Goodbye Big Silly Man

Bob, our majestic, regal, loving, Great Dane, has crossed over the rainbow bridge.




Everyone who met Bob loved him instantly. He was 150 pounds of lap dog! He stood 7 feet tall when standing on his hind legs, and always watched our neighbors over the privacy fence. He had the most beautiful brindle markings, and big brown eyes.

Bob was the alpha dog in our house, he led with an iron fist. He was first to do everything, and he made all the other dogs wait for him to finish. He would lay on the end of the couch, pretending to be asleep, and if ANY dog tried to pass him he would make a very soft growling noise. My mom said he was playing "Billy Goats Gruff," and all the dogs had to pay a toll to pass. :-) This was his most favorite game in the house.

Bob's simple thinking and clumsy mannerisms made him even more lovable. He could not figure something out to save his life. He was very large, so if he got stuck in the bathroom or hallway it would take him a good 10 minutes to figure out how to get out of the predicament he was in. He would trap you in a room and force you to love him, pressing all 150 pounds against you. And when you have that much "Bob" forcing you to love him, there is no saying no! :-) One of the funniest things Bob ever did was inside of PetSmart- he got it in his mind that the GIANT hanging animals were real. Hehe. On one visit there, he barked and barked at the giant cat hanging over the feline section...he didn't even notice the people around him, he just knew he had to keep that darn cat away from us! I really loved him.

Bob lived and breathed to protect my mom. On more than one occasion he would jump to her defense if he thought she was hurt in any way. His love for her was the very definition of unconditional. Bob also loved his daddy, often sitting with him at night while they watched movies. Samuel and Michael were also special to Bob, he loved it when they would lay next to him and kiss him. And I feel so honored because, Bob never licked anyone, it was never his thing...but when I moved in, he would lick my face just a very little bit, to say "I love you." I will never forget those moments!

In the last weeks of his life, Bob took a drastic turn with his health. We noticed he wasn't eating, he never got up to play, he never wanted to be loved, his muscles were twitching, and he could not hold himself up anymore. It all happened so fast, we were not ready to say goodbye to Big Bob. I am having a hard time writing this, because every time I think about him, I want to go out into the living room and see him- but he is not there. :'( I can't stand it. There is an emptiness that cannot be filled.

We have lost so much in a years time, we suffered so much heartache. I try to keep my head up, because I know things could always get worse. I thank God for my strong faith, because I could have never made it through everything I have made it through without a GREAT GOD. I am also thankful for the unwavering faith that my family has, I know that we can always lean on each other through these times. God has never let us down, and He never will. We asked for an answer on what to do with Bob, and my mom knew immediately that it was time to say goodbye. God is never early- He is never late- He is always RIGHT ON TIME.

Here are some pictures of our handsome man, please take a minute to read the captions and look at the pictures. Bob is now running free with all the other danes we have lost along the way- Frank, Lars, Lisa, Tinka, Raina, Connie, Hunter, Frankie and his best friend, his sister, Hannah Banana. :'( Run free big silly man, and make sure that everyone knows who the boss is!! I love you forever.

This pic was taken in February, and I am sure it is what Bob looks like now, running and playing, with no pain....


This was Bob letting Lisa know who was going in first!!! I hope they are playing together tonight...



This is the last picture of Bob, it was taken on Friday with my cell phone. He was really sick and that point, but he loved my mom, and she loved him, all the way until the end. I will cherish this picture...