It was a deja vu thing of the worst kind at the worst time. Duke and I had just made a rotten 4wheel drive on Christmas Eve through snow and mud to reach a place to hunt chukar, my wife being out of town working in Phoenix. I say deja vu because our dog Bear had left us the exact same way in 2013.
I noticed on the drive out that Duke never laid down in the back seat of the truck. He usually sat up and laid down continuously as dogs do but this time stayed up for the almost 4 hour drive. We got there late afternoon and in time for a walk in the snow. Duke had a hard time walking but I wasn't concerned, yet.
When we got Duke from a rescue shelter in Phoenix he came with his name, Duke. All my life I've been a John Wayne fan and if you didn't know it his nickname was Duke. Named after his dog that he loved, also Duke. So I was completely on board for having a dog named, Duke! The people at the rescue center said he was a death row dog and had pulled him out of line just knowing someone like us would come along and add him to our family. You see Duke had Valley Fever, a strange malady gotten by breathing in spores of bacteria that live in the desert soil. It affects animals differently than people and Duke had it lodge in his rear left hip and leg joint. We've been treating him for it ever since but he had been given up due to the cost of his meds. That Christmas Eve as he was walking so slowly I was thinking it was his hip and leg bothering him, he hadn't been chasing the ball with his usual gusto at home the last few days.
Duke was the first and only dog we've ever had that could not swim, and was terrified of the water, maybe because of the problems in his hind leg. Lynn and I had just moved back to Phoenix from a brief stay in Durango and of course bought another house with a pool, a necessity to live in the desert. Since so much of what we do as a family hiking and camping is around water I was determined that Duke would learn to swim. About that time we had gone to another shelter and fell in love with a tiny Chaweenie puppy we named Bailey. Bailey was like an otter and amazed us with her love of water and ability to swim without any struggles at such a young age. So with help from little Bailey and me having to chase and pick up a scared to death dog and carry him into the pool, we taught Duke to swim. I would hold Duke in chest deep water to float a bit before letting him go and have Bailey swim beside him as he struggled to make it to the steps, with me right next to him in case I needed to hold him up for a second and for extra confidence. It was pretty amazing to watch him lose his outright fear and yes, become a water dog.
Not well mind you, but swim he did. I always joked that with some soap in the pool Duke could wash all our clothes, churning the water like a washing machine. But in this pool we also had a shallow "beach" area maybe two feet deep where Duke, after getting used to water, could stand. Now Duke like many dogs loved to chase thrown rocks, actually obsessed over chasing those rocks. So to entice him to enjoy water a little more I started throwing a few rocks into the shallow area. Lo and behold the guy gave up his fear and right away started putting his head under to pick up the rocks. We were all amazed. He never did become an accomplished swimmer like Bailey, but would much rather be under water than anything. Another of my jokes was to get him a SCUBA mask and tank, he really preferred to be under the water than head above it.
Duke was also a talky dog. You know the kind, he vocalized in so many different octaves it was amazing, often sounding like a dog from outer space trying to get his message across. The last few years we all laughed as I tried to teach him to say "hamburger." Of course it wasn't possible but I swear we came close. "Hamburger Duke, hamburger!" And he'd talk back knowing we were almost communicating.
He was also always wagging his tail, always. Running out the door wagging he'd whack the door jamb so hard we'd wince. It didn't hurt or slow him down and when he'd whack one of our granddaughters they'd yell from the pain. If I looked at him while he was laying down, wag. If I looked at the tv and he was close, wag. He'd hit things with his tail so hard I always wondered if he had any nerves there. He was always a happy boy.
I'll add some pictures here of Duke, affectionately know as Dukers, tearful as I do so.
Some of our first videos of Duke going underwater for rocks.
One of our earliest pictures of Duke before we got Bailey, hiking the Agua Fria River north of Phoenix. I have to ask, who would ever give a dog like this up, especially to be put down?
East Clear Creek, Arizona
Getting to be best buddies with our new pup, lil Bailey.
They became inseparable and right now if Bailey hears Duke on a video she put's her paws up on my leg as if to ask "Where'd he go Dad, where's Duke?" True story, Lynn was amazed to see her do it the other night in our office, it's a sad thing to see.
