Butch Selvig

Yesterday we said goodbye to our Butch, almost three months after losing our Bucky. We had more time to plan for this day and both Andy and I were there during his final moments, telling him all the lovey and adoring phrases he so very deserved. He passed in our backyard, during a sunny day that Butch loved.
We adopted Butch in early February 2008. The papers from the previous owners declared “Ottis” to be 11 months old, so we picked Mar 5 as his birthday. Last week we celebrated his 14th birthday with a doggy cupcake and other treats. His papers also listed the reason for his surrender as being too expensive. While not doubting this reason as pets can be very expensive, we quickly determined “too expensive” could also have been a diplomatic way of saying antagonistic, stubborn and never ending energy. I’m so glad we adopted him, despite too many to count instances of him being “too expensive” over the years, haha. Butch really was something else.
Butch was most likely a schnauzer poodle mix, but definitely 100% terrier personality. He was far more successful in the hunting category than Bucky, catching rabbits, mice, and birds over the years. He also loved to win, at anything he deemed a battle. He enjoyed de-stuffing toys and playing a bit of fetch, but tug of war was his favorite. You could hoist him in the air and he’d dangle for as long as you’d like to not lose the game. Loved stealing things he shouldn’t and taunting you with it. Once he snagged a fortune cookie from the dining room table and instead of just eating it in secret he came upstairs and woke me up to show me his victory. Anything he could fit in his mouth was impossible to get out until he was either bored with it or fell asleep guarding it. He did like to cuddle but much of the time chose to sit by the front door and bark at any passers-by. You know, to protect us. We had to lock him in the bedroom with us at night or he’d invent things to bark at during the wee hours. Butch was the type of dog who, when you caught him digging in the back yard, would respond to your yelling by digging furiously to cover more ground until you could reach him. Battled until the end with nail trims and removing burrs and being groomed. If it wasn’t his idea of a good time, he’d let you know it. His soft spot to this spirited personality type was with children. He was so intrinsically good with kids: patient, fun and careful.
We adopted Bucky as a companion for Butch and they got along great from the start. Butch always egging him on to wrestle despite always “losing”, and Bucky agreeing most of the time. Butch would steal toys and mess around with his “little brother” but Bucky was in charge when he wanted to be. First out the sliding door, first for treats, you know the drill. Butch never noticed and just ran faster to catch up. They were never frequent cuddlers but did stick close to each other all day. Neither wanted to miss out on any excitement the other was having. Ate, slept and lived their lives together 24/7 for 12 years. Butch was always fed a bit more than Bucky. The bigger half of the treat, slightly more at dinner, and yet was permanently a svelte 22.1 lbs. Never gained an ounce. Bucky and I never quite figured out his secret. Maybe it was the constant energy.
Butch adored going up North to the cabin. He was not a great boat dog but loved walking the paths around the cabin. One of the few places I (mostly) trusted him off-leash. He frequently pushed the boundaries of that trust, haha. When the rest of us were done for the day and enjoying a beverage on the deck with the other (all younger) dogs sleeping at our feet, he would be patrolling the grounds until late in the evening. Had to make sure everything was up to snuff. Always seeking trouble he could get into, for his fun and to our dismay. Once he carried parts of a deer skeleton from over the hill to show us. Once he fell off the boat and sank like a stone until Andy pulled him out. Hard to swim with no body fat, even for a dog. Once he caught a rabbit and wouldn’t let go until we pretended to drop him in the lake. Since I didn’t trust him not to wake up the whole cabin community, we had on-leash walks at sunrise or he pestered me until we did. Once he traveled so far Andy got a call from the farm down the road to come collect “a cute little brown dog”.
Butch loved going to the dog park. After walking him for miles and miles and miles that first summer before we adopted Bucky, we decided to see if the dog park could wear him out. A few hours there did the trick, many days of the week. He, Buck and I met many dog and human friends there and great times were had for years. Butch went toe to toe wrestling with some of the big dogs too. Running, getting muddy, digging, Howloween parties, New Year’s parties and Beer Club too. He was faster than some of the big dogs, flying across the park on his skinny little legs. Sometimes I had to have strangers catch him since he loved to play keep-away if he thought we were leaving.
Bucky was through and through a mama’s boy, sulking by the back door when I was away. He of course loved Andy too but we know who the favorite was. Butch on the other hand really loved us both so much. He looked up to Andy and was always so happy when he arrived home and followed him around the house. Andy was much more of an authority figure to him than I ever was and he also looked to him for comfort when frightened or unsure of things.
Walking was Butch’s greatest love. Every afternoon he would start prancing back and forth from the front door to wherever we were, pressing us outside. We agreed the vast majority of the time, even though Buck and I would have been ok eating cheetos on the couch. Butch, Bucky and I easily took over 4,000 walks over the last thirteen years. Through our three different neighborhoods over the years and so many parks. Butch kept us in shape all these years, my little cardio dog. Bucky was slowing down last fall and Butch got a few on his own during that time. The last three months since losing Bucky were a return to form for our daily long walks. We had one every day, including those cold cold days in February when the walks were heavily bundled and only 4 minutes long. We also explored our local Home Depot, Petsmart, and Sierra Trading Post for a little indoor walking during that time. When the weather was beautiful or even just tolerable we made it to Thomas Lake Park, Innisfree Park, East Lake Park, Ritter Farm Park, Thresher Fields Park, Central Park and of course Lebanon Hills more times than I can count. I think walking was a form of meditation for him, prancing every step.
Our last few days with Butch we tried to make as happy as possible. More wet food, treats, and of course the walks. Two to three long ones a day, and he was so happy on all of them. We were blessed with spring like weather. He made it to 60 degrees, he made it to the warm sunshine that he loved to bask in. He was always a warm weather dog and I’m so happy he was able to really enjoy his time outside before he left us.
Our house is even more quiet than I imagined it would be. I miss his prancing on the floor and barking at the door. I miss his expectant face and cuddles at bedtime. Who will eat the errant ice cube that falls on the floor? Who will I make sure is covered with comfy blankets at night? I can’t believe he is missing from our lives but he will never leave our hearts. He is always our Butchie Baby, forever and ever.