Quintin: February 1997 - Aug. 5, 2011

Our buddy.
Quintin.   A name that evokes so many feelings: love, friendship, loyalty, protection, anxiety, frustration, intense fondness for food, pain, and peace.   Quintin was adopted from a Petsmart in April 1997.  From day one it was obvious that he had a very thick skull, a small brain, a wet tongue, and a huge heart.  Quintin tested boundries daily, ate everything he could get his tongue on, and demonstrated love and loyalty like no other dog.  Throughout his life he pulled his people along many trails and gave away loving licks even when they were not solicited.  In his later years he developed arthritis in his hips, he survived liver cancer, and with each new gray fur, he gained a little knowledge.  His physical condition eventually caused him a lot of pain.  In the end, he struggled up and down stairs to be with his family or possibly snag a bite of human food.  He reluctantly laid down or got up as his hips creaked into position.  He fell often when his back leg muscles gave out or the hip pain was too much to bear.  We elected to assist Quintin with his passing to end any further suffering or pain.  We wanted to give him the love and loyalty that he expressed his entire life.  A few hours after his passing, a beautiful rainbow appeared right in front of our house and it lasted about 20 minutes.  We truly feel like it was a message from Quintin that he made it to the meadow before the "Rainbow Bridge" where he can run pain free and eat McDonalds cheeseburgers every day.  We know that he will wait patiently for us and greet us with his wagging tail and wet tongue when we reunite.