Sutter, the sweetest teddy bear of a dog, had a rich long life, yet it was very difficult to see him go, and we sorely miss him. Sutter very much lived in the moment, and he taught us that sometimes it is the simple pleasures of life that are the most important. He was an extremely happy dog. Whether it was his intense infatuation with the ball you were about to throw (as in the picture above), a kitty he was staring at, or later in life, what was being cooked in the kitchen, or what you were eating, or very late in life, yipping for attention while lying on the kitchen floor, Sutter exhibited a degree of focus that is difficult to emulate. Sutter was a constant companion to Banjo, who preceded him in death by 4 months.
Sutter would follow Banjo anywhere. Whenever we were worried that he might have wandered off somewhere, we would just call Banjo and Sutter would happily follow along too.
Sutter was a rescued dog - he came from an animal shelter in San Jose, California in February 1988 when he was approximately 4 years old. The shelter was about to euthanize him since he had been there a while and not been adopted. I agreed to adopt him over the phone and took him in originally with the idea of finding him another home, since we weren't sure we wanted another dog. However while trying to find a suitable situation, we strongly bonded, and that was the end of any talk of him leaving. Initially he was very shy and difficult to connect with - and often cowered as he walked - he showed the classic signs of a dog that had been abused. However with much love he soon blossomed and was so happy he finally had a good home.
He had the most gentle mouth - if you had food in your hand, he would so carefully nibble on it. He also had the softest fur of any dog I have ever had. Friends referred to his "bloomers" or very long, thick, silky hair suspended from his hind quarters more than halfway down his back legs.
Sutter did have a thing about cats. He went through a stage where he was obsessed with them. We would go on walks, and when knowingly walking by a house or area where I knew a number of cats lived, I'd say "Sutter, where'd the kitty go?" and he'd get so excited. Yet the cats at home as one can see, were his buddies.
Sutter's agressive style of play, his ability to leap into the air after a ball eventually took it's toll. In 1993 he ruptured a disc in his spine, coming within a hairline of being paralyzed. Yet with some superb surgical care by Dr. Robert Skinner of Portland, Oregon Sutter recovered, although his days of leaping were over.
Some of the other things he loved, kept his spirits high for the rest of his life though. These included:
Looking for apples and bringing them home. Gently picking raspberries off of our bushes. Following Banjo and wandering among the Christmas trees at our farm. Waiting for a dog treat or fresh vegetables (he liked crunchy salad fixings like jicama, red pepper, and cucumber). And, of course having his tummy rubbed and making sure that one of us was nearby.
He succumbed to a complication as a result of inflammatory bowel disease, which made it difficult for him to digest food. Arthritis limited his mobility. Even so, during his last days he would have bouts of enthusiasm and surges of energy as he charged up the road towards the neighbor's house. He walked that wonderful line between being a tough independent survivor and a gentle happy soul.
Sutter you were one of a kind and are so greatly missed.
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