Pogue Mahone

One of the best dogs that ever lived passed away this week....

Jason and Paige lost their first child- Pogue Mahone- on Tuesday, June 17, 2008. He was 15 years old.

Pogue was an amazing dog. Well trained, loving... all around what you think of when you think of a 'family' dog. Joe and I have lots of wonderful memories of Pogue- camping and hiking in his younger days, laying on the floor of Jason and Paige's house just hanging out with him, his visits to our house with Ellie (we kept hoping that some of his manners would rub off...), and his role as ring bearer in Jason and Paige's wedding. One of my favorite memories is him laying very patiently on the floor while Julia crawled all over him. She thought he was a jungle gym. And he just laid there... patient as all get out... until she was done. I have had a picture of this on my desk for the last 6 years- look at it almost every day. Picture above shows Pogue several years ago. Ellie is in the background.

Pogue had a good life with a mom and dad (and then a sister and a brother) who loved him deeply and provided him with the best of care. I've watched Paige nurse Pogue through endless injuries and illnesses with the love and care that only a mother can provide. I watched her train him (and I aspired to be like her when we finally got a dog, but I missed the mark a little bit!), retrain him, and then watched him obey. He was truly the best dog I have ever known.

Pogue has declined a great deal in the past few years- he had gone deaf, and mostly blind, and wasn't nearly as spry as he had once been. But he was still a great dog. The last time that we saw him (just a few days before he died) he was watching the kids swim through the French doors at Jason and Paige's house. Not enough energy to stay outside and watch 'his kids' but still aware that they were out there and still keeping what little eyesight he had on them.

It was Pogue's time, but he will be greatly missed by all.