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On August 2, 2013, our dear friend and companion, Toby, completed his life. Toby came from a long line of champion Brittany hunting dogs, a fact he demonstrated for us as a puppy, when by instinct alone, he went into a classic pointing pose as he encountered his first squirrel on a neighborhood walk! It was a beautiful thing to see! Kathy had always wanted "babies and dogs", and about ten years ago, she reminded me that we had the babies, but not the dog. I had seen dog owners walking their dogs in blinding blizzards, and thought I didn't need that responsibility, but Kathy persisted, knew she wanted a Brittany, and when an ad appeared in the local paper advertising "good hunters and family dogs", I reluctantly made the drive down to Dalton, in the hunting country of the Southern Tier. |
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The first time I picked up that orange and white puppy and he snuggled up against me, I was a goner. There was no doubt that this dog would come home with us! We sealed the deal in July of 2003, and after a few more weeks with his mother, Katie, Toby came home with us in August. We named him Toby in honor of a family dog of Kathy's when she was a little girl. This picture amuses me, because for most of Toby's life, he relaxed in that same pose, with his left rear leg extended behind him. |
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| Toby acclimated himself to his environment with ease, taking over the upstairs, frolicking in the snow, or resting in a prime position on the sofa in the family room. Most evenings were spent with Toby between us on the sofa.
Dogs are pack animals, and Toby was the leader. After Toby got the hang of things and learned how to climb the stairs, he decided that he wanted to end his day by sleeping in our bed. The first time he tried this, he lay on my pillow and looked at Kathy expectantly, as if to say "This is how you do it, right?" If we didn't come to bed when he thought we should, he would often come down to the family room and herd us upstairs. Toby ran a tight ship. |
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Brittanys are very active dogs, and we soon realized that Toby needed lots of exercise for his good health and to keep him tired out, so that he wouldn't drive us to distraction at home. Kathy took him for a walk each morning, rain or shine - the "Fitness on Four Paws" routine - and I came home at noon essentially every day to take him for a walk. I always said these walks were the "best part of the work day." We took Toby on several different routes: the shortest of these was the "No Name" loop, up to the extension of Fernboro between Commonwealth and Chelmsford. Toby's first walks as a tiny puppy and his last ones as an arthritic senior citizen were "No Name" loops. In the years that separated these times in Toby's life, he took Branford loops, Ashbourne loops, and Highland loops. In the last year of his life, Toby took a number of walks with Kathy and her friend Ginny, with Springer Spaniel Wini, up to the Unitarian Church and back, the biggest loop of all! | |
| Toby's greetings at the front door were always exciting! Seeing Toby's face at the door when I came home was always a treat! And opening the door for Kathy, the kids, or special visitors always produced tail-wagging and great enthusiasm! Toby was always glad to see his 'peeps'! |  |
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| Toby didn't particularly enjoy swimming, but he did love to play in the water. The backyard pool was one of his favorite places in the summer. |  |
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 | If you knew Toby, you knew that he loved to eat. And he was not particularly shy about helping himself to someone else's food. We remember an incident when I left a cooked turkey breast a little too close to the edge of the kitchen counter. When I heard the dish rattle in the kitchen, I rushed in, only to find that Toby had the entire breast clenched in his jaws. Instinctively, I tried to rescue the turkey, and Kathy came into the kitchen just as we were in the midst of a spirited tug of war. Kathy just howled with laughter, and, accepting the inevitable, I surrendered.
This snapshot caught Toby deftly snatching grandson Callum's birthday cupcake in 2009! |
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| Despite the cupcake grab, Callum really loved Toby, and Toby was always very gentle with the grandchildren. |  |
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 | Toby had many friends in the neighborhood. He had a special relationship with the neighborhood letter carriers, many of whom carried treats for the dogs on their routes. Toby expected every 'man in blue' to give him a treat, and many of our noontime walks resulted in a little morsel for Toby, often after he pulled me through several yards. Toby had many such friends, but I think his favorite letter carrier of all time was Jim Richardson, who enjoyed hamming it up with his "Back Off" dog repellent gag. Jim would often leave a treat on our mailbox, and in turn, Toby left Jim a cookie, or a cold Coke on a hot day. This picture was taken in 2009, but Jim and Toby remained friends until the end. | |
| Kathy and my mother had a particularly nice touch with Toby. Mom could always calm the savage beast, and Kathy taught Toby how to shake. |  |
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I always thought Toby's coat glistened, whether he was in the snow, the sunshine, or relaxing in the family room! He was so handsome! And he was so comfortable with himself - just bein' a dog! |  |
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| Life was always an adventure for Toby, whether he was surveying his backyard kingdom, waiting for something to drop from the table, or just relaxing in the sun. |  |
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Dogs at Play was a very important part of Toby's life. When Toby was one year old, Emily Miller, the owner, had us bring Toby to DAP to check him out, to make sure he was a good candidate for their program. Toby spent each Tuesday at doggie day care, and under the guidance of Emily and Heather, and later by Katie, Melissa, and Cheryl, Toby learned how to play well with others. Toby made many, many friends over the years, and what he learned there helped him as he met other dogs on his neighborhood walks. Toby also participated in agility classes taught by Katie, and gained confidence and self-discipline. Energetic but distractible, Toby had the well-deserved reputation as the class clown! | 
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| Playing with the water snake was one of Toby's favorite games, both at Dogs at Play, and at home. He never ceased to enjoy the game! These pictures from Dogs at Play were taken in May of 2013, on one of his last days playing with his friends.
Toby was well known in our neighborhood for being friendly with people and dogs alike. People looked forward to seeing him on his walks because he interacted with them in such a pleasant way. We cannot thank the good people at Dogs at Play enough for helping socialize Toby, adding immensely to his happy life! |
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| We had a week after we made the decision, and what a week it was. Kathy brushed his coat nearly every day, stating that "I can't send you to Heaven without grooming you!" Many of Toby's friends and our friends called on us to pay respects. My parents came over one afternoon and petted him before saying goodbye. When my Dad petted him, Toby tapped Dad with his paw to make him keep rubbing! Toby hadn't done that for us in months! Toby was a love right to the very end. He enjoyed the attention. He wagged his tail. He wanted to take walks. He still mooched food at every meal. He still smiled at us and at his friends. |
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| Here are two images of Toby that I'll always keep in my heart: Toby in his backyard kingdom With a smile on his face |
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