A cracker for Thanksgiving
For 18 years, “Cracker” was a cherished member of our family. She was a poodle mix and weighed a whopping 8 pounds.
We acquired Cracker through our good friend Terry Seagraves — a former Elite pro and fellow Floridian. Terry and a friend were passing through our hometown during the Thanksgiving holidays and wanted to stop by. When they arrived, I noticed a pup in the car and suggested they let it out for a break. That’s when we were told the 4-month-old tiny fur ball was being returned to its original owner. Hearing that, I asked if we could have her instead. From that point on, she was ours.
Our son, Trevor (who was 6 at the time) named her Cracker — because of her blonde, saltine color.
Cracker (or “Cracker Dog” as she was affectionately called) had the best attitude ever. As a pup, she was friendly, playful and smart. She mastered many tricks in her time … some of which were a bit peculiar. Early on, she displayed the strange behavior of slopping water from her water bowl into her food bowl with her nose, then sweeping the floor around her bowl with her wet snout. Then she’d push her food bowl all around the kitchen floor. It was impossibly cute and very entertaining.
As Cracker grew older, her sight and hearing began to fail her. However, something she was never short on, even to the end, was her affection and loyalty. And we miss that about her.
Cracker’s passing has left a great void in our household. Occasionally, our son’s girlfriend will bring her Yorkie named “Maddy” for a visit, which helps. And talk about sharp … that dog trains people. And she loves to fish.
I’m sure at some point we’ll have another dog. And just as it was with Cracker, that dog will come at the perfect time. But, for now, Cracker is still fresh in our minds and hearts … resting in peace in our backyard.