

One, the one we call Kiwi, would be a perfect sport / performance dog. No, she's not hyper -- none of these pups are. The Chinook temperament is very obvious and all six pups are very typical of purebred Chinook pups the same age. Kiwi is a bit more curious than her siblings, more apt to explore if in a new area if the yard, and very frequently follows me like a shadow. She can be spayed if that is your preference.

The second pup is also a female. Lemon is very sweet, loves to cuddle with her humans, and is just an all around fun girl. She is quite stunning in the looks and movement department. She needs a home that will commit to having one litter with her for the Chinook Breed Conservation Program. (Tickle me if you need more info on this; the science is interesting and the goals are high.)

Contact me privately if you're interested in either of these great puppies. They will be seven weeks old Friday the 9th so the time for them to leave their siblings is coming.

Photos of both girls are in the photo album for their litter, the Solstice Redux litter. Buzz me with any questions.

05/08/2024

18/07/2024

The trauma of moving from their whelping box to a portable pen required the calming influence of Mom.

16/07/2024

Puppies 1st trip outside, with help from Megan and Sarah Garrison.

11/07/2024

The pups turned on as soon as their eyes opened. They are ready to rock. First trip outside will be Friday.

09/07/2024

Sorry for the lack of photos and communication in general. My Internet is still AWOL and life has me running. But the Solstice Redux Litter are doing great despite our record-setting heat the last few (and a few more to come) days. Luckily the kitchen has a ceiling fan over their box so it stays cool.

Weights for all of them are wonderful. At 2 weeks old, they ranged from Apple / Watermelon (there is some disagreement as to what name is best) at 2 lbs 6.3 oz to Blackberry at the high end at 3 lbs 2 oz.

Eyes were open by Saturday and that was a signal for them to turn ON! They are toddling around like a batch of drunken sailors, frequently breaking into song. Last night I heard a real, true howl out of one pup but by the time I got to the kitchen, it had ended and I couldn't figure out who it was.

Sarah, Megan, and Travis Garrison have been frequent guests. It's great having Dad Dog's family so close.

This coming weekend will be more milestones as they have their 1st trip outside, get moved from their box to a pen, then have their 1st encounter with food that doesn't come from Mom. So many changes come in that period between Days 21 and 28! Stay tuned.

04/07/2024

The Solstice Redux Litter are doing well, though we lost baby Peach last week. The rest are more than meeting my expectations for growth and vigor.

Bear with me for the next while as my Internet is down. Yes, I have my phone but I'm a desktop PC kinda person of 45+ years. More photos will follow and Sarah and Megan Garrison are frequent visitors, so they will have photos to share as well.

24/06/2024

The Solstice Redux gang are settling in. “Uncle” Michael Choy came by this morning to help tighten some bolts on the whelping box. We would love him even if he didn’t bring gifts, but he always does. Today it was a supply of chicken necks and backs. I’m going to set up the crock pot and go back to cooking dog stew. Having something tasty to top off kibble keeps all the dogs interested in what they’re eating and there’s never a single piece of kibble left.

Sarah and Megan Garrison came by Saturday afternoon and helped me get collars on, weights recorded, and names picked out. Megan had wonderful ideas and we settled on summer fruits, with one minor diversion from the plan. So officially here are the names, colors, weights, and genders in no specific order:

Blueberry Male Buff 15 oz
Lavender Female Buff 12.8 oz
Peach Female Tawny 12.7 oz
Lemon Female Tawny 14.9 oz
Kiwi Female Tawny 14.8 oz
Watermelon Male Tawny 14 oz
Blackberry Male Tawny 15.9 oz

Now that they have arrived, I’ll be tracking their weights carefully over the next few days to ensure that everyone is getting enough milk. During the first 48 hours, the milk also contains colostrum. It’s richer and nutrient dense with antibodies from Umiak and antibodies to build their first pass at an immune system. It converts to normal breast milk after two to four days. It’s thicker and more yellow than the later breast milk. This will protect them until they are old enough to receive their first vaccinations at 7 to 8 weeks of age.

