14 years 5 months 2 days. His body was taken by Cancer but not his spirit.

We learned from the first day he came home with us that this chapter of our lives would be titled Life according to Freddie… an unpredictable fun filled learning experience of what a dog really wants in his senior years.

Having let the past go, he looked to the future and wondered how he could cram a bucket list of wishes and dreams, into a limited amount of tomorrows. Fred mastered what he could get away with and who he could blame it on all while still looking innocent. Some of his PROUD accomplishments include being the only Dog in Cody WY history to receive a warning ticket from the police department for breaking the leash law by walking himself with a leash in his mouth! He participated in the Rescue Parade and circling the Show Ring at the GRCA nationals in Greeley, stopping to work the crowd as the “show dogs” waited in the wings …he received a standing ovation! He stayed in a suite at the Stanley Hotel in Estes waiting for ghosts to appear, attended reunion picnics and charity events to raise funds for less fortunate pups. Every Sunday he walked with Dusty the Church dog not only keeping up with this golden girl a third his age but led the way. Handsome and wise, He was showboatin!

At the Great Golden Retriever roundup in Pagosa Springs he marched proudly in the parade and placed in the Hot Dog race. He has been to a doggy psychic, walk-a-thons to stamp out doggy cancer, to Old Faithful…, he swam in Yellowstone lake, rolled on the summit of Pikes Peak, enjoyed riding shotgun in his 57 Chevy wagon and attending antique auto shows, costume contests, and appeased his mom getting his picture taken with Santa Claus. Fred was an inspiration for the first dog park in Cody, where he was planning to run for Mayor. He drank Perrier water waiting in the Lounge at a Colo Springs Subaru dealer and went to Bozeman MT to purchase the “FREDX” van. Fred welcomed doggy friends on vacation that stayed at the “Golden Guys Retirement Ranch” with open paws and of course his birthday party FIESTA FREDDIE a celebration of 14 Golden years last summer attended by so many doggy friends and humans.. He was known all over town from the coffee shops and campgrounds to the Fly Shop and Chevy dealer and of course his friends at the Post office. He envisioned what heaven looked like from a mountaintop in Loveland, promising that everyday from now on would be a Beautiful day……………

We are so proud to have been chosen to accompany Freddie on his last Great Road Trip the last 2 plus years. We only wish it could have lasted longer. Thanks Fredster it was a heck of ride!

We are sorry that it has taken so long for us to get back to you guys at GRFR about Sunny, I guess we were waiting for a slight pause in our busy lives to get our thoughts together and reflect on everything. Well, that pause has come, and unfortunately it a very sad time for us, and for Sunny. It is with deep sadness and regret that we must inform you and the GRFR team that Sunny passed away yesterday while undergoing emergency surgery at the Wheat Ridge Animal Hospital. It started yesterday morning at 4:30am when she started to vomit and seemed very uncomfortable, so Brittney took her to our vet right away, it is the same place that she goes to doggy-day-care so they are very familiar with her (and love her!) She was diagnosed with a "twisted" or flipped stomach also known as gastric dilatation, and when they finally got her into surgery to see how bad it was her condition and the damage to her stomach and esophagus was so great that the surgeon had no choice but to put her to sleep. She would not have survived the night if left alone so, they made her as comfortable as possible to help her not feel any pain.

We haven't had Sunny even three months yet, it feels like we've had her forever, we have grown very attached to her and are extremely saddened by the sudden loss. The house seems empty now without her here to greet us and constantly keep us company. In the recent weeks we really started to see her getting more and more comfortable with us, her home, and her new life in general. She was still having some issues with separation anxiety, but we were making progress with that. Her favorite toy was her ducky, a small duck that would make quacking sounds when squeezed, and she used to treat it so gently and carry it around in her mouth all the time as if it were her little baby. Sunny was so gentle and loving to everyone and everything that you couldn't help but immediately fall in love with her. She went to visit the firehouse, went to work with Brittney, and we even took her to a nursing home a couple of times to be a therapy dog for the residents there; they absolutely loved her, and she loved the attention.

Sunny was content just being around people, and she was happiest when someone was petting her. She literally would fall asleep standing up while you were petting her. She got a lot of rest, slept soundly...very soundly! We have never heard a dog snore that loud. She loved to chase the ball, rabbits, tease other dogs behind their fences, and loved the large open space dog park; her favorite treat was peanut butter, or anything smothered in it.

Her time with us was too short, but we are grateful that we did have that time with her. She will be missed.