Superdog...Dobbie.

It has been a rough couple of days in Soulshine Land.

My little wonder dog, Dobbie, was hit by a car at the family farm in Michigan. Dobbie was a great dog that we adopted when he was nearly a year old. He was a Jack Russell Terrier with the classic personality of a that breed. He was three years old at the time of his tragic end. I have cried my tears and am ready to share his story.

Bill actually brought him home in Nov of 2006. A coworker had bought him while she was pregnant with her first child, not knowing how high maintenance a Jack can be. Once baby was born, Dobbie became too much work for her. Bill told me that she had a YORKIE and was looking for a good home. Knowing how much my mother in law adored yorkies I suggested bringing it to her when we went north for thanksgiving. Several days later Bill comes home with Dobbie, NOT a YORKIE! He was so ugly and scared....I fell in love immediately. Dobbie had a couple bad habits that had to be addressed. He had a little problem with his bladder control. He got excited or scared and he would pee.

One afternoon, Dobbie, Derek and I were sitting at home and the front doorbell rang. I was working on teaching Dobbie that when the someone was at the door he was not allowed pass the TV. I get him into position and open the door. At the door are two nicely dressed Jehovah Witness's wanting to spread the word. Dobbie lasted for about 5 seconds and he bolted out the door to greet our guest. He did his little happy dance and pee'd on the mans shoes. Oh my God, my dog just pee'd on the Jehovah Dude. After scooping up the dog and apologizing like a newly born again Baptist. I shut the door and nearly pee'd my own pants from laughing so hard. From that moment forward Dobbie was one of us. Angel accepted the little hyper creature and Boudreaux, The Cat was slower to accept but came to terms with the new canine. Dobbie got fixed, learn some self control and was a constant source of entertainment.

He loved his tennis balls. Everyone wants a dog that will play fetch. Truly play fetch, throw the ball, chase the ball and return the ball. Dobbie was an artist. He would fly up in the air like Superman, flip around and bring the ball back. You could spend hours playing catch and he would not quit. He slept with his ball, ate with his ball and drank with his ball. Literally, he would drop it in the water bowl - drink and grab it back out. If I was busy he would go to the second floor and push the ball through the railing and race down the stairs to grab it before it bounced. He could even flip the ball on his right side of his head and catch it on his left. SUPERDOG.

When we decided to make the move to China I had to make arrangements for the pets. Since we were going to be living in an apartment (we are on the sixth floor) it was decided the dogs would be better off at the family farm in Michigan. I spent my last few weeks with them training them on where they could and could not go....to the barn, yes...in the barn, no. Warren built a large pen for all the dogs to stay in when no one was home. Dobbie was doing great minus one episode where the neighbors dog came into the yard and Dobbie was protecting his women. Dobbie was very smart and very much a Houdini. No pen was going to contain him but he never went anywhere. He always stayed with Angel and she wouldn't break out of a pen due to her hips being old and worn. For some unknown reason on that day, Dobbie went across a field and through a grove of trees onto the roadway.

We will never know what happened but we will always miss the ugly dog that stole our hearts. I am going to post his picture and a small video clip (if I can) both were taken at camp. We taught Dobbie how to swim before I left. He loved it, he got to the point that he would follow Derek across the Paint River. Big river - little dog - huge heart.