“The man, the myth, the legend.”

When Ray and Diane went to a puppy mill in San Diego to rescue a dog for a friend, they met a little toy poodle. He was one of their stud dogs, but they had no more need for him.  

Ray asked the breeder what would happen to Pip if no one took him home. “Oh,” the breeder said, “we will just give him a shot tomorrow and put him to sleep.”

“Not our dog!” Ray and Diane promptly left with him.

That was 2001.  Pip was in really bad condition. His hair was all matted and his belly was covered in what looked like ground coffee – he was covered with fleas.

Pip went home with Ray and Diane and found he had a big sister called Bear, also a toy poodle, at their home. Pip was very aware of his position in the household and was always respectful of Bear.Four years on, Bear left them and went to the Rainbow Bridge.  Well, Pip thought, I better take up prime position. And he did for the rest of his life!

He had prime position in Ray and Diane and Jane’s lives.  P.S. Though I am Jane’s favourite outside of San Diego! ;). And George, he comes a close second.

Pip lived a long time and had a good life!He travelled with Diane to Europe and visited Jane in Colletta di Castelbianco in Liguria, Italy for three summers, as well as France and Switzerland.He was a great traveller in plane and car. He had a human soul about him.  On his daily walks in Little Italy, where he was known as the Little Italy mascot, people in the neighbourhood would stop and say hello to him all day long! He followed Diane closely, and while rarely on a leash he never ever wandered away from her.

So on this day of Thanksgiving in America, despite all the tumultuous things that had happened in this world, we can be still be thankful for the other many, many good things in our lives – like wonderful hoomans who love us four-legged creatures like we are one of them. We are thankful for the many who have given our fellow canines a second chance.

We never met Pip but we’ve heard a lot about him from Aunty Jane.(Oh look, there’s also a cat in the mix!!!!)

Pip passed away last month, and we wanted to remember him. He was 17 1/2 years old.

Pip gave a lot of pleasure and love and he was much loved by all who knew him from Little Italy in San Diego, CA to Liguria in Italy. R.I.P. Pip, “the man, the myth, the legend”I’m sure Ray was so excited to see you again and you will have a lot of sharing to do with Bear. 2 April 1999 – 10 Oct 2016

May’s comment: From our household to yours, Diane and Jane, fellow dog crazy people – you’ve given Pip a good life.

And now that you will soon begin your new life with Ted, we know he will be one lucky dog!

And HAPPY THANKSGIVING to our American readers.