Dawg Dawg Torkelson:
Dawg was "found" early 1992 at Saint Joseph's hospital. He was a young black lab. His finder and new master was Lua Torkelson wife of Anthony Torkelson. He was about 6 or 7 months old when he was found. Dawg lived almost 18 years.
Lua was pregnant with her second child Leata Torkelson. Leata was born August 17, 1992. There is only one video photo of baby Leata and the young Dawg.
Anthony also known as Tony became the love of Dawg's life. Dawgie minded Tony more than anyone else. Tony tried to teach Dawg to fetch, roll over and such. Dawg would do the trick one time or two times and then never do it again. Or only do the tricks spasmodically.
It became apparent after Dawg was a few years old that he was a mutt, with at least one parent a black Labrador and one a Great Pyrenees'. Dawgs chest became massive with only a patch of white, and a bit of white between his toes, and the tail had a bit of a curl. Dawg's coat was very thick like the Great Pyrenees'. And lo we then realized that the reason Dawg never did the tricks except when he wanted was one of the wonderful traits of the Great Pyrenees', to read the traits of the Great Pyrenees was to know Dawg! At about 110 pounds Dawg was a giant and gentle ruler of everything he saw.
Dawg had been our son's and daughter-in-laws dog from a puppy. When we moved to Lewiston in 2004 to be near our son Tony and Granddaughters Lana, Leilani and Leata, Dawg was at age 12/13, having some health problems. My husband and I became doggie's "new" family because we had the time to tend to him. He grew quite healthy after months of treatments for a blood condition from the Washington University vet center and Dr. Ard here in Lewiston, Idaho.
We could have Dawg at the vet and he would look out down the road and see someone walking and would bark to let them know he was the guardian of the area at that moment.
Doggie did have hip problems, but we just intervened, made him ramps and loading boxes to help him and at times just lifted his rear end to help him into places. He slept at our bedside and "guarded" us in our everyday life. We took him on all of our trips to California and Texas.
We have a Toyota van that we removed the center seat so he would have his own space. We chose motels that would allow pets and just never had many problems traveling with him as Doggie really enjoyed being with his people.
Dawg was an inside dog with two decks to lay on and much real estate to look out over the Snake River to guard as he was always "on guard" and owned everything and everyone he looked at! We took him by leash every day to a vacant lot across from our house or our front yard if it was late in the day for potty breaks. We also took him every day to one of the walking parks that are nearby. Cleaning up after him and enjoying every walk we shared.
The nearest path was Hell's Gate Park which has a lovely tree lined walk with the river near enough to wade in and get good sniffs. Dawg loved to walk and then rest and survey the geese and duck and occasional squirrel. At least once a week we would go to an outer area and stop along the rivers with boat ramps and take him to the water. We had trips to Bremerton and Coeur d 'Alene and Spokane and along Lolo Pass and all over the area. Dawg was a traveling man. We learned never to leave Dawg alone even in his own front yard, because Dawg did have the Pyr ability to disappear if not totally watched!
In his younger years both Tony and wife Lua worked and Dawg was able to get out of their fenced yard at will. He would roam the area, and became friends with a Saint Bernard. One day the owner of the Bernard brought Dawg home and asked, please keep him fenced. He is a lovely dog, but I don't want him herding my cows!
So, Tony gave Dawg to a man who lived across the Snake River and then 30 miles south of the Lewis and Clarkston Valley. It took Dawg two weeks, coming down from the mountain, and over the river to make it back home. The man came back for the dog, and in two more weeks Dawg had made his way home again. The man came and said, this dog obviously loves this family and I think he will always just come back home. So he did not take him again.
Dawg would get out of the fence and go to sleep in the middle of the street in front of the house. The police would come and bring him into the house, saying this is a great dog, but if you don't keep him in the yard we will have to take him to the pound. He will be killed by someone driving at night.
So, Tony tied Dawg to his boat and trailer at night hoping to keep him in the yard. By morning Dawg had towed the boat out to the middle of the street where he proceeded to sleep.
One of the saddest, but funniest episodes for Dawg came when Tony and Lua were trying to keep him in the garage when they would leave for work instead of the yard. Leilani had been given a rabbit for her birthday, and it lived in the garage as well. One of Dawg's happiest pursuits in his dog's life was to hunt and eat the rabbits that abound in rural Lewiston. Leilani came home from school and found Dawg with rabbit fur in his muzzle and her dear pet was nowhere to be found. It took her years to get over that mishap.