Umiak is spending almost 100% of her time with the babies. Her bathroom breaks are quick, and she heads straight back to the whelping box in the kitchen. The kitchen is gated off so Gallagher and Elizabeth can only go into the kitchen when I’m with them; Umiak has told them with a single hard as nails glance that they are to stay clear and to not even begin to think of lusting after her almost-bottomless food dish. Umi does enjoy the increased feedings, both their quantity – four times a day – and their quality, with plenty of fresh meat. She needs increased calcium and protein while she’s nursing.

The whelping box has a history that makes me smile. The box I’d made before Umiak and the other “Country Singers” litter was born, and after that it was the first home of the Northern Exposure litter, was lost when I moved off the Slug Ranch. This box came to me from Sherry Hung (Green Valley Chinooks) who had originally got it from Kay Lee Brown of BrownStone Chinooks; from BrownStone’s home near Eugene, Oregon, it’s come north about 325 miles to Holly Tree Hill (my new home) here at Lake McMurray, just south of Mount Vernon, Washington. I’m not sure how long Kay Lee had it, but I think she may have used one of my old whelping boxes for her first litters. And I was co-breeder with Sherry by virtue of co-owning LauLau with her).

Right now, the box contains not much more than mom Umi and the seven pups, but today, as part of their initial stimulation, I’ve put some toys of varying textures into the box. They can’t see yet, but they will be able to feel them as they “drive blind” inside the whelping box. As they grow, more toys and obstacles will be added. I also start their daily exercises: holding them in various positions, tickling various body parts, and stressing them just slightly. The theory is that these small stresses now will make them more temperamentally sound as adults, able to easily cope with bigger stressors later in life. Of course, any kind of gentle handling is good for them in these early days.

I’ll add more photos in the comments as I take them over the next few days. Thanks to the visitors that have taken them for me already. Caring for Umiak and the pups is an almost full-time job these first few days and I admit to being too busy to take them myself. I may need a nap here shortly since all three of the adult dogs (Umiak, her Elizabeth, and my terrier, Gallagher – Gally) are napping; my sleep has been short what with getting up to get Umi out several times a night; it looks quite inviting..

22/06/2024

On the Solstice in 2009, sweet Lolo (BrownStone Lolo Kumtux of Rain) gave birth to the Rain Mountain Solstice litter, sired by Moonsong Mukilteo Bluejay (Jiggles). And now 2024 has produced the Solstice Redux litter!

Rain Mountain Umiak gave birth to seven gorgeous pups virtually unaided and like she'd been doing it every day of her life, though this is her very first litter. Dad Dog is Farco, her childhood best buddy. This is a second generation cross litter so will carry the Enatai Chukchi kennel name.

Details and photos will follow later today or tomorrow after everyone involved is cleaned up (including me getting a shower!). For now I can tell you that we have both tawny and buff pups, all at a good weight. Mom is doing fine and Dad is pretty oblivious, though his humans will be here soon to help out.

To make this even more special, this is the 30th litter for Rain Mountain / Enatai Chinooks and Chinook Crosses. I have learned so much over the past 35+ years. When it comes to whelping, the biggest thing I've learned is to sit back and let Mom Dog do things her way. With this litter, all I did was hold a hair dryer above them to assist with drying babies off.

Again, photos and details will follow shortly. Stay tuned.

19/06/2024

The 13th of June was the 13th birthday of my wonderful Elizabeth Ann the Canine Garbage Can Ch Hurricane Elizabeth in the Rain). No other dog comes equipped with as powerful and wide-ranging sense of humor as Liz. She is a constant joker, finding humor in everyday life. Got on black slacks? Lizzie will feel the need to lean against you and rub just a bit so a few clumps of her hair will leave with you. She had a gorgeous thick coat as a pup, one of the things that drew me to her, and now, with age and being spayed, she has even more coat than ever. The proof is lying scattered across the black rug on the floor by the TV.

Elizabeth was the product of an accidental breeding of two Hurricane (Joyce Maley, may she RIP) Chinooks, her dame Hurricane Mercury and her dad Hurricane Chamberlain. Of course, we didn’t know it was Chamberlain until a couple years later when we did a DNA swab for parent verification. This was the last Hurricane litter born, though I think a later one may have been born at Laura Morgan’s home after she took several of Joyce’s dogs with her back to upstate New York. Lizzie’s first week of life was spent in a crate as Joyce drove from western South Carolina to Washington state for the 2011 Chinook National Specialty. Joyce had already planned to bring Mercury along as she had a new home as soon as she completed a bit of training with Carie Taylor.

