Farewell to Fred

FREDERICK JAMES, 1998 - November 29, 2007

At 8:20 pm on Wednesday November 29, our beloved Fred was gently and peacefully eased from this world. Barely three weeks ago a limp became a neurological problem became a brain tumor and rapidly robbed Fred of his mobility and balance. When the clear next step would be a loss of dignity we held him in our arms and said goodbye.

Right to the very end Fred was all cattle dog- stoic, loyal without limits, intelligent beyond comprehension and particular about the people and the dogs allowed to be near him. Even when he couldn't walk in a straight line and getting up meant exerting considerable effort, Fred never ceased to follow me from room to room, never let me out of his sight and made sure the other dogs continued to give him the respect he had earned. After all, one doesn't need to be able to walk to work up a good snarl...

Fred was the first dog in my life who chose me to be his person and I always understood that to be a great honor. Your typical Golden Retriever chooses everyone who walks by to lavish with affection and a hound will choose anyone with a snack, but cattle dogs like Fred, well, they have criteria. Who knows what they are, but I stand a little taller when I remember that somehow I met Fred's character criteria and was allowed to be his number one person.

Fred was a shelter dog- several years old and abandoned for unclear reasons in a rural shelter. He was saved by Lost Dog & Cat Rescue Foundation and adopted into a loving home where he remained for two years. Unfortunately, he developed a bad habit of nipping at male visitors to his home and ended up back with Lost Dog at about the same time I began to volunteer . It was love at first sight for both of us.

Fred went to many adoption events and ignored every person who tried to get to know him. Finally one day I left him with a wonderful couple for 20 minutes. When I returned, Fred was sitting with his back to them staring in the direction of my exit. They told me he hadn't moved from that position, hadn't even looked at them or acknowledged the treats they offered and that I should just take my dog home and stop trying to get him adopted.

That was three years ago and it wasn't enough time.