When my husband and I came to Lewiston, Dawg was about 13 and getting older. Tony and Lua felt he likely had not many years left and they would have him put down as even elderly he was still a handful if not watched he still loved to go and try to catch rabbits. That is when my husband and I decided to offer to take Dawg, nurse him as best we could and make his last days filled with new places and make those last few months good ones before he was put down. Well, he got stronger and stronger and lived until he was 18 going on 19 years old.
Even in his old age Dawg would be overjoyed when Tony or any of his family would show up to play with him. One day when I had been ill, my husband Jerry took Dawg out to get the morning paper. There was a throw-away paper there as well and Dawg scooped it up and brought it in and brought it to me at the breakfast table. This was one of the tricks that Tony had taught Dawg when he was a puppy! Dawg still remembered it, but he just had no cause to use that trick until that point in his life. That of course was the Pyr in him and those wonderful Pyr traits were what gave Dawg the personality that made him the greatest Doggie ever in my family's life!
We loved you Doggie. You gave all of us almost 18 years of love and we think you enjoyed them as much as we did!
I am linking Dawg to my husband's mother and father, so that he can be enjoyed by the rest of our family.
Dawg was "found" early 1992 at Saint Joseph's hospital. He was a young black lab. His finder and new master was Lua Torkelson wife of Anthony Torkelson. He was about 6 or 7 months old when he was found. Dawg lived almost 18 years.
Lua was pregnant with her second child Leata Torkelson. Leata was born August 17, 1992. There is only one video photo of baby Leata and the young Dawg.
Anthony also known as Tony became the love of Dawg's life. Dawgie minded Tony more than anyone else. Tony tried to teach Dawg to fetch, roll over and such. Dawg would do the trick one time or two times and then never do it again. Or only do the tricks spasmodically.
It became apparent after Dawg was a few years old that he was a mutt, with at least one parent a black Labrador and one a Great Pyrenees'. Dawgs chest became massive with only a patch of white, and a bit of white between his toes, and the tail had a bit of a curl. Dawg's coat was very thick like the Great Pyrenees'. And lo we then realized that the reason Dawg never did the tricks except when he wanted was one of the wonderful traits of the Great Pyrenees', to read the traits of the Great Pyrenees was to know Dawg! At about 110 pounds Dawg was a giant and gentle ruler of everything he saw.
Dawg had been our son's and daughter-in-laws dog from a puppy. When we moved to Lewiston in 2004 to be near our son Tony and Granddaughters Lana, Leilani and Leata, Dawg was at age 12/13, having some health problems. My husband and I became doggie's "new" family because we had the time to tend to him. He grew quite healthy after months of treatments for a blood condition from the Washington University vet center and Dr. Ard here in Lewiston, Idaho.
We could have Dawg at the vet and he would look out down the road and see someone walking and would bark to let them know he was the guardian of the area at that moment.
Doggie did have hip problems, but we just intervened, made him ramps and loading boxes to help him and at times just lifted his rear end to help him into places. He slept at our bedside and "guarded" us in our everyday life. We took him on all of our trips to California and Texas.
We have a Toyota van that we removed the center seat so he would have his own space. We chose motels that would allow pets and just never had many problems traveling with him as Doggie really enjoyed being with his people.
Dawg was an inside dog with two decks to lay on and much real estate to look out over the Snake River to guard as he was always "on guard" and owned everything and everyone he looked at! We took him by leash every day to a vacant lot across from our house or our front yard if it was late in the day for potty breaks. We also took him every day to one of the walking parks that are nearby. Cleaning up after him and enjoying every walk we shared.
The nearest path was Hell's Gate Park which has a lovely tree lined walk with the river near enough to wade in and get good sniffs. Dawg loved to walk and then rest and survey the geese and duck and occasional squirrel. At least once a week we would go to an outer area and stop along the rivers with boat ramps and take him to the water. We had trips to Bremerton and Coeur d 'Alene and Spokane and along Lolo Pass and all over the area. Dawg was a traveling man. We learned never to leave Dawg alone even in his own front yard, because Dawg did have the Pyr ability to disappear if not totally watched!
In his younger years both Tony and wife Lua worked and Dawg was able to get out of their fenced yard at will. He would roam the area, and became friends with a Saint Bernard. One day the owner of the Bernard brought Dawg home and asked, please keep him fenced. He is a lovely dog, but I don't want him herding my cows!
