Tributes

July 2009 - September 2022

Bruno

Light a Candle for Bruno

About Bruno

Labrador Retriever

Chicago, IL

Anything

The lake in summer

Sit, stay, leave it (aspirational), and 'who's at the door', which he loved more than any treat.

Any tricks or words they knew?

-----

Being left behind, and thunder, which sent eighty pounds of Labrador under the kitchen table.

Was there anything they really disliked?

-----

Breakfast, the walk to the lake, a swim he pretended was accidental, lunch he was not owed, and the long evening wait by the door for whoever was last home.

Did you have a little ritual together?

-----

A slow, full-body wag, and then the search for something to carry, so the welcome always came with a small gift.

How did they greet you when you came home?

-----

The hallway, directly in the path of maximum foot traffic, so nobody could leave the house without him knowing.

Where did they love to sleep or curl up?

-----

He carried something soft in his mouth whenever he was happy, so he greeted every guest with a slipper held delicately, like an offering.

What were their funny habits or quirks?

-----

He failed out of guide dog training for being too interested in food, and they called to ask if we knew anyone who might want him. We did. It was us.

How they came into your life?

You were supposed to be a working dog. You turned out to be the best friend this family ever had. Thank you for every soggy newspaper.

A message you'd like to say to them

-----

Drive him to the lake and let him swim until he could not swim any more.

If they were here right now, what would you do?

-----

His last summer at the cabin, floating in the shallows with his chin on the dock, completely at peace.

What was your last happy moment together?

-----

The smell of lake water, and a rolled newspaper on a wet morning.

What reminds you of them? (song, place, object...)

-----

He stole an entire birthday cake off the counter, ate all of it, and then sat beside the empty plate wagging, genuinely proud of the achievement.

The funniest thing they ever did?

-----

The week my father was dying, Bruno lay by his hospital bed and would not be moved, and my father kept one hand on his head the whole time.

A memory you'll never forget?

He fetched the newspaper from the porch each morning, slightly damp, always proud, for nine years.

Did you have a little ritual together?

-----

Every July we rented the same cabin in Michigan and he swam in the lake until he was too tired to stand, every single day.

What adventures or trips did you share?

-----

He would rest his huge head in my lap and sigh, and the weight of it was its own kind of medicine.

How did they comfort you on a hard day?

-----

The toddler next door, who used him as a pillow, a horse, and a napkin, and whom he guarded like treasure.

Did they have a best friend, animal or human?

-----

My wife, who he followed from room to room with the devotion of a much smaller dog.

Who was their favourite person?

He fetched the newspaper from the porch each morning, slightly damp, always proud, for nine years.

Did you have a little ritual together?

-----

Every July we rented the same cabin in Michigan and he swam in the lake until he was too tired to stand, every single day.

What adventures or trips did you share?

-----

He would rest his huge head in my lap and sigh, and the weight of it was its own kind of medicine.

How did they comfort you on a hard day?

-----

The toddler next door, who used him as a pillow, a horse, and a napkin, and whom he guarded like treasure.

Did they have a best friend, animal or human?

-----

My wife, who he followed from room to room with the devotion of a much smaller dog.

Who was their favourite person?

Sit, stay, leave it (aspirational), and 'who's at the door', which he loved more than any treat.

Any tricks or words they knew?

-----

Being left behind, and thunder, which sent eighty pounds of Labrador under the kitchen table.

Was there anything they really disliked?

-----

Breakfast, the walk to the lake, a swim he pretended was accidental, lunch he was not owed, and the long evening wait by the door for whoever was last home.

Did they have a daily routine?

-----

A slow, full-body wag, and then the search for something to carry, so the welcome always came with a small gift.

How did they greet you when you came home?

-----

The hallway, directly in the path of maximum foot traffic, so nobody could leave the house without him knowing.

Where did they love to sleep or curl up?

-----

He carried something soft in his mouth whenever he was happy, so he greeted every guest with a slipper held delicately, like an offering.

What were their funny habits or quirks?

-----

He failed out of guide dog training for being too interested in food, and they called to ask if we knew anyone who might want him. We did. It was us.

How they came into your life?

You were supposed to be a working dog. You turned out to be the best friend this family ever had. Thank you for every soggy newspaper.

A message you'd like to say to them

-----

Drive him to the lake and let him swim until he could not swim any more.

If they were here right now, what would you do?

-----

His last summer at the cabin, floating in the shallows with his chin on the dock, completely at peace.

What was your last happy moment together?

-----

The smell of lake water, and a rolled newspaper on a wet morning.

What reminds you of them? (song, place, object...)

-----

He stole an entire birthday cake off the counter, ate all of it, and then sat beside the empty plate wagging, genuinely proud of the achievement.

The funniest thing they ever did?

-----

The week my father was dying, Bruno lay by his hospital bed and would not be moved, and my father kept one hand on his head the whole time.

A memory you'll never forget?

Kind

Hungry

Steady

About Bruno

Sit, stay, leave it (aspirational), and 'who's at the door', which he loved more than any treat.

Any tricks or words they knew?

-----

Being left behind, and thunder, which sent eighty pounds of Labrador under the kitchen table.

Was there anything they really disliked?

-----

Breakfast, the walk to the lake, a swim he pretended was accidental, lunch he was not owed, and the long evening wait by the door for whoever was last home.

Did they have a daily routine?

-----

A slow, full-body wag, and then the search for something to carry, so the welcome always came with a small gift.

How did they greet you when you came home?

-----

The hallway, directly in the path of maximum foot traffic, so nobody could leave the house without him knowing.

Where did they love to sleep or curl up?

-----

He carried something soft in his mouth whenever he was happy, so he greeted every guest with a slipper held delicately, like an offering.

What were their funny habits or quirks?

-----

He failed out of guide dog training for being too interested in food, and they called to ask if we knew anyone who might want him. We did. It was us.

How they came into your life?

You were supposed to be a working dog. You turned out to be the best friend this family ever had. Thank you for every soggy newspaper.

A message you'd like to say to them

-----

Drive him to the lake and let him swim until he could not swim any more.

If they were here right now, what would you do?

-----

His last summer at the cabin, floating in the shallows with his chin on the dock, completely at peace.

What was your last happy moment together?

-----

The smell of lake water, and a rolled newspaper on a wet morning.

What reminds you of them? (song, place, object...)

-----

He stole an entire birthday cake off the counter, ate all of it, and then sat beside the empty plate wagging, genuinely proud of the achievement.

The funniest thing they ever did?

-----

The week my father was dying, Bruno lay by his hospital bed and would not be moved, and my father kept one hand on his head the whole time.

A memory you'll never forget?

He fetched the newspaper from the porch each morning, slightly damp, always proud, for nine years.

Did you have a little ritual together?

-----

Every July we rented the same cabin in Michigan and he swam in the lake until he was too tired to stand, every single day.

What adventures or trips did you share?

-----

The hallway, directly in the path of maximum foot traffic, so nobody could leave the house without him knowing.

How did they comfort you on a hard day?

-----

The toddler next door, who used him as a pillow, a horse, and a napkin, and whom he guarded like treasure.

Did they have a best friend, animal or human?

-----

My wife, who he followed from room to room with the devotion of a much smaller dog.

Who was their favourite person?