Horton is empty without our boy. It feels so unreal that he is gone and we hurt so so much. Foster was fine Friday morning – enjoyed his morning walk and visited with his new buddies Bill and Linda. He was content lying out in the grass under a tree sniffing the air and watching the world. By late Friday morning he started to feel bad and by that afternoon we were at the vet. Saturday morning he could barely lift his head. When we were told he wasn’t going to get better and was hurting, we helped him on.
Foster was a sweet boy and everyone loved him. He loved people and kids. We’ll never forget how he’d run toward the people he really loved – kind of a stiff legged gallop with his ears back and a huge smile on his face. He loved affection and being loved on and would paw you when he wanted more. While he loved attention, he was stingy with his kisses. But he was so smart because he used them as his secret weapon. If he wanted something and we were ignoring his wishes he’d sneak in with a just a little itty bitty kiss and you were done for. How could you deny him when he gave you one of his precious kisses.
Unfortunately his love of dogs decreased as he aged. He never loved cats. Small critters beware! He was quite the hunter. Chipmunks were never safe. Foster and Derby chipmunk hunting was something…they’d spot one and chase it from one end of the house to the other. Foster sticking his nose up the drain spout and snorting. When either one thought they were on to it we’d hear a shriek and the other would come running. Seeing dog butts in the air and heads low under the porch.
On the trip we found out he despised armadillos and coyotes. Funny thing about the coyotes – we heard so many comments about how he looked like a coyote or other wild animal. In one day at Kodachrome we heard kids ask their parents when Foster came walking by – is that a wolf? is that a coyote? is that a fox? He met for the first time Emus on the trip at an RV park in Utah. We were both surprised when he took them in stride. He didn’t know what to make of the horses he got to check out at Capitol Reef but guessing by the fact that he tried to bite the nose of one he was at least a bit uncertain.
Mischief and troublemaking were up his alley, more so when he was young but he still had adventures the last few years. Foster would make up some of his own entertainment… the best one involved Derby though. He’d start digging a hole in the yard and as the dirt chunks flew, Derby (with his head between Foster’s back legs), would snap at them. When they’d get really excited (thinking maybe Foster unearthed a mole or chipmunk) you’d hear one or the other shriek. We still laugh when we remember Foster chasing a wild turkey when we were vacationing in TN. The wide smile on his face and satisfied gleeful glint in his eye when his chase ended were priceless.
When younger he loved to play frisbee. He wasn’t very good at it as he’d run before you tossed it and then would turn around and look for it hoping it was near him. The last couple of years he slowed down a lot. With his bad knees and back his long hikes and frisbee catching days were over but he still loved to be outside and take his strolls. He was the boss of his walks of late. We’d let him lead and decide where he wanted to explore. If you tried to turn him around to head back because you knew he was starting to struggle he’d turn and look the other way – the way he wanted to go instead. He was so happy when he got his way even if it meant he had to be carried back.
He loved Horton and visiting new places, especially if there was lots of grass and he could take long walks and chill outside. We’re glad his last stop was perfect in his eyes. We’re lost without him but so happy that he was here with us on our family adventure. He got such enjoyment out of arriving at and then exploring each new site, our happiness with a spot was in many ways driven by his endorsement.
We hope Foster is playing with his best friend Charlie right now. That Shell is allowing them to play 
and Shelby and Oreo are keeping a watchful eye.
We love you and miss you and we won’t be the same without you.
I am glad that you were able to have such awesome adventures with Foster on this unique trip. I am sure that he loved every moment of it!