It was after she got back from this show that Joyce’s cancer sprung up again, this time in her bones. I had promised Joyce during the first Gulf War that should she ever need it, I would help her find homes for all her dogs. When I made that promise Joyce was worried that she’d be called up since she was still active duty Air Force. She never did get called up by the Air Force but she did call upon myself and Laura Morgan of River Trail Chinooks to help her find homes for her adult dogs. Elizabeth (her baby name was “Guppy Puppy” while she lived with Carie) was such a fun pup that I borrowed her from Carie several times so she could spend a weekend with my gang at the Slug Ranch. Though her siblings were placed into pet homes, Joyce was adamant that Elizabeth should only go to a show/breeding home. I offered to take her permanently when Carie needed to cut down her canine population. I have never regretted that decision.

Elizabeth quickly finished her UKC Championship. On one occasion she was an example for the Chinook AKC club’s judge’s education. When I took her into the ring that day to gait her around for the assembled group of judges, they all exclaimed at how gorgeous and well-gaited she was. Carie had to jump in and tell them that her buff color was a disqualification under the AKC standard. In my opinion, this was a loss of wonderful genes for the AKC Chinook.

She found her niche as a mom dog. Her first litter was just one pup, Lightning, sired by Moonsong Never Cry Wolf (aka, Peter). Her second was sired by Trask (NBOB Grand Ch BrownStone Cascade Mt Trask), producing four pups for the Rain Mountain Irish Revolutionary litter in 2016. One of her daughters, Nika (Rain Mountain Toutle Endurance) has produced three litters for my partners Rain Mountain North, two of which were for the Chinook Breed Conservation Program, being half Chinook and half Seppala Siberian. Her last litter of seven was a joint project with Susan Fletcher of Frontier Chinooks when Elizabeth was bred to her true love, Ch Frontier Time and Tide, call name Dylan. (She still goes bonkers when she sees Dylan and flirts with him like a young girl.) Several of these pups have gone on to help other breeders. Tova, has had one litter for Frontier Chinooks, Minerva is the foundation bitch of Platform Chinooks, and Marv has sired a litter for Desert Sol Chinooks.

These days Elizabeth is mostly retired from life. She spends the majority of her days sleeping, though does have frisky moments both morning and evening when she tosses toys in the air that she then pounces on. She has blown out both of her knees and has a chronic cyst (our vet feels that she’s too old for the surgery it would take to remove it). But she still loves life. On occasion she will demand to be taken for a ride so I haul out the stairs she needs to get into the SUV. Food is the highlight of her day, followed by occasions when I hand out bones, bully sticks, or other chewies. Even with the stair steps I have for her, she can no longer get up onto the bed and I miss having her to cuddle with at night.

Once again Elizabeth is about to be a Grandma in Residence when Umiak gives birth in a few days. The sire is Elizabeth’s grandson Farco from our Enatai Chukchi cross litter. She teaches young pups respect for their elders and plays with them nicely – until she decides it’s time for them to go back in their pen.

Dogs like Elizabeth are one in a million and as much as I hope, I don’t know that I’ll ever encounter a personality like hers again. She is quite intelligent but failed Basic Obedience three times. It was simple – she saw absolutely no reason to walk past a pile of perfectly good food in her path. I tell people that I have some dogs, but I don’t count Lizzie in that number; she is my roommate. Rather than ever giving her a command, I make requests and she thinks about whether she’s in the mood to comply (or not). She will try to convince you that she needs a Disabled Parking Permit but left to herself, she will still manage to get a bow of cow hooves off a six-foot-tall shelf. Umiak is devoted to her and thinks the best thing ever is to lie with her head in front of Lizzie and have Liz nibble off her whiskers. Lizzie also likes to nibble other things and once managed to nibble perfectly straight lines open in my new duvet.

Elizabeth also has a gift for being able to eat anything. This goes far beyond dog food. The things she has downed without ever becoming ill in the slightest are amazing. Garbage can pickings, medication off the kitchen counter that belonged to visiting Moonsong Brynn, the box of hooves (roughly 24 of them, all stuffed with some sort of cheese), and the list goes on. I’ve done my best to forget most of them. Did I mention that she loves books and has eaten several? She knows exactly which ones I’ve borrowed from others and that will be expensive to replace.

