tuck: the dog that made bob want to be a dog

Friends of ours lost their dog recently -- due to lyme disease and kidney failure they had to put him down and I know it was terribly heartbreaking.  His name was Tuck and he was such a sweet dog -- the dog that made Bob want to be a dog.  I posted some photos of their friendship on the blog way back when Bob was a baby {here}.  And that got me thinking about how I had never done anything with the pictures I took when the Cooks stopped by at our place in Pittsfield a few years ago, back when Owen was looking like this...

 (Bob saw that photo and said, "Oh!  What a cute little chunkster!"  My thoughts exactly, pup.)

 It was a rainy day but we played outside anyway.  Bob chased Tuck all around the yard...

 ... and tried to play fetch...

... and got licked in the face.

 He and Aaron hit up the swings...

 ... and the puddles.

Such a little cutie, this guy!  Of course, he's no baby anymore.

The first thing Bob did after Tuck had gone was ask for a bowl of water to drink on the floor.  And that's how he took his water or cereal or anything I'd let him eat that way for... I don't know, a year.  He named himself "Pupper" soon after.  And that's that -- the story of how one great dog made my son wish he were just as great.

We love you, Cooks, and Tuck, you won't be forgotten.