Saying Goodbye to a Dear Old Friend

Today we said goodbye to our dog Dino. He was nearly 12 years old. 

This was the day we got him in 2009.

He helped both our boys grow up, and was their best friend.

He was with us everywhere we went these last 12 years.

He was my driving partner on our 4,500 mile drive from the East Coast to Alaska.

He was born in Alaska, and lived in California and Maryland, but he loved the Alaska snow and cold.

One of our last walks together down on the hayflats.

Dino plays in the snow while a bush plane dips his wing to say hello.

He loved his walks in the woods.  Here he walks Scout Ridge near the Boy Scout Observatory.

Even though blind in his old age, he knew the trails well enough to walk them with ease.

During winter, he loved to munch on snow.

Dino and Heidi, catching some Z's in his doghouse during one of his last days with us.

He came down with pancreatitis and diabetes a couple of years ago, and we kept him as happy as we could these last two years, but today an acute pancreatitis attack was too much for him to recover from.

So long old friend.  Thank you for the time you spent with us. We already miss you.