So, Tony gave Dawg to a man who lived across the Snake River and then 30 miles south of the Lewis and Clarkston Valley. It took Dawg two weeks, coming down from the mountain, and over the river to make it back home. The man came back for the dog, and in two more weeks Dawg had made his way home again. The man came and said, this dog obviously loves this family and I think he will always just come back home. So he did not take him again.
Dawg would get out of the fence and go to sleep in the middle of the street in front of the house. The police would come and bring him into the house, saying this is a great dog, but if you don't keep him in the yard we will have to take him to the pound. He will be killed by someone driving at night.
So, Tony tied Dawg to his boat and trailer at night hoping to keep him in the yard. By morning Dawg had towed the boat out to the middle of the street where he proceeded to sleep.
One of the saddest, but funniest episodes for Dawg came when Tony and Lua were trying to keep him in the garage when they would leave for work instead of the yard. Leilani had been given a rabbit for her birthday, and it lived in the garage as well. One of Dawg's happiest pursuits in his dog's life was to hunt and eat the rabbits that abound in rural Lewiston. Leilani came home from school and found Dawg with rabbit fur in his muzzle and her dear pet was nowhere to be found. It took her years to get over that mishap.
When my husband and I came to Lewiston, Dawg was about 13 and getting older. Tony and Lua felt he likely had not many years left and they would have him put down as even elderly he was still a handful if not watched he still loved to go and try to catch rabbits. That is when my husband and I decided to offer to take Dawg, nurse him as best we could and make his last days filled with new places and make those last few months good ones before he was put down. Well, he got stronger and stronger and lived until he was 18 going on 19 years old.
Even in his old age Dawg would be overjoyed when Tony or any of his family would show up to play with him. One day when I had been ill, my husband Jerry took Dawg out to get the morning paper. There was a throw-away paper there as well and Dawg scooped it up and brought it in and brought it to me at the breakfast table. This was one of the tricks that Tony had taught Dawg when he was a puppy! Dawg still remembered it, but he just had no cause to use that trick until that point in his life. That of course was the Pyr in him and those wonderful Pyr traits were what gave Dawg the personality that made him the greatest Doggie ever in my family's life!
We loved you Doggie. You gave all of us almost 18 years of love and we think you enjoyed them as much as we did!
I am linking Dawg to my husband's mother and father, so that he can be enjoyed by the rest of our family.
Dawg Dawg Torkelson:
Dawg was "found" early 1992 at Saint Joseph's hospital. He was a young black lab. His finder and new master was Lua Torkelson wife of Anthony Torkelson. He was about 6 or 7 months old when he was found. Dawg lived almost 18 years.
Lua was pregnant with her second child Leata Torkelson. Leata was born August 17, 1992. There is only one video photo of baby Leata and the young Dawg.
Anthony also known as Tony became the love of Dawg's life. Dawgie minded Tony more than anyone else. Tony tried to teach Dawg to fetch, roll over and such. Dawg would do the trick one time or two times and then never do it again. Or only do the tricks spasmodically.
It became apparent after Dawg was a few years old that he was a mutt, with at least one parent a black Labrador and one a Great Pyrenees'. Dawgs chest became massive with only a patch of white, and a bit of white between his toes, and the tail had a bit of a curl. Dawg's coat was very thick like the Great Pyrenees'. And lo we then realized that the reason Dawg never did the tricks except when he wanted was one of the wonderful traits of the Great Pyrenees', to read the traits of the Great Pyrenees was to know Dawg! At about 110 pounds Dawg was a giant and gentle ruler of everything he saw.
Dawg had been our son's and daughter-in-laws dog from a puppy. When we moved to Lewiston in 2004 to be near our son Tony and Granddaughters Lana, Leilani and Leata, Dawg was at age 12/13, having some health problems. My husband and I became doggie's "new" family because we had the time to tend to him. He grew quite healthy after months of treatments for a blood condition from the Washington University vet center and Dr. Ard here in Lewiston, Idaho.
We could have Dawg at the vet and he would look out down the road and see someone walking and would bark to let them know he was the guardian of the area at that moment.
Doggie did have hip problems, but we just intervened, made him ramps and loading boxes to help him and at times just lifted his rear end to help him into places. He slept at our bedside and "guarded" us in our everyday life. We took him on all of our trips to California and Texas.
We have a Toyota van that we removed the center seat so he would have his own space. We chose motels that would allow pets and just never had many problems traveling with him as Doggie really enjoyed being with his people.
