Max

Your brave heart, gentle spirit and loving personality filled our lives with joy.
Please, please meet us at the door when we get there!

When we adopted Tazz who we renamed Max two-and-a-half months ago, we knew that he was nine years old and that he might not be with us for very long. Maybe he’d live another two years, maybe three more; any years more than three would be a great gift. He died three days ago from a rare disease, Blastomycosis, which had progressed beyond the point where it could be stopped. He didn’t show symptoms until the very end.

Our aching pain from losing him will one day lessen, but right now it seems overwhelming. It seems like he came and went in the blink of an eye, but our love for him is forever.

Max was a macho dog who was not afraid to show his gentle side; he’d spend an hour diving into the pool, then walk into the house with his stuffed rabbit pouching out his lips. He was good at a lot of things, but he could not look fierce. We hope that he has a stuffed rabbit wherever he is.

He was the ultimate cool dog. Other dogs never upset him, children, people at the door, being alone, storms never upset him. He took obedience training in stride; all except “down” which he never once did in class but would do later when he thought it was a good idea. In fact, he was a surprisingly good student.

When we traveled in the car Max and Tryg, our Labrador, would ride in the back of the car together , looking out the windows or curled up together sleeping. It broke our hearts when, after Max died, Tryg sniffed all around the back seat and made crying sounds; we have no doubt that Tryg missed his friend.

Max had a special connection to his Forever Mom; not as a pest or clinger but as a quiet need to be with her. He shared his time with others, but it was obvious that he considered her his special person.

Forever Mom

Max was the light of my life. Oh the joy he brought. He was bonded so closely to me and now that he is gone, I keep looking for him everywhere. In just two months, my heart was filled with love for him. Now it has a huge hole. If you wanted to rate him, he would be a ten out of ten. He walked nicely with a flat collar, played fetch and liked to swim, had four feet on the floor when people came to the door, stopped barking when asked to, smart, excellent recall, confident, no counter surfing, no anxieties, loved people and got along well with other dogs. Could you ask for more?

Forever Dad

After going over and over again through all of the unrewarding ‘whats’, ‘whys’ and ‘if onlys’ of Max’s death, I have come to realize, finally and simply, that I loved Max and I really miss him. He was with us for too short a time and the overwhelming nature of his illness seemed a cruel end to a special life. Please, please meet us at the door when we get there!

Happy Boy
Max at the lake	Max at the cabin
Max hiding in the flowers	Max with a wet face from swimming