We are saddened to announce the passing of another alum, Doogle, only a few weeks away from his thirteenth birthday.
Adopted in 2017, Doogle made himself at home the second he walked through the doors. He picked his ‘person’ on the very first night as he pulled his bed closer to his dad’s chair as if to say, “You’re the one.” From that day forward, he was daddy’s little dude and shadow.
His family relocated to Northern Ontario from Ottawa and Doogle and dad moved before mom did. Together, they did the long road trip to their new home and slept on an air mattress for one month. When mom finally arrived, an ecstatic Doogle tackled her to the ground. Doogle was a happy boy – dad was home, mom was finally home, and he was nestled in between.
Though Doogle enjoyed hiking, he preferred his travels on four wheels. If he heard the word ‘car,’ there was no turning back, as he was at the door ready to go! Even if it was a short drive to grab a coffee, Doogle wanted to come along.
Surrounded by an abundance of toys, Doogle was always ready to play. He favoured a long-legged rooster toy but, in true Boston form, destroyed it. What was left of his beloved rooster was only its leg, which Doogle carried around for years until his family finally found a replacement. Learning from his first mistake, he was careful with rooster #2 and carried it around gently as his little partner in crime.
Doogle was selective with dogs but loved his BT sister, alum Thelma. While Thelma was in foster care, she met Doogle and the bond between them was strong enough for her to become a permanent fixture in the family. Doogle also adored children as he relished in their attention and couldn’t get enough of the words ‘cute’ and ‘handsome.’ In fact, if you told Doogle he was cute or handsome, he would do anything you asked – flattery was more effective in training than treats!
What Doogle treasured most were his humans. When mom was in the shower, he would lay on the bathmat and wait for her to finish. Snuggled up beside them was where he always wanted to be. For the past seven years, he took on the roll of dad’s sidekick and mom’s precious boy – always ready for the next adventure.
Understandably, it’s been difficult for Doogle’s family – the home feels empty without the sounds of his snores and the tippy-tap of his nails. His mom says, “The house is just too quiet without him. We are so thankful to have Thelma to make this transition a little easier. We changed so many song lyrics to be about Doogle, and now we don’t know when we will be able to listen to those songs again. ‘His name’s Doogleeee, the little oinky pig.’”
Our condolences to Doogle’s family, as we know how deep the loss of a beloved family member is. And to Doogle – run free sweet boy; you will be forever missed.
