Pavlov

Wiser than many humans, blessed with an uncanny intelligence and infinite patience, it was no accident that Pavlov found his way to Marlo, the light of his life. The bond these two shared over the years was incredible; he sensed his number one job in life was to protect and love her. He was, however, a very social being, and loved to communicate with anyone who would listen to his interesting mixture of canine dialogue.

When he was still a puppy growing up in Florida, he was the star of a picnic my daughter Marlo and I once took on a sunny afternoon. We had planned to sit leisurely sipping red wine and enjoying gourmet cheese, but Pavlov had other ideas. His only plan for that afternoon was to see how often and how fast he could run across our picnic area. He ran till he was panting from pleasure and exhaustion, while we dodged dog hair and alternately grabbed bottle, glasses and food. We laughed so much we just gave up and let him run. The afternoon was anything but relaxed, and Pavlov’s energy and joy at being alive made it an incredibly memorable day.

Understanding his mother’s need for him to stay on this planet, he tried as hard as he could to remain healthy, even as his heart failed and his body was giving up. Even when he decided it was time, he did it in his own way. He spent the evening right next to his family and after everyone went to sleep for the night his tired old heart gave out; gently he died, having said his goodbyes.

His incredible spirit and the love he shared with everyone around him will always be remembered. We love you Pav.