Scout came to GB as a found/stray. He was living at a construction site, mangy and very thin. Over his first few months with us, he gained weight nicely and most of his fur grew back (although it was still a little thin on his hips and tail). As his health improved, more and more of his personality emerged and Scout turned out to be quite a character. He was very grumbly with the other dogs which concerned me at first but since nothing ever came of it, we finally decided that it was just his way of “talking”.
We just called him the grumpy old man. Scout loved a soft bed or, better yet, the couch. Scout was always the perfect house guest and had impeccable house manners. He loved his daily patrols of the yard, always making sure the squirrels were up in the trees, the chickens were in their pen, the cows were on their side of the fence – nothing was infringing on his territory. He was a consummate beggar and every night he parked his nose on the arm of my husband’s chair and convinced my husband to let him lick the desert bowl. Scout loved to sing along with the sirens from the nearby fire department and loved it when he could get the other dogs to join in as well. Scout smiled – he would smile and look at you with a glint in his eye like he was privy to some private joke.
In the early morning hours of March 11, Scout woke us thrashing around in distress. He was unable to get up and did not seem to know who we were. I took him to the emergency room and they confirmed my suspicion that he’d had a stroke. He fostered with us for just over a year and blessed us with his love and good humor. We will miss him but we know that he is now smiling (and grumbling) at the bridge.
Cil Henson
