Moe is in Doggy Heaven.

Moe

Age 17, August 15, 2000 - May 10, 2018

In memory of Moe

Nickname: Tiny Moe, TIny Bear, Boo Bear, Little Buddy, Bubby

Moe, also known as Tiny Moe, Moe-zambique, Moe-jito, Moses, Moses P. Jackson, Muffin, Monkey, Chicken, Peanut, Pumpkin, Puppet, Pookes, Pookie Bear, Tiny Bear, Boo Bear, Radar, Fang, Little Buddy, and Bubby, died peacefully in his home on Thursday May the 10th, 2018, just shy of his 18th birthday. In the minutes before he was put to sleep, he was truly happy – eating from a big bowl of bacon, hot dogs, and melted peanut butter ice cream. At the moment of his passing, he was cradled in the loving arms of his mom and dad – the people who loved him most in the world; we should all be so lucky.

In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to Silver Muzzle Cottage (http://silvermuzzlecottage.com/).

Born in rural North Florida in August 2000, Moe was one of many in a litter of adorable Jack Russell puppies; this resulted in a difficult selection process for his human mom. After much deliberation, she declared, “we’re down to eeny, meeny, miny, moe… who wants to be Moe?” At that moment Moe ran forward and the rest, as they say, is history.

In his wild and carefree youth, Moe enjoyed a wide variety of activities including long hikes with his mom, chasing squirrels, magically escaping the confines of any house or fenced-in yard, riding in cars, chewing on sticks, playing in sprinklers, sleeping in bed with his mom, napping on the couch with his mom, dancing to Ani DiFranco with his mom, sleep-overs at his Grandma Sue and Papa’s house, tussling with the neighborhood dogs (Sissy, Ginger, Katie, and Pepper), having adventures with his age-mate cousins Grace and James, chewing on all of his mom’s most prized possessions, and sticking his little nose in places it did NOT belong. He found yoga and meditation painfully boring and would always sit, stare, and sigh impatiently (and loudly!) during his mom’s morning practice. He loved to lick her face during downward-dog and burrow under her armpit when she was in child’s pose.

Moe was famous for a number of funny quirks. He loved to sleep under a pile of blankets with just the tip of his little nose poking out. He would starve before he would take a single bite of kibble without someone close by (preferably his mom); if he was hungry and his mom and his food bowl were in separate rooms, he would take a mouthful of food, carry it into whatever room his mom was in, drop the pile of kibble on the floor, and then commence eating. If his mom was sitting, he was in her lap; if she was lying down, he was in the crook of her knee; if she was walking, he was at her heel; if she was talking, his ears were alert and his head cocked, as if trying his best to decipher every word. He could convey his impatience with a funny noise (sort of like, “Snarf!”)… it was rare that you didn’t know exactly what Moe was thinking – whether he was frustrated or content, full of annoyance or full of joy. He was more stubborn than a mule and never let his small size deter him from trying to get his way. Amanda Lovatt said it perfectly: “Moe has ten times the personality of most people I know.”

Moe would like it stated – for the record - that he never cared for cats; they are so serious, and he can’t abide that. His only regret in life is that he never managed to catch a squirrel.

Moe believed privacy was over-rated, and he made it his mission in life to follow his mom absolutely everywhere. He was especially concerned when she was in the shower and would rest his little paws on the edge of the bathtub so that he could peer around the shower-curtain and make sure that she was okay. This resulted in a constant puddle of shower water on the bathroom floor; a perpetually soggy bathmat is a small price to pay for that kind of loyalty.

Moe hated for his mom to travel. If he caught her loading a suitcase into their car, he would sit by the car door (or leap into the back seat if she wasn’t fast enough to stop him) and REFUSE to budge. Nothing could lure him away. He never wanted them to be apart for a moment. Over the years they went on many car rides together and made their home in many cities including Gainesville, FL; Washington, DC; Boston, MA; Princeton, NJ; and Durham and Carrboro, NC. As long as they were together, everywhere they went felt like home.

Moe's favorite person was his mom – he only had eyes for her. Moe was tireless in his love for and devotion to his mom and vice versa. These two could never get enough of each other. When Moe was nearly 10, he and his mom met a super nice guy that would eventually become Moe’s dad. This new guy instantly understood that Moe and his mom would always love each other just a little bit more than they could ever love anyone else. That was okay with him; he was very happy to be in close second place. This is how Moe and his mom knew this was the right guy for them. That, and the fact that he carried dog treats in his pockets for the first 6 months of their courtship. Moe knew things were serious between these two on the day they all went for a walk together and his mom handed Mehul the leash. From that moment on, there was so much to have and to hold between these three.

As Moe matured, he developed a fondness for sun-bathing and loved to press his furry little white and brown body up against brick, stones, or cement warmed by the afternoon sun.

Moe was a not a fan of going to the doctor (who is?) but he sure loved Dr. DeWana Anderson, who called him “son” and always made him feel so safe; in his final year, Dr. Michelle Droke made regular house calls – truly, two more compassionate and generous people never existed. Over the years, there were days when his mom couldn’t always be home for a lunchtime walk; Chrissy, Roxanne & Joe, Bonnie, and Amanda all cared for Moe and each won his little heart (and his mom’s heart) for their endless patience and sweetness to Moe. Moe is survived by his Mom and Dad, his Grandma Sue and Papa, his Ba and Dada, his Aunts Anne and Parul and Uncles Greg and Prateek, and his sweet cousins Grace, James, Krishna, and Desh as well as countless friends and neighbors who will all terribly miss his sweet little heart. He was crazy about them all.

Dogs are remarkable in their unconditional love for their human companions and Moe was no exception. His love and devotion to his mom never wavered. He couldn’t bear to see her cry, would lick the tears right off her face. He was quick to forgive and forget every harsh word spoken in haste. If Moe could have one wish, it would be that we all practice such generous, rapid, and complete forgiveness towards each other, that we never for a moment cherish hard feelings. That we greet each other, tails wagging, as if to ask, how can I show you more love; how can I be even more tender and kind? And while he and his mom will always want more time together – and will grieve their separation – they will not live in grief but in joy and gratitude for having loved each other so well.

For so much of his life, it was impossible to imagine Moe as anything less than vital, full of spunk and mischief. But even the best loved dogs are not immune to the passing of time. It seemed to happen overnight that Moe lost his hearing… his habit of listening intently and swiveling his head in concentration became just a memory. One day a squirrel ran across his path and Moe barely lifted his brow; his mom’s heart sank. She looked at his little face and wondered where all that grey hair had come from. Slowly, over time, Moe seemed to not always know where he was. He didn’t want to play much. He had to be coaxed to eat. He needed medicine for pain in his legs – once so strong, now they could barely navigate the threshold of a door. No longer able to follow his mom from room to room, she happily carried him. And yet… in the quiet moments when elderly Moe napped – chin to his mom’s chest – arthritic and snoring, she could so easily recall the Moe of days past, impatience mounting as she teasingly meandered to the knob where his leash hung, barely able to sit still long enough for the collar to click around his neck, already straining at his leash as the front door cracked open, as if to say, come ooonnnnn. Let’s GO. Yeeesssss. There is immeasurable, boundless joy around each corner, why wait a single second? Don’t delay, don’t postpone. In these moments of deepest sorrow, when our hearts have been cracked open and are beyond all repair, don’t forget this joy. Don’t forget that it. is. so. worth it.

Yes.

Come on.

Let’s go.

Well done Tiny Moe, well done. Good for you buddy.