Bud arrived at our home just before Thanksgiving. An early Christmas present with a big red bow around his neck. The wiggly pup was placed in my hubby's hands, and it was instant love between the two of them. Bud was a very smart dog. I always said he learned so quickly because of the deep love he had for my hubby. Love was Bud's middle name. He was part Lab, and part Pitbull. He hated the water and could not swim a stroke. He was also very passive. The only thing that could get him easily riled up, was any form of abuse towards children. He would often get between angry parents and their children. He adored children, and they all seemed drawn to him. Fully grown he was 99 lbs. of pure lamb.

Whatever my husband did, Bud was with him. My hubby loved to fly kites, so Bud became a kite flying dog. He had a bright pink harness that he wore when flying. He really got quite good at it, and would often gather an audience. I guess he was kinda spectacular after all.

Bud had a very deep love and understanding of children. They were drawn to him like a magnet. He would put up with tail pulls, eye gouges, and mouth explorations with the patience of a saint. He would fetch balls endlessly for them. Some even rode on his back. As he aged, he would often look to us to tell the little ones he'd had enouh playing for awhile. He was never able to tell a child no himself!

Around his 7th birthday, Bud began to experience some seizure type activity. These were not brain related, but more like a giant charlie horse in his back. His vet put him on aspirin therapy for these pain seizures and for the hip dysplasia that was now becoming apparent. The gentle giant was beginning to show signs of aging.