Dawg was an inside dog with two decks to lay on and much real estate to look out over the Snake River to guard as he was always "on guard" and owned everything and everyone he looked at! We took him by leash every day to a vacant lot across from our house or our front yard if it was late in the day for potty breaks. We also took him every day to one of the walking parks that are nearby. Cleaning up after him and enjoying every walk we shared.
The nearest path was Hell's Gate Park which has a lovely tree lined walk with the river near enough to wade in and get good sniffs. Dawg loved to walk and then rest and survey the geese and duck and occasional squirrel. At least once a week we would go to an outer area and stop along the rivers with boat ramps and take him to the water. We had trips to Bremerton and Coeur d 'Alene and Spokane and along Lolo Pass and all over the area. Dawg was a traveling man. We learned never to leave Dawg alone even in his own front yard, because Dawg did have the Pyr ability to disappear if not totally watched!
In his younger years both Tony and wife Lua worked and Dawg was able to get out of their fenced yard at will. He would roam the area, and became friends with a Saint Bernard. One day the owner of the Bernard brought Dawg home and asked, please keep him fenced. He is a lovely dog, but I don't want him herding my cows!
So, Tony gave Dawg to a man who lived across the Snake River and then 30 miles south of the Lewis and Clarkston Valley. It took Dawg two weeks, coming down from the mountain, and over the river to make it back home. The man came back for the dog, and in two more weeks Dawg had made his way home again. The man came and said, this dog obviously loves this family and I think he will always just come back home. So he did not take him again.
Dawg would get out of the fence and go to sleep in the middle of the street in front of the house. The police would come and bring him into the house, saying this is a great dog, but if you don't keep him in the yard we will have to take him to the pound. He will be killed by someone driving at night.
So, Tony tied Dawg to his boat and trailer at night hoping to keep him in the yard. By morning Dawg had towed the boat out to the middle of the street where he proceeded to sleep.
One of the saddest, but funniest episodes for Dawg came when Tony and Lua were trying to keep him in the garage when they would leave for work instead of the yard. Leilani had been given a rabbit for her birthday, and it lived in the garage as well. One of Dawg's happiest pursuits in his dog's life was to hunt and eat the rabbits that abound in rural Lewiston. Leilani came home from school and found Dawg with rabbit fur in his muzzle and her dear pet was nowhere to be found. It took her years to get over that mishap.
When my husband and I came to Lewiston, Dawg was about 13 and getting older. Tony and Lua felt he likely had not many years left and they would have him put down as even elderly he was still a handful if not watched he still loved to go and try to catch rabbits. That is when my husband and I decided to offer to take Dawg, nurse him as best we could and make his last days filled with new places and make those last few months good ones before he was put down. Well, he got stronger and stronger and lived until he was 18 going on 19 years old.
Even in his old age Dawg would be overjoyed when Tony or any of his family would show up to play with him. One day when I had been ill, my husband Jerry took Dawg out to get the morning paper. There was a throw-away paper there as well and Dawg scooped it up and brought it in and brought it to me at the breakfast table. This was one of the tricks that Tony had taught Dawg when he was a puppy! Dawg still remembered it, but he just had no cause to use that trick until that point in his life. That of course was the Pyr in him and those wonderful Pyr traits were what gave Dawg the personality that made him the greatest Doggie ever in my family's life!
We loved you Doggie. You gave all of us almost 18 years of love and we think you enjoyed them as much as we did!
I am linking Dawg to my husband's mother and father, so that he can be enjoyed by the rest of our family.
Dawg was "found" early 1992 at Saint Joseph's hospital. He was a young black lab. His finder and new master was Lua Torkelson wife of Anthony Torkelson. He was about 6 or 7 months old when he was found. Dawg lived almost 18 years.
Lua was pregnant with her second child Leata Torkelson. Leata was born August 17, 1992. There is only one video photo of baby Leata and the young Dawg.
Anthony also known as Tony became the love of Dawg's life. Dawgie minded Tony more than anyone else. Tony tried to teach Dawg to fetch, roll over and such. Dawg would do the trick one time or two times and then never do it again. Or only do the tricks spasmodically.
It became apparent after Dawg was a few years old that he was a mutt, with at least one parent a black Labrador and one a Great Pyrenees'. Dawgs chest became massive with only a patch of white, and a bit of white between his toes, and the tail had a bit of a curl. Dawg's coat was very thick like the Great Pyrenees'. And lo we then realized that the reason Dawg never did the tricks except when he wanted was one of the wonderful traits of the Great Pyrenees', to read the traits of the Great Pyrenees was to know Dawg! At about 110 pounds Dawg was a giant and gentle ruler of everything he saw.
