September 1, 2021:

Shadow was very good about letting us know when she wanted attention – with a strong nudge of her snout on your arm, it was her way of saying – “hey, what about me?”. As she got older she would shoot us a little growl from across the room to say, “hey, stop watching TV and get on the floor and rub my belly”, and she would always get her way. She also considered herself to be a 65 pound lap dog, and she was not shy about climbing onto a lap. If she approached you to be petted it would start with her head, and then she would quickly turn her back and sit down in front of you to scratch her back. She was a big baby when it came to thunderstorms, however, there was always room on our bed for her to take refuge.

She loved the outdoors and enjoyed a good rabbit or squirrel chase (she never caught any). We moved to a larger yard, giving her almost an acre to explore and bark at deer passing through. In her later years she was not much for chasing a ball around, but she did love to roll her back on a tennis ball in the grass. Shadow was always up for a good walk and made a good walking buddy. As recent as this past Spring she would complete up to 4 miles in a day. While staying in Florida this winter she became intrigued by moles burrowing underground, turtles on the sidewalks, and SandHill cranes on our neighborhood walks. She was also introduced to the ocean and the beach, which she loved. We are blessed that she was a part of our lives and she will always have a special place in our hearts.