Casey

Casey went to the bridge on April 27.Though I had had kees for years, Casey was my first puppy. I swore after about a week that I’d never have another puppy as long as I lived! He made me crazy, and when chastised for one thing or another, he’d look at me as if to say "Cool, you said my name!!!” Oy! The guy had springs on his feet, too; one of the first things he did when I brought him home was to jump into my lap, then run up my front to stand with all 4 feet on my head. Casey turned me into a “dog person”, a descriptor that differentiates me (and many of the people I know these days) from “a person who owns a dog”. As Casey aged, he got better looking, his coat blossomed, and he gained an air of incredible confidence. He was “Mr. Large and In-Charge” everywhere he went, and he insisted the world paid attention: To my eye, he was stunning, he moved like a dream, and he REALLY enjoyed himself in the show ring. On March 6, the cause of a sudden weight loss was diagnosed: Stomach Cancer. Turns out stomach cancer occurs as less than one-tenth of 1 percent of all canine cancers, which means not much research and no treatment if it’s not operable. I treasured all of his remaining 7 weeks and spent a lot of time thinking about how very much my life had been touched by this amazing creature. My “I’m never having another puppy” boy will be the foundation of the Mudpuppy Kees kennel. I just wish he was going to be here to see the start of his legacy.