RIP- Rudder Budder

Monday, August 31, 2009 my little Rudder went to heaven. I loved him more than I loved myself. He was gentle, kind, sweet precious and above all my little papa bear. He meant the world to me and we had some amazing times. He loved diet coke and iced tea, if I had any type of drink with a lid he knew how to take it off and help himself. He loved nutter butter cookies and thats why I always called him Rudder Budder. He had the sweetest eyes and when he looked at you, your heart couldn’t help but melt. He loved to cuddle at night and couldn’t sleep unless he was under the covers protected and comfy. He was a very spoiled dog in that just laying on the floor was beneath him. He always had to have a pillow or blanket to make the floor extra cushiony for his sweet self.

Most of my friends knew Rudder had a lot of medical problems, he didn’t develop a good immune system and so we had a three year battle with trying to keep his system calm. He had demodex mange that most puppies get and get over, but due to his lack of immune system he could not over come it. He had his good days but since we’ve moved back from California his poor little body could not over come. My mom and I made the decision to let him go to heaven and be with my Aunt. I know he isn’t suffering anymore and I know my aunt is watching over him. Letting him have as many nutter butter cookies and diet coke as he wants!

I got him when I lived in College Station and he was named after Earl Rudder- a prominent figure at Texas A&M University. He had a loud howl that my parents swore came from a hound dog not a beagle. But the vet confirmed SEVERAL times that Rudder is indeed a full blooded beagle. He loved to have his head hang out the window while we drove down the highway. He got many honks and waves as his flappy ears flapped through the wind while driving down texas highways and the pacific coast highway. When we went to the dog park, he didn’t interact with other dogs that much. His mission was to get pet and patted by as many adults and kids as he could. He loved to have his belly rubbed and loved the attention from other people.

When I got Raider he immediately  fell in love with ehr, which she didn’t give him much choice as she laid on him whether he wanted her to or not. But shortly he was laying on her and then we became a cuddle bunny family. They would play with their toys and chase each other all over the house making a track out of our apartment. Raider when she runs takes these huge leaps and Rudder just kinda trots when he runs but sometimes he would try to impersonate her and leap instead of run and he’d do well for about 5 leaps and then mess up and go back to a little trot where his ears and tail would just swish back and forth. These memories and mannerisms I have of Rudder make my heart smile and I know that he has touched my life. He was my first love, I loved him so much and words could never express how much he meant to me. I had and have so much compassion for him. I hope to be able meet and play with him in the future life. Please say a little prayer for Raider and my family as we try to move past this heartbreak. But I know that has much as we are heart broken he is somewhere all better and chasing butterflies and hanging out with my Aunt.

Love and miss you my widdle rudda budda. You’ll always be my papa bear.

~ Love, Mom.