I don’t know how much longer Elizabeth will be with me, but I do my best to cherish every day with her. Beauty and brains, with an icing of humor make a wonderful dog.

17/05/2024

As many dog people here in the US are aware the CDC (Center for Disease Control) is attempting to institute a ban on dogs coming into the US before they are six months of age with valid rabies vaccinations. This is in response to dogs being smuggled over the border from Mexico and other countries, or brought in with false papers. Needless to say, the AKC is all over this. Here is today's update from UKC.

For me here at Rain Mountain, it is not a huge burden since my pups tend to go OUT of the US into Canada. But now, considering my partnership with Rain Mountain North based out of northern British Columbia, it's a HUGE problem. We have tended to send all the pups going to US homes to me, then I sort them out from here; this is because of the imited transport options based out of Terrace, BC. Easily two-thirds or more of the pups born in Terrace end up coming to the US. Swiftrun Chinooks is also planning a breeding, albeit to a dog of the Nennengers in Terrace, but since I co-own the dam-to-be with Swiftrun, I won't be able to get a puppy into the US; I doubt that Taylor and her husband want to hold onto their pups an extra four months.

I will post updates as I hear them. And remember, this is a regulation, not a law at this point.

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Friday, May 17, 2024
https://www.akc.org/legislative-alerts/understanding-cdcs-new-rule-bringing-dogs-united-states/

Earlier this week, the United States Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) published a new rule for the importation of dogs into the United States. The rule, which becomes effective on August 1, 2024, will require all dogs to be at minimum six months of age prior to import into the U.S.

The American Kennel Club (AKC) supports the aims of import regulations that seek to protect pet and public health, including those that seek to protect the United States from reintroduction of DMRVV (canine rabies). However, AKC is disappointed that the new rule is overly broad and disparately impacts purebred dog enthusiasts who import a personal animal or collaborate internationally, or dog event competitors that travel internationally. AKC will continue to share our concerns with CDC, and encourages those who believe they will be impacted negatively by the rule to share concerns with CDC at [email protected].

Why is CDC doing this?
Through its new rule, CDC is seeking to prevent and deter the importation of dogs carrying DMRVV (canine rabies) and other diseases or pathogens that threaten public health. Recent cases of such imports have been associated with falsified or fraudulent rabies vaccinations and/or other required health and import documentation. In 2020, CDC observed a 52% increase in the number of dogs that were ineligible for admission into the U.S. due to falsified or fraudulent documentation. The CDC’s new rule cited several cases of rabies-positive dogs being imported into the U.S. by, or on behalf of, animal rescue groups that presented with documentation for those dogs that had been falsified.

Unfortunately, many of the dogs with falsified paperwork were claimed as personal pets (not for transfer/resale), to fraudulently exploit a U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) exemption that allows personal pets with demonstrated immunity to canine rabies to enter the U.S. before six months of age. Except for this exemption and several others, current law requires all dogs entering the U.S. for transfer (sale, adoption, etc.) to be at least six months of age.

In the final rule, CDC estimates that, in addition to the human toll, the importation of one rabies-infected dog costs federal, state, and local governments $270,000 for conducting public health investigations and administering rabies medications to exposed persons. That number jumps to $11.6 million if an exposure results in one human death.

Understanding the New Requirements
The new requirements are not legislation. Legislation requires passage in Congress and being signed into law by the President. Instead, the requirements are part of a final administrative rule promulgated under the CDC’s existing legal authority to take administrative action to protect public health. There are numerous examples of this type of action in recent years, including the establishment of bans on imports from certain countries during the COVID-19 crisis. Here is a one-pager explaining the key differences between the legislative and regulatory processes.

The CDC considered two factors to be of utmost importance for protecting public health as related to importing dogs into the U.S.: The dog’s vaccination status and its country of origin.

Effective August 1, 2024, all dogs imported into the U.S. are required to:
(1) Appear healthy upon arrival,
(2) Be at least six months of age,
(3) Have an ISO-compatible microchip implanted for identification purposes, and
(4) Be accompanied by a CDC Dog Import Form online submission receipt (no cost).

