Off the Leash for Good

Sad times around here today. Our nine-year-old rescued mutt passed, the victim of a non-functioning liver..

We adopted Pepper when he was eight-weeks old, saved from a Georgia shelter by Home for Good Dog Rescue. The time he spent with us was all too short. In those 9+ years he made our home a more loving and joyful place to be.

It’s not possible to overstate the impact of this little guy on our family. Who’s going to keep the mailman from storming the front door? Who’s going to sniff our way back to the car after I’ve veered off a hiking trail? Who’s going to patrol the backyard bringing order to the chaos of squirrels, chipmunks, rabbits and who knows what else. I’ve now got no one to play tug of war with, not to mention the games Pepper conceived himself like “sucker” and “two stick.”

I’ll always remember how he looked after me when I had my knees operated on. When I was bedridden, he would lie on the bottom corner of the bed keeping an eye on me. When I started to walk again, he was always at my side. When I would go upstairs he’d walk with me at the same agonizingly slow pace, one step at a time.

Pepper was a big fan of ‘bark in the park’ night at the local minor league ballpark. So much the better when it was dollar hot dog night as well. When I would watch a ballgame on TV, he was always next to me on the couch.

It is Pepper’s picture peering out over the fence that graces the home page of this blog and that will continue to do so. I’m running out of words to describe what his loss means, so I’ll just put up some more images of this handsome, smart, faithful guy.

Pepper 2011-2021
This entry was posted in Uncategorized and tagged , . Bookmark the permalink.

44 Responses to Off the Leash for Good

  1. So sorry that you’ve lost your beloved Pepper ❤

    Like

  2. imogenglad says:

    So sorry to hear about your loss, dogs are part of the family

    Liked by 1 person

  3. A.P. says:

    I’m sorry Ken.

    Like

  4. Donna Janke says:

    So sorry for your loss. It sounds like Pepper had lots of character. I know what it’s like to say goodbye to a loved dog. Years after our dogs have passed on, I still expect one of them to come running when I drop something in the kitchen or start barking ferociously when a dog (any dog, real or cartoon) appears on the television screen.

    Liked by 1 person

    • Ken Dowell says:

      My dog would bark ferociously if anyone came near the car. I could never go to a drive-through with him in the car. Once I pulled up to an ATM and he barked at it.

      Like

  5. Our condolences on Pepper’s passing.

    Like

  6. GP says:

    Always so sad.

    Like

  7. Sam Gridley says:

    Oh, man, I bet even the squirrels are sad. It sounds like Pepper was very special.

    Liked by 1 person

  8. allenrizzi says:

    True condolences. Often dogs are better people than many of us.

    Like

  9. sportsdiva64 says:

    I’m so sorry to hear about your furbaby, Pepper going to Rainbow Heaven. It’s always sad when one loses a pet, no matter what kind of pet it is. R.i.p. Pepper

    Liked by 1 person

  10. Amy Whitney says:

    These sweet moments will be memories for a lifetime. Thank you for sharing what a loving, loyal, beautiful soul Pepper was and always will be…

    Liked by 1 person

  11. ckennedy says:

    I’m so sorry. I love Pepper’s cute face peeking out over the fence on the home page for this blog; such a beautiful, sweet soul. Thanks for sharing his pictures.

    Liked by 1 person

  12. renxkyoko says:

    He’s family. I’m sorry for your loss.

    Liked by 1 person

  13. Winston.Woof says:

    I’m so sorry for your loss. Xx

    Liked by 1 person

  14. Pam Lazos says:

    Ken, I’m so sad for you. I can’t even imagine the grief. Apollo is my Pepper, eight years old now, too, and I find myself thinking about the inevitable from time-to-time. Invariably, I have to push the thought aside because I get too choked up. I hope you get a sign from Pepper today that he’s still hanging around. ❤️😘

    Liked by 1 person

  15. M.B. Henry says:

    I’m so so sorry about Pepper 😦 😦 😦

    Like

  16. Our most sincere condolences on the passing of sweet Pepper.

    Like

  17. Sorry to hear about the loss of Pepper. Our pets are a part of our family and daily routines. It’ll be quite the adjustment.

    Liked by 1 person

  18. I’m so sorry for your loss. I lost mine recently too, and I know how you feel. 😢

    Like

  19. So sorry for your beloved loss of Pepper….your memories will never fade, they will keep you smiling. 🙏

    Liked by 1 person

  20. So sorry for your loss, Ken.

    Like

  21. Oh Ken, I’m so sorry for your loss of such an adorable and loyal friend. It’s never easy to say goodbye, and the time our pets spend in our lives is just never long enough. The last photo in your post says it all: Pepper was lucky to have found you … and vice versa.

    Liked by 1 person

  22. jmankowsky says:

    Aww, so sorry for your loss. What beautiful pics! I hope your memories of Pepper will keep you going in this sad time. – Julie

    Like

  23. Kelly MacKay says:

    So sorry you lost your friend.

    Like

Leave a comment

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.