Dogs I've Known: Koda

I had intended to post about a different topic today, but I decided instead to talk about my little brother Jacob's dog, named Koda.

Originally, my dad had two dogs: Sam, a German Shepherd that we raised from a puppy, and Dinah, a Golden Retriever/Labrador mix full grown dog that we inherited from some friends that were moving away. Dinah was a few years older than Sam and didn't have much time left in her, so we wanted to find another dog to help fill the void and keep Sam company, because a bored dog is a destructive dog. While weighing their options, they finally decided on getting another German Shepherd. They're good for protection and are also good with family if you raise them properly.

So, Jacob (my brother), Claudia (my stepmom), and Dad (my dad) went to talk to someone who had a litter of German Shepherd pups. Jacob picked the runt of the litter and immediately fell in love with him. And so, a new dog joined our family. Jacob named him Koda after a character from the movie Brother Bear.

One thing I have observed about dogs, the younger dog always targets the older dog and torments them to no end. I don't think it's bullying, just playing. It probably also signifies a change in leadership, because once the younger dog can best the older dog in wrestling around in the yard, it seems to become the #1 dog in the yard.

So Sam and Koda would gang up on poor old Dinah when they weren't busy wrestling each other around. Eventually, Dinah passed on, leaving just Koda and Sam, and again, Koda would worry the snot out of Sam.

One day, Koda poked around in the bushes around the house and found a kitten, which was soon adopted into the family as well. And thus, Koda became sort of the unofficial keeper of Katie the cat.

Eventually, Sam passed on and a new puppy was adopted, also named Sam, in honor of the one that came before. And it was interesting to see the roles reversed. An older Koda suffering the playful torment of a younger Sam.

While Sam would try to hog all the attention whenever people were outside, I was always a bit more partial towards Koda. I'd make sure to pet him, even if I had to go out of my way to do so, and I'd shoe away Sam if she got too aggressive. And I'd always make sure to give him a dog bone, when no one else noticed.

Koda passed away Sunday morning. He was outside playing with Sam, laid down, and just never got back up.

We've had a lot of dogs over the years, and they always leave a mark on you. I just wish they'd stay a little longer.