Petey

March 2002 - December 2009

With the holidays we have been so busy (just like everyone else). We have had many things that I wanted to blog about but just hadn't had the time to do it. The one thing that affected our family the most was the lost of our family pet, Petey.

You have to know Petey so let me start from the beginning.....

Lee had wanted a duck dog but for those of you that know us well if there is one thing we have plenty of it's dogs! He had seen a sign in someones yard "Chocolate Lab puppies for sell." At this point the puppies were about 5-months old and the owner wanted them gone. Lee hand-picked Petey. He like his siblings had been living in a dog lot at the edge of the woods and had learned to get out (a trait which he also used later in life). He also loaded with ticks. After a good washing and tick removal he was allowed in the house.

I mentioned Lee wanted a duck dog. He took Petey duck hunting with him one day. He said Petey did a good job until Lee fired ta shot the first time and Petey tried to climb in Lee's pocket. So needless to say Petey was never the duck dog Lee wanted.

Another memory I have of Petey is the first night Rosty came home form the hospital. Rosty was in the hospital for 2 weeks before he came home so I would bring blankets and clothes home for Petey to smell so he would know Rosty's scent. That first night we were home we put the baby gate up and Petey paced up and down the hall all night long. I think Rosty is the only one that slept that night!

Besides gunfire Petey was deathly afraid of thunder, cars back-firing or any loud noise in general. When there was a thunderstorm his 90-pound self would crawl up in my lap and he would be shaking like a leaf, I would pet him and tell him it would be alright. Another popular hiding place (which is also where he slept) was in our closet. Lee had a sleeping bag in the bottom of the closet and Petey pawed at it until he had it untied and would lay on that sleeping bag.....it's still there I can't move it yet.

Petey was also very loud.

In the mornings if we had not let him out he would come stand beside the bed and wag his tail which would hit the bedroom door and echo through the whole house. If anyone pulled into the driveway or was at the door (especially if he did not know them) he would bark & growl. He was our built in security system.

He also would do this howling sorting of barking thing sometimes too- just to let us know he was there!

He was also my babysitter for the boys. When they were outside playing Petey was always with them. He wouldn't let anyone near those boys!!

These are all the good things about Petey that we will remember.

We will always love you Petey!!!!

I may tell more Petey stories later but there are too may tears right now!!