(Almost)SIXTEEN YEARS OF A GREAT LIFE!
Butkis was the inspiration to our husky love that we have. (Named after Rocky's dog in the movie!) Back in college Rich and I had just meet and Butkis picked us out (Picked Rich really). Rich was working a McGruff crime dog party at college and the under priviledged kids were running around the park/pool and he keeps seeing this husky hanging back off the edge of the park. He kept thinking what a loyal dog some kid had. Day went dog stayed. At this time Rich realized he was left behind and coaxed him to come. As he approached he noticed he stank (river mud) and that he was covered in ticks. Okay so he was lost it was a college town at graduation. He took him home washed and washed and washed the dog. At first he was not planning to keep him so the plan was to find the owner as he had a collar line but no avail. I meet Butkis once or twice but did not try too hard as Rich had a rescue pup of his own inside the house (Rocky was not going to survive the parvo he picked up at the pound). Butkis had to stay outside and we assumed the inside pup would survive and the outside would find mom and dad. We were wrong so as Butkis wiggled his way into our hearts helping my then friend grieve for his dying pup, Butkis rescued us. We were two broke kids with a husky. He became the product of OU(athens) he found his was out of the house through every window, he found his way to the bar where Rich worked, he charmed and conned every friend I had with his look. Rich traveled and I stayed with Butkis we bonded heavily. Then Rich left college, Rich and Butkis to DE as a cop and I had to finish school. They came back to Ohio to visit me often and I went there. We stayed with the long distance relationship. Me to Ky them back to Ohio. And the dynamic stayed cemented together, we were all there the travel companion, the confidant, the babysitter, the friend, the ma, the pa, the baby. We taught him to howl on comand, "go woo" and it would make everyone smile. He ate the door when he shut himself in the bathroom then proceeded to eat the seatbelt in the car. Finally the time came and I got Rich and Butkis to move in (w the cat and me)...we got him fixed and he settled into his adult life with us ( at 3.5 yrs). Then there was the house, then the marriage and then he got his fence. We had another move another house thus no fence anymore. He began to get bored and ate through a crate, doors and drywalls. He even chewed on the angle iron?!? We got him a puppy cause he deserved another friend. Beka was his baby and he was ours. Then glaucoma hit and a well timed miricale of the unexpected bonus check from work kept him going even with only one eye. It was to be a small extension to his life of 9 yrs. Ha big extension and many years left. Then there was the CCD at 13 yrs and we had several years of what ifs and break your hearts but he was the boy the man our heart! We made some soul searching as he was with us all the time. We had him two more years past the time we thought would as we started to make the decision, he reverted to puppisms and stayed out in the woods all the time. There were several tearful nights we thought he was gone but he just had a pit dug and deemed not to answer us when we were 5 ft from him in the dark! A new pup Baylin perked him up a bit, he ran the roost. One loud deep bark and the girls were put in there place. Another year but then he just did not seem to be himself so the hard decision was made. And he is now past the rainbow bridge but as we like to say it "He is running with the big dogs in the sky and surveying everything from the top of the hill with a bone at his feet".

We never truely found out what he was but it was always husky maybe part wolf maybe part GSD but always husky and he was definately a husky by screen, by hole, by escape and by WOO!

What a wonderful story! It sounds like he had a fantastic 16 years with you guys! My boy is almost 14 and I understand about the ups, downs and what ifs of health problems.

RIP Butkis.

For the love of snow from one husky to another !

that floppy ear with the racoon chuck missing

the sis brought the fun back to life

surgery made me wink!

pups can make you cranky or young again!

RIP Butkis

imortalized on the wall!

SaberK wrote:

What a wonderful story! It sounds like he had a fantastic 16 years with you guys! My boy is almost 14 and I understand about the ups, downs and what ifs of health problems.

RIP Butkis.

Thanks Beth, the road is sad some days and long on others but I will keep every day even the last several "bad" days close to my heart. I haev started seeing Butkis in Bourbon and even called the wrong name the other day and that warms my heart. Remember to hang in there and gather him in your heart take lots of pictures and keep the memories coming! We will all be here for each other at that time! Hang in there!