On June 2, 2011, God called home one of his most gentle and amazing spirits, our dog Iverson. We did not have the privilege of his company for very long, but the privilege is one that will be cherished always. We were so blessed to have him come into our lives; he had such an immediate grace and ease about him, we could not help but love him from the moment he jumped into the car. That love grew daily as we got to know him It was difficult to believe how lucky we were to have this dog live in our home; each day we cherished him more than the previous day and could not believe the favor God bestowed on us - living with one of his special spirits. A human lifetime of living with one such as him would not have been enough. He will be greatly missed for the rest of our lives, but we know we are extremely blessed to have lived with him; never regretting sharing our lives, regretting only that we did not have that opportunity earlier and longer.
Unbeknownst to all involved, he was ill when he came home with us. We did not discover this for a month, but what a glorious month it was. He loved to walk and walk we did. He loved to take an early morning walk with my wife, listening to the birds in the woods and patiently sitting and watching the squirrels jumping from tree limb to tree limb. Then I would take him for his long pre-breakfast walk through the neighborhood; him never walking ahead, occasionally stopping to get the latest information from a bush or pole. More walks came throughout the day, him enthusiastically coming to the sight or sound of his leash. After about 4 weeks of this we noticed him slowing down, our first signs of trouble. Though at the time I suspected he was smart enough to know that walking slowly gave him for smelling time. Alas, though that may have been the case, that was not the fundamental reason he was slowing down. Throughout it all he fought the good fight and was enthusiastic until his final few days; greeting you with a wagging tail and bright eyes.
Anyone who got to spend more than the briefest time with him loved him; a gentle and easy fellow. And he got to meet lots of different people, at the vets he visited and on our walks. He loved everyone, but especially the ladies. We called him "The Ladies Man". After all he was Italian, a La Brotte, as well as being a looker. The ladies thought he was handsome. He was! And well behaved, regardless of what prodding, poking and inspection he was subjected to. Throughout it all he was regal, dignified, loved, respected, trustworthy and loyal. Iverson was everything we imagined a dog could be.... and more.
More photos of Iverson