Pheasant Ridge Ranch

This isn’t supposed to happen – ever- but it did. All our dogs have lived well into old age, 13 to 15 years has been average. They are loved and cherished and cared for and trained to interact in nearly all aspects of our lives. But our gorgeous Billy was chasing a leaf in the driveway and ran right into the path of a car (going too fast to stop). With his death, my husband, who had been right with Billy, and I had a large part of our hearts and dreams wrenched from us. Oh, how I miss him!

As I dressed the next morning, I realized all too well that he wouldn’t be waiting to go outside to get the paper with me, or feed the birds, or come in and plop at my feet as I read the news and drank some coffee. No, he won’t be there any more looking adorable, lying on his tummy with his hind legs splayed straight out behind him, and his front legs and “big-boy” paws nonchalantly crossed in front patiently waiting as if to say, Well, what are we going to do next?

He was the sweetest, wisest, young Fox Red Lab male, and the most beautiful male Lab of any color I have ever seen. He had a nobility and carriage that brought the attention to him, not because he demanded it, but because all his loyal admirers thought he deserved it.

There will be other Labs in our lives, but one doesn’t replace another, and I know there will never be any boy to replace my Billy. Fox Red Labs are the most beautiful dogs. Billy taught me to realize this every day when I looked into his eyes set so perfectly on his wonderfully reddish face. His conformation was outstanding and would have allowed him to compete in any venue.

He came into our lives late one after- noon this past November. The joy and anticipation I was feeling quickly trans- formed into the strongest love I’ve ever experienced since the bonding I felt toward my children. I’ve had lots of dogs, but this was the most powerful relationship attachment ever! This, then almost four—month-old boy was phenomenal. He seemed just as thrilled with Q us as we drove him from the airport to Petsmart to get a collar and food dish. Oh, and a potty stop — he obviously held it all the way from Kansas City to Traverse City, Michigan.

Billy met the rest of the family when we got to our home on Bear Lake. He learned we have a 13-year- old female Rosie living with us and slowly dying of cancer. Then he met Tate, a sweet chocolate male 10 years old. Next, he was reunited with his gorgeous littermate, Cindy, who is full of energy and love. Lastly, he was introduced to Violet, a 10—month—old black female Lab who is the silly moonstruck lover of the bunch. Oh, and add two cats, ages 10 and 11. That’s our darling menagerie that has kept us busy and constantly entertained.

Billy quickly renewed his sibling attachment to Cindy but got along with and genuinely loved all the pets, even the cats. He romped with the young Labs and always helped Tate collect sticks. He was far and away the fastest, so he always won at tag or ball retrieves if the whole gang was there. He especially loved the snow and loved to try to catch and eat the flakes as they fell. He slept on his favorite leather couch but checked on Rosie periodically, licking her ears and sniffing her ailments. Most of all, he was my buddy, and John’s. He showered us with love and tempered it with respect far more typical of a much older dog.

Because of his outstanding quality, Bill’s untimely death is a huge loss to the breed. He probably would have seeded some other great Labs had he lived a normal lifespan. Surely, with his charming personality and tremendous intelligence, he – would have entertained loads of people in our home, the show circuit, obedience training, or field trials. All of us who love Labs owe it to the breed to develop these fantastic dogs. We would certainly have done everything we could to accomplish that. We were aware that we were just getting started with what promised to be a very rewarding, fun, and exciting life for him, and for us.

We are comforted knowing that from birth to death, he was wonderfully cared for and loved, first by his mother, then by his breeder (Sarah jury of Pheasant Ridge Ranch Labradors), and finally by us. We had raised our family of five children, and now had the time for Billy and our other dogs. We loved giving Billy every- thing he needed, most of all the training, attention, and our love. We were looking forward to swims in the lake, more daily walks, and hunts in the fields. I hope he is always with us in spirit. I will remember, too, that his playful Lab nature is precisely what got him in trouble and ultimately took him from us. A routine time to pee for his walk turned into a nightmare that will haunt us forever.

It’s time to go get the paper now, and as I go I will remind myself how grateful I am that in our 50 years of marriage, until yesterday, we haven’t had a dog’s life taken by a car. Billy’s death is nothing we’ll ever get over, so I will try to remember the tremendous joy Billy brought into our lives. Everyone should be so lucky!

His registered name was to have been South Shore’s Dreams Do Come True. Now, my dream is on hold again.

From Just Labs magazine January/February 2010