Our sweet, angelic Goose (FKA Anders 17-225A) crossed the Rainbow Bridge on May 18, 2020 after a few short yet perfect years in our home. He was too good to be true, and the best dog anyone could ever ask for.

He came to our home in December 2017 as our best Christmas gift ever. This baby Goose/Golden Goose/Christmas Goose immediately made himself comfortable. Teaching a sweet, floppy, goofy 6 month old how to do the stairs was one of our greatest joys and accomplishments. After a week of car rides to the dog park - his second favorite place (second only to the lake) - he overcame MOST of his fears of riding in cars as the world revealed itself to be a safe, happy place.

He attended 6 out of 8 of his Obedience 1 classes and turned out to be the best trained dog our families have ever seen. His recall was unbelievable, often he was back at your ankles before you could inhale to call out his name.

Even in the throes of winter his dad took him and his fur brother George on two walks a day. He was pretty terrible on a leash - pulling like a lead sled dog but that was quickly solved by taking him off leash and he'd keep to our ankles. He only loose-leash walked when his toddler sister would hold the leash from her stroller.

It's hard to say what our fondest memories are of Goose. We have a many way tie for first between hours of blissful fetching (only the Orange Chuck-it ball would do), tending to his little sister's every need and whim, being her jungle gym for hours on end, getting up with his mom for every diaper change, middle of the night feeding, and story time to playing tic-tac-toe on the bed at night and finally, of course, lake trips with endless fetching and swimming (but NO jumping off the dock except that one time when the wind picked up, flags all blew at the same time, and he had to bail off the dock and into the lake). 

We spent Christmas 2019 at the emergency vet trying to figure out what was causing him pain, and Christmas Eve dinner consisted of Domino's pizza and snuggles. He rallied for a few months for us and gave us bonus time, we just didn't know it was a bonus when we had it.

He was sweet, patient, kind and giving until the very end, when his inexplicable pain could not be managed any longer. We waited for a sign and he, being the best dog in the world, gave us what we needed to know it was time to help him over.

To know Goose is to love him, and be loved by him. No person, pet or child he met was denied the signature Goose butt wiggle and nose kisses. Life is so precious, and dogs are a gift - this one was one of the greatest.

Maybe he knew all along what we didn't - that his time on earth would be magical and perfect, but all too short and therefore he made the most of every second. It will never make sense or be OK, but we will remember how he lived - thankful, giving, happy and loving. We designated George Strait's "Here for a good time" as his signature song: 

Don't think for a minute that I am gonna sit around and sing some old sad song

I believe it's half full not a half empty glass

Every day I wake up knowing it could be my last

I ain't here for a long time

I'm here for a good time

So bring on the sunshine, to hell with the red wine

Pour me some moonshine

When I'm gone put it in stone "He left nothing behind"

I ain't here for a long time

I'm here for a good time