01/07/2024
Our beloved bestest boy Rooster very suddenly and unexpectedly crossed the Rainbow Bridge early Monday morning.
(1/6/2012-9/2/2024)
Sunday night he started having trouble breathing so we rushed him to the emergency vet. Once the fluids were removed from his chest, the ultrasound and X-rays showed that his poor body was riddled with tumors, at least one of which was bleeding into his chest. We were shocked because he had been asymptomatic until Sunday night. Even two months ago his blood work was fine. With no real treatment options and his breathing still being a struggle even in the oxygenated ICU chamber, we made the difficult decision to let our baby go.
To say that we are devastated is an understatement. Life will never be quite the same again.
We first met Rooster in February 2012 when we fostered 2 brothers who were only about 3 weeks old. The puppy who would become known as Rooster was the runt of the litter, weighed only a pound, and most of that was snot because of a respiratory infection. In fact, we were told that Rooster may not make it, but we took the puppies home and tried to nurse them to health. Thankfully, they got better. Rooster got his name the first day he was with us. We separated the puppies from our other dogs using dog gates to corral them in the kitchen. Naturally, our 65 pound pit bull Murphy wanted to play with the puppies, so she was barking away. Now despite her sweet, gentle, and loving nature, she had this enormously fierce bark, which had scared away more than one solicitor at the door. But regardless of that fierce bark from what must have looked like a giant, this one pound little puppy bowed up just like a banty rooster with huge attitude. He strutted right up to that child gate to bark back in the face of Murphy. He yipped away at her and he’s been crowing ever since. Truly Rooster talked more than any dog I have ever met.
Rooster was such a high drive dog that we had to find ways to expend his boundless energy. His disc dog career all started with a cheap frisbee in the back yard. It turned out that he was an absolute natural - his ability to jump unbelievably high, great speed, astute tracking, and intense focus all allowed him to excel. He rarely allowed a disc to hit the ground. He played in our back yard happily for a couple of years, until we discovered the organized sport of disc dog and then it was on. Rooster loved competing and doing demonstrations – anything for an audience. He loved entertaining and showing off and could be quite the ham prancing around after his performances. Catching discs was absolutely his favorite thing in the world.
Rooster loved people – and never met a face he didn’t want to lick. When we had visitors we wouldn’t be able to hold a conversation until after Rooster had told them all his stories first. He really was such a talker - unless he had a stuffie (or a disc) in his mouth. He loved his stuffies and they were always strewn all around our home. He could never have enough. Rooster was happy and upbeat and ready for adventure – he definitely lived life to the fullest. However, he did also have a softer squishy side. He instinctively knew how to be gentle with children and seemed to especially enjoy time with them. He was well known around our neighborhood and the kids used to knock on the door to have Rooster come out to play. He always wanted to bring joy and love to everyone.
Rooster was a wonderful family dog. He was such a Daddy’s boy that he followed him everywhere and had to be by his side, even when he was being all boring by working from home. Rooster just had to be with him. He really was a great companion. He was an amazing support to me during times of sickness or sadness. He just seemed to know what to do to make people smile and feel loved. Rooster was the best big brother to Shipley and Augie. They are really missing him. He will be missed beyond words by us – but also by all of the many friends he made in his life. He made friends everywhere he went. His impact was felt far and wide. He enriched our lives in more ways than we could ever express. We are so grateful for the immense blessing and privilege of the time we shared with him.