There are additional requirements for the following:
• A dog entering the US from a rabies-free or low-risk country may enter the U.S. at any U.S. port. It also must be accompanied by written documentation that the dog has resided or otherwise been only in rabies-free or low-risk countries for the six months before attempted entry into the U.S.
• A U.S.-vaccinated dog entering the US from countries considered high-risk for rabies must be accompanied by a Certification of U.S.-issued Rabies Vaccination form, and may enter the U.S. at any U.S. port.
• A foreign-vaccinated dog from a high-risk country must have a reservation with a CDC-registered Animal Care Facility, be accompanied by a Certification of Foreign Rabies Vaccination and Microchip form and a CDC Dog Import Form online submission receipt, and titer results from a CDC-approved laboratory. Dogs without titer results will be required to quarantine. These dogs may only enter the U.S. at airports with a CDC quarantine station and a CDC-registered Animal Care Facility.
• A U.S.- or foreign-vaccinated dog from a rabies-restricted country must be accompanied by a completed Certification of Foreign Rabies Vaccination and Microchip form and a CDC Dog Import Permit, and enter the U.S. only at airports with a CDC quarantine station and a CDC-registered Animal Care Facility. This is a limited exception for service and government-owned animals; otherwise dogs from a rabies-restricted country are not permitted to enter the U.S.

AKC Concerns: Disparately Impacting Purebred Dog Breeders and Competitors
Rabies is a devastating virus that is nearly 100% fatal once clinical symptoms appear. AKC recognizes and supports the vital importance of protecting U.S. public and animal health, including our status as a DMRVV-free country. AKC also recognizes CDC’s goal of reducing opportunities for fraud that threaten this status, and the need to improve efficiency for the importation of dogs. AKC appreciates that the rule does improve and streamline some import documentation.

Unfortunately, CDC’s approach does not recognize that law-abiding importers importing only a personal-owned dog represents a different risk profile than those importing dogs intended for transfer. The cases of rabies-positive dogs that have been imported into the US (as cited by CDC and noted above) were all related to fraud associated with the importation of dogs for resale. In developing its new rule, CDC did not differentiate between the public health risks represented by a law-abiding dog owner importing a personally owned animal that will reside with and be cared for by a documented individual, versus entities importing large quantities of dogs for unknown final consumers and that are already violating certain import requirements.

CDC’s new rule also neglects to recognize the value of international collaboration among sportsmen and breeders of purebred dogs, particularly in preserving breeds at risk of extinction. For example, under the rule in effect through July, puppies that have reached four months of age and were vaccinated at three months of age, therefore considered fully vaccinated against rabies, may be imported by U.S. dog enthusiasts to begin training and assess future breeding quality. It also fails to recognize that some event competitors may temporarily travel between the U.S. and Canada, both of which are canine rabies-free countries, to compete with their dogs at events sanctioned by AKC or the Canadian Kennel Club.

Problematic international animal rescue importations that were based on falsified or fraudulent documents resulted in the importation and distribution of rabies-positive dogs among the general population of the U.S. Conversely, purebred dog enthusiasts who import a personal animal or collaborate internationally, or dog event competitors that travel internationally, were not responsible for those importations and are not proven to create similar threats to the health of either the American public or our animals. CDC’s new rule nevertheless imposes new requirements and restrictions on these breeders and competitors, which AKC views as disparately impacting them.

Resources
• Understanding CDC’s New Rule for Bringing Dogs into the United States (AKC) (downloadable PDF of this document) –https://s3.amazonaws.com/cdn-origin-etr.akc.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/17151420/Understanding-CDCs-New-Rule-For-Bringing-Dogs-into-the-United-States.pdf
• Key Differences Between the Legislative & Regulatory Processes -https://s3.amazonaws.com/cdn-origin-etr.akc.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/17174031/The-Difference-Between-the-Legislative-Regulatory-Process.pdf
• AKC’s Regulatory Resources page - https://www.akcgr.org/regresources/.
• New CDC Rule - https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/FR-2024-05-13/pdf/2024-09676.pdf.
• Bringing a Dog into the United States (CDC) - https://www.cdc.gov/importation/bringing-an-animal-into-the-united-states/dogs.html.
• From August 1, 2024, Onward: What Your Dog Needs to Enter the United States (CDC) - https://www.cdc.gov/importation/bringing-an-animal-into-the-united-states/dogs-entering-us-after-august-1.html.
• From August 1 Onward: Required Documents for Bringing a Dog into the United States (CDC) - https://www.cdc.gov/importation/bringing-an-animal-into-the-united-states/required-forms-for-importing-dog-united-states.html.
• List of High-Risk Countries for Dog Rabies (CDC) - https://www.cdc.gov/importation/bringing-an-animal-into-the-united-states/high-risk.html.
• FAQs on CDC Dog Importations (CDC) - https://www.cdc.gov/importation/bringing-an-animal-into-the-united-states/faqs-about-high-risk-dog-ban.html.
Next Steps
AKC will continue to share our concerns with CDC about the disparate impact that will be experienced by purebred dog enthusiasts who import a personal animal and by owners who travel internationally or regularly transit land borders with their dogs, and continues to encourage those who believe they will be impacted negatively by the new CDC dog import rules to express their concerns directly to CDC at [email protected].

