Meet tiger, the newest member of Maggie's household. A friend found a runaway dog in his cul de sac. He has two dogs and he just lost his job. He called some agencies and they said they were full and the dog looked too much like a pit bull. So Maggie and her new roommate met on neutral Hoover Park. No other dogs were there and they seemed to get along although Maggie did show him her dominance stature.

We now think Tiger is a brindle lab breed-a black lab mother and a golden retriever father--this goes a long way in explaining his Mr. Friendly personality. But our vet says he is a Straffordshire terrier-shepard cross. From the way he runs, maybe he's a greyhound-Straffordshire terrier cross (GOK). GOK: God only knows

Maggie will have none of the frisbee. She likes a soft rubber ball toy (Go-Frrr fetch ball) that has a rubber band loop attached to the ball. This ball is pulled back with one hand while the other holds the end of the rubber band loop. Then sling shot the ball and it can go great distances depending on your ability stretch the rubber band loop and any previous skills at using a sling shot. If you can shoot rubber bands, this toy is fun . Maggie likes the ball when it hits the ground. The loop has a life of its own and getting it is a double kill. Her retrieval is not always graceful as sometimes the loop gets looped around her paw or around her head. Go-Frrr fetch ball are available on the Web at www.proballinc.com. Update: Tiger has lost all interest in the Frisbee and instead now prefers the Go-Frrr fetch ball.

The sun set on Thursday, 9/21  to mark the end of Tiger. He lived for 9 years spending more than 8 years with our pack. He was a good companion and gave us more love than we can ever imagine was possible. Tiger fit right in and tolerated the boss dog Maggie. Maggie and Tiger got along well with never a fight. Tiger learned early that getting excited about going for a walk by humping Maggie was not always greeted warmly as Maggie had to teach him no humping time after time. 

Tiger was the ultimate kissing machine if a kiss is what you need from a dog. One day Paul came by very depressed. Paul then laid on the floor and invited Tiger for Tiger tongue therapy. Tiger knew just the right tongue therapy and Paul got up from the floor renewed for the better, it was free, and no techno monkey business was involved. When Tiger was new to the pack with no permanent name, the new dog first called Chico,  almost earned the tongue fu name. 

His brindle tiger like pattern made earned him the name Tiger. Probably his favorite dog park was Redwood Shores where Tiger could chase the BFI refuse 18 wheeler. This amused Norm the truck driver and who also was a canine captive into giving Tiger a short ride in the "belly of the beast" After the ride I helped Tiger and Norm helped me dismount from Tiger's truck. We thanked Norm for the ride and Tiger didn't bark after leaving the beast big car door. Then Tiger went around to the other side of Norms truck and started non-stop marking at the monster he just rode in.

Tiger had other friends like Carol who knew Tiger at the dog park behind the photographer. Carole, a dog walker, gave  us helpful hints for Tiger to be good dog and Tiger really gave Carole the full treatment. Today we met Carole at our vet's office and Carole was sorry to hear our reasons for hanging out at the vets. Tiger was happy to see Carole. 

Earlier today Tiger said goodbye to June, the cookie lady who gives Tiger and Maggie  treats on our afternoon walks to the park. But today Tiger wasn't hungry.  But Maggie eagerly worked for her treats by having her jump as therapy for Maggie's broken leg in 2004.  That was the end for Maggie to sleep on the bed and she yielded the entire bed to Tiger. Never again would Maggie go to bed with Tiger to act as warm heaters on cold nights. the bed was too high for Maggie to jump anymore. 

Tiger always barked at the mail man and finally last month Tiger had chance to approach the mailman slowly like anyone new with tail rotations a plenty while the mailman stood still and allowed Tiger to sniff the mailman all over but not as a pest. Tiger walked slowly to the mailman with tale wagging, and holding his head in submissive posture of offering his ear while tilting his head. In a nano- second Tiger knew that the mailman carried no cookies and was no threat until tomorrow.

Tiger always eventually took all of Maggie's new toys and adopted them as his own. In her early years Maggie could out maneuver Tiger to compensate for Tiger's greater speed. Tiger was no match for Maggie's experience in running to confuse her pursuer or if she were the pursuer how to catch a  playmate.  Maggie and Tiger played a great deal together and It didn't take much to time to find play more fun than standing around. If no other dogs were around as suitable playmates, Maggie and Tiger would spontaneously
begin play. If no toys were around any stick would do for an  (ITD ) or improvised tugging device.

What ever tiger's background some one had spent time playing fetch as Tiger needed no introduction to fetch. Unlike Maggie, Tiger would not fetch the ball and play keep away. Tiger would bring back toys for another cycle of fetch right away.
Maggie would always position herself to keep an eye of all the pack. Once Tiger had a plastic bag over his head and Maggie saw Tiger's predicament. Maggie came to Mary and started barking at Mary in a most annoying way forcing Mary to get up and see Tiger with the plastic bag on his head that was quickly removed. 

The only time Maggie consistently warned Tiger was at dinner time just before serving up the fresh kill. Both Tiger and Maggie subscribe to eating fast with both consistently finishing in less than a minute. Without fail both would go to the others bowl to many times lick the empty bowls. 

They watched each other to learn and Tiger copied Maggie's original pause at our cars door to smell the scent on the car handle. But most of all they watched us to catch our eye so that they might help somehow or someway to be a friend and make us have fun.

Tiger is gone now but somewhere the energy that governed Tiger's DNA lives on with modified DNA from living so well with his pack.

Tiger was diagnosed with nasal sarcoma and bone cancer. Because the tumor was large, no therapy was possible. I decided on a treatment of high doses of bromelain and curcumin since 2/15/06. Tiger did well under this therapy living four times longer than the average cancer of this kind. He had many remissions. But his stamina was not enough. He fought as hard as he could to stay with us and we won't forget our little boy Tiger.