In Memory of Katie: 1992-2007

Ever since my darling wife started this blog, she has been trying to get me to post but I’ve been leaving it to her until now. So, what motivated me to finally write a post for our blog?

Last week our family lost a dear member – Our beloved Siberian Husky, Katie.

Katie came to our family in the summer of 1992 when she was just a few weeks old. She was sort of the runt of her litter and was a little more shy than the rest of her brothers and sisters but I chose her over the rest and mom and I brought her home. I couldn’t resist those pale blue eyes. She could almost fit in one of my hands at the time.

Katie quickly became an integral part of our family and I have many great memories of her playful demeanor. In her early years, she would run endless circles around the barnyard with our miniature schnauzer, Timmy in tow. She quickly learned that every time Grandma and Grandpa Stickley’s car came back the driveway that a treat was on its way. She loved being outside, snooping through the barns and digging holes in the yard. And though she grew up in the Midwest, her northern blood came out every time we got a snow storm as she couldn’t get enough of romping through drifts taller than her head. Katie was great with kids, tolerating lots of “abuse” from 2-year-old’s, Alex and Lyndsey who loved her so much they couldn’t help but hang on her, pulling her ears and grabbing her tail.

In recent years, Katie slowed down a lot as the many years of being a farm dog started to catch up with her. When I was home last, I spent an extra minute with her before I left, knowing it was probably the last I’d see her. Despite her growing aches and pains, she still did her best to keep up her spunky spirit. Last Saturday night, Katie laid down in her usual spot by the back step and peacefully drifted off to sleep.

The men of my family will never be known as an overtly emotional sort, but we all have an especially soft spot in our heart reserved for our dogs. That’s why I know that her loss will be hardest for my dad. While most dog breeds respond to having several human masters, the strong pack mentality of huskies usually causes them to see one person as their leader. Though Katie showed great affection for every member of her “pack”, happily accepting attention from every member of our family, there was never a doubt that she always was, first and foremost, my dad’s dog. Given the chance, she always chose him over any of the rest of us. All it would take is my dad putting down the tailgate of his truck and saying “let’s go for a ride” and she was off like a shot. At night she lay in the kitchen waiting for my dad to get home from work so she could see her master and to get her nightly chocolate chip cookie.

It was because of Katie that I learned how great the Husky breed is. Despite their stubbornness and extremely independent nature, it is that free spirit that makes them so endearing. It was Katie’s wonderful personality that led me to end up with my Husky, Sherpa. It was Katie that taught me how much a Husky can enrich a person’s life. Katie will be missed, but the joys she brought to all of us will be remembered…

…I’m going to go hug my dog, now.