ODE TO GUS
This is my (10 year old) puppy Gus, that died on Thanksgiving. He was a Corgi/Lab mix, hence the floppy ears (that were the softest things on the planet!), and short legs - a lab cut off mid thigh with paws put on the ends. We got him from a shelter, one of about 8 siblings we chose from. I'm surprised we didn't come home with at least 2. My husband had a twin to Gus (Stymie) that lived 19 years and when he died he asked (like a little kids asks his mom) for another one if we ever found another "Stymie Dog" Of course, thinking we'd NEVER find another fluke combonation like that again I said "Oh yeah sure." Within the year we had Gus. The man scoured shelters within a 200 mile radius - we ended up at a shelter 3 hours away from the house because the lady said on the phone that they had a litter like he described - just came in, 8 very cute little black puppies! It was like they restocked a sale item and we better hurry up. So off in the car and over to find, yes, they were just what we were looking for. Only 3 looked exactly like a "Stymie dog" (more than one dad? genetics lotto?) So hubby picked out one of the little black sausages with legs and off we went. The little guy only weighed 5 lbs!
He wasn't the sharpest pencil in the box, but boy was he cute. He just had that kind of personality that you couldn't help but love him. Everyone that met him fell in love with him. Perhaps it was the oddness of the genetic combination, or perhaps it was just that his sweetness ooozed out of him. My kids friends loved him like he was their own and he loved them back like they were part of the family. He loved me best, of course *grin* because I was the alpha female and probably because I dropped bits of food in the kitchen a lot. *( see bio vac below) But mostly I was home all the time so we got lots of quality time together.
He had the sweetest disposition, and loved everyone who would give him belly. We fondly called him Belly Whore (but not to his face) because he would run up to anyone and wait for a quick pet on the head before falling over and offering up his belly for them to rub. Perhaps he thought he was a Budda Dog. :) I'm pretty sure all he heard when we talked was, "Belly, belly belly, belly Gus, belly ... belly belly belly belly belly." Like in the Far Side cartoon. He loved to play; he loved to play by himself. He would find a toy and throw it and then run around the house like he was on speed before he would run over to the toy and pick it up like it almost got away from him, and throw it again. If it was a squeeky toy, he was sure it was attacking him and would grab it and squeeze it very slowly to make it squeek a lot before he threw it again. No doubt it was daring him to let it go. We would just sit and secretly watch him. If he thought you were looking he'd stop and hope you would give him belly. He wouldn't fetch for us. We'd throw the toy and he would just look at it go by and then look back at us and wag his tail. Maybe he was waiting for US to run around and get it, hehehe.
His other revered place in our family was as Bio Vac* (biological vacuum :) That dog would eat anything you dropped and all you had to say was "oops!" and he came running from anywhere in the house, LOL. I'm sure this didn't help his enlarged heart, but it sure made him happy and cut my sweeping chore by at least half.
For a little guy he thought he was a giant black bear. He used to sleep on the floor next to my bed to "protect" me. Unfortunately being black, at night he wasn't seen too well by the sleepy human .... he needed protecting from me, but always forgave me for almost squishing him. I eventually learned to step lightly checking for fur with my toes before fully stepping down.
I wish you could've met him, I'm sure you'd have liked him, and if you gave Gus belly he would've been your friend for life. I bet he and my husband play fetch in heaven, and maybe hubby even chases the ball too :)
... Grieve not,
nor speak of me with tears,
but laugh and talk of me
as if I were beside you ...
I loved you so -
'twas heaven here with you.
- Isla Paschal Richardson
Unknown "dazzling sherob" Peaceful
- 16 years, 12 days ago
