Tuesday, July 21, 2015

The wonderful life of the most loved dog in Le Marche

21 July, 2015.
I have been fortunate in being chosen by Bacco to guide him through his short life here on Earth, a greater privilege than I probably deserve.  From the first drive we took together from his birth home in Siena on my lap the whole way until now, when he is reaching the end, I have bonded with him like I rarely have with any other thing.  He saw me through lonely times here in the beginning and I was never lonely with him at my side.  He made me smile and laugh more than anything else in my life, so I guess it's only fair that now he is making me cry a bit.  We have hiked all the mountains in Le Marche over 2,000 meters together, have swum in the Adriatic Sea and visited countless towns in Italy.  He has made friends with everyone he has ever met, never growled or snapped at any human being and is known around the world.  He will hopefully become more famous as his wine Baccofino makes its way to various countries.  He stole the heart of Maryse who feels the pain of impending loss equally with me.  Yesterday he had a crisis in his B&B, Nascondiglio di Bacco, so I rushed him to the vet where they were able to save him with an emergency pericardiocentesis.  Unfortunately, on his echocardiogram, he was found to have an angiosarcoma in his left ventricle, which means he has only a few days left with us.  8years is not enough, but we made memories worthy of twice that and he has truly had a life in paradise here with new friends constantly having made his acquaintance from all over.  He will be sorely missed, every time I walk the 50 meters to the winery and he is not at my side, every hike in the mountains I take without him and this year's harvest when he is no longer eating the grapes and telling me when they are ripe.  No more Bacco at the Carnevale of Offida and no Bacco when I am hiking near my house in the CO mountains this winter which I was really excited about.  Thousands of good times and memories, though, and those will need to help me through his passing.  Here are some of his life's pictures from puppyhood to last night.  I hope to meet him again someday and want to thank all his friends for loving him as he loved you!
He never whined or cried after leaving his mother; we bonded immediately and I think he knew he was in a good place

His first friend?

Dressed up for Carnevale in Offida and curious

1st time retrieving; he was a master and it was a hoot watching him jump over waves and then swimming to get the stick

I had to carry him up a 6 feet cliff to reach the top of Mt. Sibilla, but that was the only time he needed a hand.
King of his territory

One of the great places to visit, Castelluccio in full flowering which contrasted well with his color.

He loved the snow and I was hoping to treat him to a bunch this winter in CO

Daddy's boy

an even bigger stick

Testing the grapes

His very own wine! He will live on through his label

Last summit with Maryse and I, he did Mt. Vettore at least 4 times.  This was 2 weeks ago!

Last night posing with his mom and me

a sad smile on my face

He demolished this bone last night; he can have another today if he wants

Maryse called us the three musketeers.  Fitting to end with a shadow I think.