We adopted Remie (GRRIN #14-16) on September 1st, 2014. He was 1 ½ years old. Remie was a giant red boy who had to be the center of attention. Weighing in at a healthy 107 lbs, he was the biggest golden we have ever met. And his heart was even bigger. More than anything else, Remie just wanted to love and be loved by people. He joined our family when our children were ages 3, 6, and 8, and he spent 7 ½ wonderful years as our beloved family member.
Remie was, as Jon Katz would say, a “lifetime dog,” and truly one of a kind. He was a companion, a best friend, and a devoted family dog. Remie was my loyal shadow that followed me everywhere I went. He would respond to my feelings instantly and I always said we were soulmates. He was very loving and always had to be touching us with a friendly paw resting on our laps. He accompanied our family on vacation every year, taking many wonderful trips to Colorado and to Kansas to visit family. He loved exploring new places, meeting new people along the way, and hiking in the mountains. Remie’s large size and irresistible smile attracted attention everywhere he went.
Remie loved his affectionate cat family members. He enjoyed snuggling with his family, napping by our feet, snacking on popcorn, sitting on the driveway, watching for neighborhood bunnies and squirrels, walking on the bike trails, and exploring Lincoln’s parks and trail system.
Since Remie wanted to please and loved everyone he met, we certified him as a pet therapy dog through Healing Hearts Pet Therapy and he spent two years (2018-2020) at an elementary school, working with students several days per week. He was loved by the students and the staff and helped several students conquer their fear of dogs. He retired from pet therapy in 2020 so he could enjoy lazy days at home.
Remie crossed over the rainbow bridge on Friday, April 15th. He had a seizure and we rushed him to the vet, who discovered he was in heart failure with suspected cancer of the spleen as the cause. Before that fateful moment, we were romping through Wilderness Park on Remie’s favorite trails having what he would have described as “the best day ever.” We are very heartbroken and miss him every second of every day. We are forever grateful to GRRIN for bringing us together.
Greg, Brooke, Garrett, Avery, & Emmett
