Ruby Jean Redman 01-04-97 to 04-01-06
Ruby came from a puppy mill. We didn’t know that when we went to get her. They were recommended by a local couple. We drove 100 miles and when we got there, we should have just turned around and left. But then we would never have known Ruby. Once there and seeing her, we couldn’t resist. She was so little and so sweet. She needed to get the heck out of that place and it was love at first sight.
She was a wild child. Crazy as a loon, more describes her youth. We were told “The Chocolate Labs are more hyper”. No kidding! We had a yellow lab and he was very calm. Not Ruby, she would hurl her body at the fence when we put her outside. After three years or so, she finally calmed down. It might have had something to do with our yellow lab passing, and her becoming the lone dog. An added result of having only one dog, we began to take her everywhere with us. We became a pack.
Ruby was SO SMART. She could understand so many words and motions. I swear she could tell time and also read my mind. My husband retired and Ruby became a constant companion. I work part time and she was always waiting outside in the drive. My husband said she would head out there right before I was due. She was a couch potato inside, and an amazing retriever outside
Ruby got to travel, she saw the Rockies, Old Faithful, the Tetons, the Badlands, and she swam in Glacier Lake. We have a house on a clear beautiful river and Ruby spent many hours chasing the ball down river and swimming back up. She also had her own rubber boat to float the river. We would be in tubes and her in her boat, laid back chilling with her hat on to keep the sun from her eyes. It was a picture. She could even balance
on an air mattress and float that river.
Being a Lab, she was an eater. Occasionally she was a counter surfer. She loved our cats, played with our grandchildren, and protected our farm. She was always there when we turned around, and slept at the foot of the bed. Around 4am she would crawl into the bed.
I mentioned the “puppy mill” because I believe her breeding caught up with her. She was only 9 ½ years old when she was devastated by hip dysphasia and diabetes. It was WAY too soon for her to go.
She gave us so much love and was our constant true companion. There will never be another Ruby Jean. Go run and play girl, free from all earthly bonds, with Ted and Lady and Tippy and Arlo, and Audrey, and Honcho and Nick, all our beloved dogs we miss so much. So many sweet souls who gave us their love. Not fair they have such short lives. One day we will all run together.
Man we loved that girl and we sure do miss her.
To quote Mark Twain,
“If dog’s don’t go to heaven,
I want to go where they go”.
Me Too!
In My Heart Always,
Love,
| Ruby Jean Redman |
| 1, Apr 2006 |
| John and Cathy |