Dawg had been our son's and daughter-in-laws dog from a puppy. When we moved to Lewiston in 2004 to be near our son Tony and Granddaughters Lana, Leilani and Leata, Dawg was at age 12/13, having some health problems. My husband and I became doggie's "new" family because we had the time to tend to him. He grew quite healthy after months of treatments for a blood condition from the Washington University vet center and Dr. Ard here in Lewiston, Idaho.
We could have Dawg at the vet and he would look out down the road and see someone walking and would bark to let them know he was the guardian of the area at that moment.
Doggie did have hip problems, but we just intervened, made him ramps and loading boxes to help him and at times just lifted his rear end to help him into places. He slept at our bedside and "guarded" us in our everyday life. We took him on all of our trips to California and Texas.
We have a Toyota van that we removed the center seat so he would have his own space. We chose motels that would allow pets and just never had many problems traveling with him as Doggie really enjoyed being with his people.
Dawg was an inside dog with two decks to lay on and much real estate to look out over the Snake River to guard as he was always "on guard" and owned everything and everyone he looked at! We took him by leash every day to a vacant lot across from our house or our front yard if it was late in the day for potty breaks. We also took him every day to one of the walking parks that are nearby. Cleaning up after him and enjoying every walk we shared.
The nearest path was Hell's Gate Park which has a lovely tree lined walk with the river near enough to wade in and get good sniffs. Dawg loved to walk and then rest and survey the geese and duck and occasional squirrel. At least once a week we would go to an outer area and stop along the rivers with boat ramps and take him to the water. We had trips to Bremerton and Coeur d 'Alene and Spokane and along Lolo Pass and all over the area. Dawg was a traveling man. We learned never to leave Dawg alone even in his own front yard, because Dawg did have the Pyr ability to disappear if not totally watched!
In his younger years both Tony and wife Lua worked and Dawg was able to get out of their fenced yard at will. He would roam the area, and became friends with a Saint Bernard. One day the owner of the Bernard brought Dawg home and asked, please keep him fenced. He is a lovely dog, but I don't want him herding my cows!
So, Tony gave Dawg to a man who lived across the Snake River and then 30 miles south of the Lewis and Clarkston Valley. It took Dawg two weeks, coming down from the mountain, and over the river to make it back home. The man came back for the dog, and in two more weeks Dawg had made his way home again. The man came and said, this dog obviously loves this family and I think he will always just come back home. So he did not take him again.
Dawg would get out of the fence and go to sleep in the middle of the street in front of the house. The police would come and bring him into the house, saying this is a great dog, but if you don't keep him in the yard we will have to take him to the pound. He will be killed by someone driving at night.
So, Tony tied Dawg to his boat and trailer at night hoping to keep him in the yard. By morning Dawg had towed the boat out to the middle of the street where he proceeded to sleep.
One of the saddest, but funniest episodes for Dawg came when Tony and Lua were trying to keep him in the garage when they would leave for work instead of the yard. Leilani had been given a rabbit for her birthday, and it lived in the garage as well. One of Dawg's happiest pursuits in his dog's life was to hunt and eat the rabbits that abound in rural Lewiston. Leilani came home from school and found Dawg with rabbit fur in his muzzle and her dear pet was nowhere to be found. It took her years to get over that mishap.
When my husband and I came to Lewiston, Dawg was about 13 and getting older. Tony and Lua felt he likely had not many years left and they would have him put down as even elderly he was still a handful if not watched he still loved to go and try to catch rabbits. That is when my husband and I decided to offer to take Dawg, nurse him as best we could and make his last days filled with new places and make those last few months good ones before he was put down. Well, he got stronger and stronger and lived until he was 18 going on 19 years old.
Even in his old age Dawg would be overjoyed when Tony or any of his family would show up to play with him. One day when I had been ill, my husband Jerry took Dawg out to get the morning paper. There was a throw-away paper there as well and Dawg scooped it up and brought it in and brought it to me at the breakfast table. This was one of the tricks that Tony had taught Dawg when he was a puppy! Dawg still remembered it, but he just had no cause to use that trick until that point in his life. That of course was the Pyr in him and those wonderful Pyr traits were what gave Dawg the personality that made him the greatest Doggie ever in my family's life!
We loved you Doggie. You gave all of us almost 18 years of love and we think you enjoyed them as much as we did!
I am linking Dawg to my husband's mother and father, so that he can be enjoyed by the rest of our family.