Duke and Bailey home in Meridian, Idaho
Duke was a touchy feely dog too, always wanted to touch, even while laying down.
I think he secretly wanted to be a weenie dog, we could walk down the hallway like this. Maybe he wanted to be a horse, what do I know? He was fun.
Duke also dressed up for Christmas...
Then said "Please Dad, I don't want to look silly for Christmas next year."
Arizona close to the Paria River
Duke and Bailey, loaded up and ready for action
Alstrom's Point overlooking Lake Powel
Headwaters of the Salmon River, looking for rocks, look close.
How about that, a dog making another dog mad by shaking water. It's usually only us that git hit with that spray.
Looking for Yeti in the Owyhee Canyons of Eastern Oregon. "Who you waving at Duke, ain't nobody over there?"
Snow romping, a favorite thing to do
Duke giving lessons on how to keep eyes open while catching the ball
That "doing the laundry" thing while swimming not so well.
Duke was a most excellent catcher of things and loved to catch snowballs, or snow thrown from the snow shovel. He ate that snow and I would eventually have to stop throwing, he'd be shaking from inner cold of eating snowballs. And I wish I had a video of him catching popcorn from across the room, he was great at it. Tennis balls too, he could have been a MLB outfielder he was so good.
Then he'd ask for more...
Duke was also a big help with shoveling the snow. Well...you get the picture.
The Alvord Desert of Southern Oregon
Chasing balls in 10º weather
Idaho mountains
Please Mom, can I go in the hot tub next time?
Idaho Mountains
The Green River
To cool for school wearing doggles
A bath after the ride
"Which one's mine Dad?" Duke asked at the committee meating.
Middle Fork of the Boise River
Owyhee Grasslands, northern Nevada
Oh man, do I have to get out?
Duke, like most people's dog, was our Family dog. It took both granddaughters to play tug with Dukers.
Someone asked one time because he spent so much time underwater, if he could catch fish. Question answered...ok not really it was Photoshopped, but what if?
I wish so much I had more video of him "talking", I certainly expected to have more time with him.
One of our favorite places at Eagle Island Park was where the Boise River came by the park, we had many great times there playing and letting him do what he liked best, cleaning out the river of rocks. Mostly the ones I threw.
He could curl up in the smallest spaces, making him the perfect big dog to camp with in the camper. I doubt I'll ever have another dog with his ability to know where to move for us to get by or to make himself so small.
Our last good trip together we went mano e mano. Lynn was in Phoenix working that Thanksgiving and Bailey has lost her eyesight, not good for hunting chukar. Duke and I spent 6 days hiking and camping, listening to the coyotes in the distance most every night. I love this picture.
One day just for the heck of it I asked Duke to get the paper for me, it was as if he'd always done it. We were amazed.
Hah, if I made the mistake of leaving the truck door open ol Dukers was in, ready to drive if needed.
Arch in Utah, along the Green River.
North Fork of the John Day River, central Oregon. Just like Bear did, cooling the dooleywhacker
What do you mean look at the camera Dad. what's a camera?
I did not know, of course, when I took this picture that a few years later Duke would have his last night on earth in our camper in the snow so very far up on that distant point in the middle of this picture. There is already a rock monument built there, away from foot traffic. In fact I doubt a hundred people a year go there. It will be where I place his marker and some of his ashes. I'll call it Duke's Point. This picture here is next to the boat ramp at Leslie Gulch in SE Oregon, where we go fairly often. I'll be able to look up and know he's watching over us. I hope to be there too someday, it's a beautiful place with a gorgeous view.
Duke cleaning out the swimming hole for us.
I always marveled at how a dog that could barely swim, loved to be underwater so much? Maybe instead of a weenie dog Duke really wanted to be a fish!
Our last night chukar hunting after six days of hiking we were both worn out. Plus it was freezing that night, I'm glad I put the bed on the ground for him, he seemed to enjoy it.
RIP my sweet boy
When Bailey passes we will have had 8 dogs in 40 plus years of marriage. We can't imagine not having dogs. Three of them have been big dogs, I like to call them mine yet they really belonged to everyone in the Family. I'll have another before it's over, if I have any say in the scheme of life.
