Pepper
was born March 23, 1984 and lived a squirrelly life until the fall of 1995.
As a puppy growing up in the suburbs of your typical american neighborhod, this not-so-typical grouch of a mongral soon became the breathing heart of our family.
It started out usual enough at the "Humane" Society; a dank line of cages, the smell of urine, and his cement puppy box that looked more like a slave pit than a place you'd care to live in. No wonder he was such a mean little five week old tyke! His fur was like needles, his dark eyes like pits of black coal. He dared anyone to love him.
Well, the owner, John Cozad, age 6, who later changed his name to Sutherland in 1997 when he moved to Alaska, did find something lovable in this puppy. He said "Mom I want that one!"
The dogs ears twitched. Obediance training, a toothed collar worth $12.50 and a leash. The collar, it turned out over a period of two uses was worth more than a Rembrandt. His change was immediate. No longer was he a spiteful perpetual wheel of anger but a loving companion. The very definition of man's best friend. A Diamond in the rough.
From that day forward he was a whole new animal, an angel, a canine genius.
Learning an endless array of tricks, such as escape from the fenced back yard, through a guarded door, and exactly where to go to the bathroom on the rug and not have the family know for years to come. But little did we know what lay in the future.
One day, he had, like a million times before, so it was nothing new, escaped, with a second companion, Lady, a german shepherd puppy, who had turned our Pepper into mentor and father. This time though it was different, He didn't come back.
Three days later, searching for our beloved one seemed useless. Kids were in tears, a family in distress and sorrow over the loss, a dark cloud descended over the house.
Then on a Saturday, after being further torn up at the grim news of Ladies death along a highway. (The police had picked her body up along a freeway, and said she had been thrown out of a car window). A tired, foot sore, hungry, in shock, happy to be home waif of a dog who was once vibrant, energetic, and loving, strolled up the street towards our home, trotted in the front door, and climbed up into his favorite chair to the loving adulation of the rest of the family.
Sandy couldn't believe her motherly eyes. No one was ready for the angelic surprise. The heart in our family had begun beating again. For the remaining 5 years he learned not to run away, or at least not far anyway. All he wanted was a lap, attention and his doggy bowl filled.
During the last year of his eleven year long life he finally succumbed to the inevitable, death. Liver cancer took him away, but not with out a good fight. May we remember him always.
By John Paul Sutherland Owner of Pepper