Trigger

Our Trigger dog passed away on Friday.  We've known for a few weeks that his heart was in bad shape.  He was still pretty perky  and he wasn't in pain so we made the decision to bring him home and hope that he would be comfortable.  Friday night as we were getting ready for bed, he slipped away peacefully. Even though we were mostly expecting it, we are all pretty sad.  He was almost 13 so the kids don't remember a time without him.  Glenn and I just miss his face and his stubby wagging tail and his constant cleaning off all of the dishes in the dishwasher.  

Trigger was a naughty dog for a significant portion of his life.  He used to run out the front door any chance he got and race up the street.  We'd hop in the car and race after him but with his head start, he'd usually have a 15 minute adventure until we caught up with him.  He also did the same thing anytime he was off leash camping or hiking.  Certain members of the family can't drive past a camping spot in the Snowies without remembering the day we spent tracking Trigger down (instead of camping and hiking ourselves!).  

Trigger also enjoyed eating food off of the counter, off of people's plates and in the last few months of his life, he liked to pull the cat food bowl off of the table and eat that.  One time he dragged a couple potatoes and two bananas into the living room and while he just nibbled the potatoes, but he ate both bananas and somehow managed to peel them. 

He was an affectionate and loyal dog who loved Glenn the most.  Once he got too old for his own hunting trips, he'd mope until Glenn came home and then he'd sniff every item of clothing that Glenn had worn, as if he was reliving the hunt.  A few times, I'd take the other two dogs on a walk and have to leave him at home because of a sore leg and he would howl until we got back.  It was the saddest, most dramatic noise.    

We can't forget the great Chicken Coop mystery.  We had no chicken eggs for months, couldn't figure out why there was coop bedding in the house until we finally caught Trigger red-handed (red-pawed?) in the coop snacking on fresh eggs.  He squeezed his appropriately-sized frame through a chicken door because he needed a snack.  

Trigger loved his pack and they miss him.  We've noticed Tootsie walking around the house a few times and I wonder if she's looking for him.  I'm glad he had such a long life and I'm so thankful that he found his way to us.  

Trigger loved sleeping on the couch.... on his back with his feet in the air.  

I took this picture after I sprained my ankle.  Dog pile!  

Trigger loved nothing more than sleeping in the sun in our backyard.  He was mostly deaf in the last year and there were a few times where he didn't hear me coming and I had to double check that he was still breathing!  

This is how we will remember him.... sitting in the sun looking at us while we yell his name like "what?"