Iris is in Doggy Heaven.

Iris

Age 15, February 29, 1996 - August 12, 2010

Iris Age 15 (February 29, 1996- August 12,2011) You are forever in our hearts

Nickname: Snoopy, The Little Yellow Dog

It was love at first sight that April day at the Greenfield pound. I was on school vacation with Mom and Mary to look for a new addition to our family. From the moment that you looked at me with those expressive brown eyes, I knew that we would be friends. You were a bundle of energy, jumping all over the place, licking my hands and face. I didn’t want to say good-bye; I don’t think that you did either. We looked at other puppies, but none of them compared to you. All it took was one more visit to Greenfield and I had Mom convinced that you belonged to us.

Upon the news that we were going to be bringing you home, Brian quickly said that he would have nothing to do with you. You were moms’ dog. Ha ha! I can still remember you and Brian meeting for the first time like it was yesterday. Brian walked into the house; you came running across the kitchen and stopped right in front of him. If it were a cartoon, you would have been able to see the hearts floating around Brian’s head and around yours. From then on out the two of you were the best of friends.

The first time Jimmy met you he was home from college on spring vacation. You leapt up at him and peed yourself . You were that excited to meet him. When ever Jimmy would come home from school he would squat down and you would put your paws on his shoulders and lick his face over and over again, as if to say I have missed you so much, and I am so happy to see you.

Matter of fact you were always overjoyed to see any of your people. There was the time Brian came back from Colorado, and you ran at him and catapulted yourself across the backyard so forcefully that had he not moved as quickly as he did you could have broken his nose. Or the times that I would come home from college and be sitting in a chair in the den, and you would arrive home and catapult yourself into the chair with me, to again lick my face, and be petted and taken outside, and most likely get a belly rub. Or when Grandma would come over, I don’t think that your paws would even touch the ground as you ran to her.

You were the puppy from hell though. You ate everything, the bottom of the cabinets, the arm of the couch, your toys. However you always were honest in your guilt of your activities, with your ears pulled back and your head hanging down. There was never any doubt when you had done something bad. You may have flunked obedience school, but you have proved to be one of the best puppy dogs ever. You have always taken care of us. There has never been a reason to fear the G&E man, we could be sure that you would eat him alive, along with the UPS and FedEx guys, and the plumber. Matter of fact anyone who dared to come to the door, other than Tony the mailman. You would sit in the chair by the window in the den watching out for Tony, and when he would arrive you would demand to go outside and bring him your tennis ball. You had the whole post office in love with you. I could never go to mail a package at either post office in Holyoke without someone saying “Oh, you belong to Iris, I love to do Tony’s route because I get to see Iris”.

You have been a best friend and companion. Dad has spent the last 15 years without being able to come up from the cellar without having to bring you in the yard, or run out to do an errand without you by his side. I am not sure there is any other dog that enjoys the car as much as you have. Or has had so many places that she likes to visit on her travels, HCC, the park by Stop & Shop, Big Y, Dickenson’s, etc. You have also been an expert hiker with Brian as your companion, and trips to go swimming in Bray Lake. You certainly have loved the water! As a puppy you had your own pool. If there has been a body of water nearby you have managed to find it and dive in head first. You have been to two college graduations, sleeping in the dorm at St. Lawrence, for Jimmy’s graduation; being snuck into the hotel when you came up to Trinity for my graduation.

You have always been tuned into when I am sad. It has been impossible to cry with you are around; you would jump onto the bed and push your snout between my hands so you could lick away my tears until I was laughing, and then you would roll over for a belly rub. Who could remain sad with you around?

Your love of Grandma had been a beautiful thing to watch. She loved you as much as you loved her. I loved how when she would be sitting on the front porch you would be sitting by her feet, if one of us had to come inside so did you, but you would sit by the front door so that you could keep an eye on her. Just the mention that Grandma was coming over your ears would perk up.

I have never met another dog who could catch a ball or Frisbee by jumping so high in the air. You have always amazed anyone who was able to witness you in action. You never did like being put on the leash either; it was actually an insult to you to put it on you. You had a tendency to run ahead of us, but as soon as we were out of your sight you would turn around to get us and make sure we were still there. I could go on and on with stories of the ‘Adventures of Iris (the dog)’.

You have always taken wonderful care of your people. You have brought so much joy and happiness to our lives. I will always be grateful to have had you in my life.

I love you dearly Iris the little yellow dog, my sweet sweet puppy dog!