She was with us through the good times and bad times. She taught us as much as we taught her (some would say she ruled the house.) She took on our Colorado adventure as hers and made many new friends along the way.
All she ever wanted out of life was our love and affection - and she lavishly gave hers in return.
This morning, after ten faithful years with us, our furry little child, Elliemae, took her place in dog heaven.
So, in her honor, I am writing in celebration of all things that were Ellie - the things she loved and the things we loved about her.
When I think of Ellie I see her watching out the window - waiting to see what excitement was going on in the neighborhood, watching the kids play outside, and just willing for us to come home so she could dance her little twirly dance before being picked up and hugged. Back in Ham Lake, Ellie discovered the joy of perching on the back of the loveseat where she could watch the world go by from the safety of our living room window. When we moved to Colorado, I would see her peaking out the blinds of the sliding glass doors in our condo, waiting and watching. Once we built our house she discovered multiple places to keep watch - the windows by the front door, on the bed so she could look out the back windows, the open door to the deck where she would lay just inside the house on the kitchen mat, safe and sound.
I picture Ellie "hiking" her toys through her back legs like a football player - a interesting game she performed over and over again. It always made me smile.
Speaking of games, she also taught us just how to play "hide the bone". Ellie would carry her pizzle stick around the house, carefully searching for just the right place to "hide" it. As a puppy, she would place it on the couch or floor and "bury" it with her nose, scooping up invisible dirt to cover it up. Older and wiser, she learned her hiding was more effective when she put it behind a pillow or under a throw - followed up by pushing the imaginary dirt over her hiding spot. Then she would roll on the floor and look to the human in the room to find her treasure. She would whine until you started to search and celebrate when you finally found it. (I remember one time, Nancy was dog sitting for us and she had to text to ask why our dog was meowing at her. We forgot to tell her about the game!) Ellie encouraged us to think like dogs and if you were Lance, you pretended to nibble on the pizzle before you tossed it back to her. Once the ritual was complete she would settle down and chew on it for the rest of the night.
Ellie had an uncanny sense of when you were just about done eating - whether it was taking that last bite of dinner, the final scrape of ice cream in your bowl, or grabbing a quick snack out of the refrigerator. She would be by your side in a flash patiently waiting for you to finish so she could lick the remnants. She was a terrific pre-wash cycle!
Ellie hardly ever barked - just when someone rang the doorbell. It didn't take the pizza delivery guy long to realize this and knock when he came to our door.
Ellie loved to go on walks and she went on a lot of them. Lance would take her each morning and I would take her each night. Despite the fact that she looked like a fluffy white lap dog, she could sniff like the best of her cocker spaniel ancestors. Thinking of my big tough husband walking that little white fluff ball on her leash still makes me smile. Moving to Colorado meant Ellie joined us on our mountain hikes which she loved (except the one time we got caught in a rain shower - she was not too happy getting soaked!)
Ellie learned to ring a bell hanging from the patio door in the kitchen whenever she needed to go out to relieve herself - or when she just felt like going out - or when she wanted attention - or when she wanted you to go bed. We became quite adept at interpreting her message.
Ellie was great at identifying and opening her Christmas gifts. She would carefully unwrap each gift, politely play with it, and then eagerly wait for the next one. My best memory was last year's Christmas when she came out to the family room before anyone else got up, searched under the tree, found a gift addressed to her (it was a toy, so no smell to guide her), tore open the wrapping paper and waited for the rest of us to join her.
Some additional "one-liners" to sum her up:
She loved to sleep between Lance and me - head facing me and her butt facing Lance.
She adored "doggie daycare" at the vets office and made tons of friends - human and canine.
She could play chase with other dogs forever and ever - around and around the house.
She hated cold, snow, and rain - especially once we moved to Colorado.
She could sit, shake, and lay down on command.
She loved to play tug.
She would come when called - if she felt like it!
She thought rabbit droppings were an exotic treat.
She took her daily insulin shots without a flinch.
She had a way of sensing when you needed her cuddle.
She had a gentle personality and would politely sit for little children to pet her.
She remembered people - especially our old neighbors - no matter how long it had been since she had last seen them.
She knew how to make us all smile.
Ellie will be missed by everyone who was lucky enough to know her. I am forever grateful we were some of those lucky people.
