This is difficult for me now, but I wanted to share with the community a little bit about my best friend Luke, who passed away last saturday night in an accident. He was a shelter dog, a Husky-Malamute. We had been together six wonderful years.
This comment I wrote four years ago tells about how Luke and I came to be together.
http://www.dailykos.com/...
My Husky/Malamute cross is a shelter dog. He showed up at someone's doorstep at the outskirts of Taos, NM. He was skinny, 45 LB, looks like he had been on his own for a while, they took him to the Stray Hearts Shelter.
When I visited the shelter and saw him, I decided to give him a weekend "trial".
We got along well, but he was almost semi-wild, we went on a hike and I didn't see him for an hour.
On that monday I sat on the couch with him sitting next to me, I looked out the window and realized he was too untamed, that he would be too much trouble for me. I decided to return him to the shelter.
I turned and looked at him and he had the the saddest expression on his face, it was like he was reading my mind, and his face said, "you are going to return me to the shelter aren't you ? "
That look broke my heart, and I knew I could not return him.
This photo was taken after just several weeks being together.
I love his eyes and expression, like he's thinking, "this is pretty good so far, maybe this will work out".
Two happy guys. We had been together one month.
He was an excellent swimmer, as he paddles around Lake Superior earlier this past summer.
Luke had a strong hunting instinct, I have seen him catch chipmunks, rabbit, pigeon, even a wild turkey. When I would catch up to him usually was eating his prey. I felt he might be able to survive on his own during the warm months by using his hunting skills, perhaps he had to do that for spell before his time with me.
Luke had encounters and chases with deer, porcupine (he got "quilled"), elk, rocky mtn bighorn sheep, black bear, fox. I remember once near the Colo/New Mexico border he chased/trotted after a herd of antelope for over half an hour.
We had several encounters with a pack of coyotes, they were trying to lure him away from me to "take him down", but we worked as a team and scared them off.
Luke was not scared of snakes, he once found a four foot long rattlesnake and made the mistake of getting too close. He was bit twice in the muzzle. I got him to a vet within 45 minutes and he survived, although his head swelled up like a pumpkin.
He loved the snow. A fresh snowfall was always a treat for him
We made it NN11 this year, our first. He would stay up in the 14th floor of the hotel while I was at the convention center. Sneaking him in and out of the "no-pets" hotel via side stairways and elevators was a challenge, but we found a way.
He was very social dog both with other dogs and people. Just recently he frolicked and romped with seven month old lab mix, not bad for an eight year old.
I have been blessed to have shared these past six years together. His courage, curiosity, friendliness and spirit for adventure are lessons for me to take forward.
Luke loved to run...
We've been through some things together....
For my Luke....
Long May You Run.....
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Here are some more of my favorite photos:
He had amazing balance, walking on deadfall trees was a favorite of his.
When we lived in New Mexico the Galisteo Basin was a favorite hiking spot for us. He loved it because of occasional jack rabbit he got to chase.
This is Deer Creek Canyon in NM, where he had his rattlesnake bite.
From early early spring 09' to Feb 11' I had a a dog walking job for a Blue Heeler, Rhea. Rhea was just 14 week puppy when we started. Luke mentored her to adulthood. I was so proud of him. To see him allow a pup be the aggressor as he lied on his back and encouraged her to jump on him. Luke was a play-baby even at 8 yo.
Walking, trotting and jumping on the rocks on the Lake Superior shore was a almost like a meditation for him, you could see how much he enjoyed the challenge.
Our walks at dawn along the Lake shore this summer were special, this was from a week ago.
I hope by my stories an pics have given you a sense of what he was like.
He was my rock.