Remembering: Junebug

Dear little Junebug came into our life after we fell in love with the Boxer breed (Lady, who passed away due to cancer in mid 2012) and we wanted to add another one to our family. We planned you from the time your mother was pregnant. You were picked out right after birth.

We were able to come visit you as a tiny puppy and fell in love right away. You came home when you were old enough and fell right into place. We had a scare with you as a pup: you lost some weight and had a bit of failure to thrive, but with some assistance from your breeder and some adjustments, you began to grow!

You gave us some trouble as a youngster, and there were some times I was frustrated with you, but as you began to mature, you showed yourself to be loyal beyond all else. You had the most solid recall of any dog I have ever owned in my life.

You loved to sleep under the blanket, just like the smaller dogs. You were not happy unless you were as snuggled up to us as you could be. You would nudge me in the mornings to lift the blanket so I could cuddle up to you and sleep in.

You may have considered our poultry as your next dinner, but you had a heart of pure gold when it came to puppies. Every puppy who came into our home, be they foster or permanant family members, you took under your paw and protected, loved, played with, and cared for.

Watching you with the youngsters was always a great joy in my life. Despite being our only large dog after Lady passed away, I knew I could trust you to play gently with the others.

You had a lot of fun mannerisms, including spinning in circles when excited and "talking" to us. Every day you and I would play "tag" in the fields, taking turns chasing each other. My hearts breaks at the thought that we were never able to explore our new home and it's surroundings together, as I had planned.

You are well known to many because of your gentle caring of Ellie, and I hope they all remember you as I will.

There is some small chance that you did escape, though in my heart I do believe you ran into the house, or under it, and perished. Either way, we will probably never see you again, but I hope your spirit will live on in your sister's pup, yet unborn but expected...

You were just over two years old.

Goodbye, Junebug.