Once upon a time there was a young family who moved from California to Colorado. Their children were very sad because they had to move so far from their friends and family. They begged and begged for a puppy of their very own.
One night, while their parents attended a charity auction at the Inn of the Rio Grande, they impulsively bid on a purebred beagle puppy. To their delight, they won the bid and couldn't wait to bring this puppy home to their children. They named him Togo Rio Grande....a noble name for a noble dog. Togo was a family name as well and came with an array of stories describing brave and loyal acts.
These naive parents sometimes regretted this decision in the beginning. Their new puppy wasn't potty trained as they had been led to believe, and they spent more than one occasion cleaning up accidents in the house. In addition, Togo chewed through many rescue heroes and barbies before he grew out of the puppy stage. For some time, he believed his name was Togo Leave-it.
But despite these challenges, Togo provided so much joy and laughter to this little family and was always on the perimeter of the action....that is when he didn't follow his nose into trouble.
Togo, and their cat, Alli were never friends, but they were able to achieve an uneasy truce in the sunshine during the winter months.
This little family continued to grow and their little girl Danielle fell in love with Togo before she could even crawl. They became good pals and were generally nearby each other.
Somehow, time has a way of speeding up and this family started to grow. They moved from their childhood home to a new state and adjusted to Oregon. Life went faster and faster and often they took Togo for granted. He mellowed out and spent lots of time sleeping and lying in the sun.
During Christmas break of 2015, Togo stopped eating as much of his food and slept more than usual. But this busy family didn't seem to notice the changes because they were so subtle.
They finally realized the week of Valentine's Day 2016 that one of their great loves was dying of kidney failure. They suffered and grieved as they watched him weaken but never lose his dignity. He was loyal to the end and a regal beagle!
This family was changed by owning such a good dog, and they appreciated him all the more when he was no longer with him....but he will always be part of their family and in their hearts.
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