AKC will also continue to provide updates on federal regulatory actions as developments warrant. For more information, contact AKC Government Relations at [email protected].


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06/04/2024

A memorial gathering will be held on Sunday, April 28, 2024 at 2:00 PDT for Peter Smith at the home of Kathe and Jim Dunscomb in Happy Valley. We’ll talk, have some good food and drink, and be just be together.
Peter was a very shy person who hesitated to reach out to people but, like the rest of us, he loved his Chinooks dearly. Max was the center of his universe these last couple years and there were many Chinooks that preceded him. Peter’s mom, Gini Smith, was Birch Hills Chinooks of Fairbanks while Peter was a teenager. Peter and his brother Jason owned several Chinooks together while they lived in Alaska and after they moved here to the Lower 48. In just the last fifteen years their Chinooks included Rogue, Lolo, Salish, and Max. (Max is now in a new home in California.)
Despite Peter’s reticence, I think he would be very happy to have Chinook Owners and fans gather in his honor. Many thanks to the Dunscombs for offering up their home.
PM either Kathe Martin Dunscomb, Susan Fletcher, or me (Ginger Corley) if you would like to attend. We are purposely not posting the address publicly but will provide it after you contact any of us.

04/04/2024

I wanted to give everyone an update on Max, the Chinook that was left homeless (briefly) when his owner, Peter Smith, died unexpectedly.

Between Susan and the Allison family of Portland who fostered Max for several weeks (and I am so very grateful to you!), he’s done well during his time without Peter. Susan Fletcher and I agree that, since he was with Peter when he died, he understands that his beloved owner is no longer here to care for him. Having had the two of them visit me several times in the two years they’ve been together, I can vouch for the fact that they were tightly bonded. While he was with Susan, she did a lot of training with him; we needed him to know that other people may not be as casual as Peter was with manners. I can never thank Susan enough. She grew to love him also but already has three male dogs; one more would be too many.

As of earlier today, Max (Rain Mountain Animin to the Max) has left for a new home in California with the Voss family. As I type this, they are heading south after picking him up from Susan. His new family are very accustomed to big dogs after living with Saint Bernards and Golden Retrievers and have a wonderful property close to trails and parks. I am sure that Max will love all of them, including their two grade school age children. I’m going to miss being able to see him when I visit Portland. But I have a sister in San Francisco so hopefully will be able to see him when I visit there.

A big thanks to everyone who donated to our GoFundMe. Thanks go to Kathe Dunscomb for setting it up and managing it. We raised enough money to cover Peter’s cremation and to hire an attorney to manage his estate. Peter’s immediate family all were deceased, so it was up to us to step up. From the money that was left, Kathe gave some to me to partially compensate me for my gas going back and forth; it’s about 240 miles each way from where I live now. There are many more trips in this coming year.

Not only has Susan spent many hours working with Max but she has also put up with me arriving at her home with little notice and taking possession of her guest room for days at a time. Few friends are that easily presumed upon. And a better friend than Susan doesn’t exist. She’s also the best trainer that I know. Max was a challenge and she had to shift many of her usual methods, but she was able to get into his brain and work magic. As many of you know, Chinook boys are the sweetest you could ever ask for and they have good intentions at heart. Both Susan and I would have kept him except for the other male dogs in our lives.

We’re finalizing details on when we’ll have a memorial get together and should know more by tomorrow. Stay tuned for more updates.