It
had long been Greg's dream to add a dog to our family as soon as we
moved to Maine. Rufus fulfilled that dream for the brief seven
and a half months before Greg's sudden death of a heart attack on
February 23, 2010. In shock, devastated by the loss of my love
and best friend of forty plus years, and overwhelmed by the tasks of
emotional and practical survival, I felt Rufus would have a better,
happier life if he returned to his breeder, who could continue training
him, show him, or find him another home worthy of his potential.
In a week of unbearable loss, parting with Rufus just added to that
desolation, but I was glad to learn he had adjusted nicely to his old home and
received all the love and care that he deserved. Tom Broderick
completed Rufus' training, and he has now found a permanent home in
Long Island, by his beloved sea. He has another Newf companion
and has settled in happily.
Unable to erase these
images from my heart, I leave them here as a tribute to this
human-canine friendship which brought us so much joy. They
remain, too, as mementos of happy, shared times with my life's
soulmate.
In the past year of mourning, I was
inspired to write a screenplay, entitled Raising Rufus: A Maine Love Story.
It is a love story - our love story - about a man and a woman, their
beloved Newfoundland, and their passion for the coast of Maine, and it
is, of course, dedicated to Greg's memory. It is presently being
submitted to various contests and filmmakers in the hope of its
reaching the screen.
Amity's Sea Dog Rufus
Born July 9, 2009
Rufus' Homecoming @ 11.5 Weeks Old
Rufus is a Newfoundland dog from the well-known and respected Amity Newfs kennel of Tom and Diane Broderick in Mahwah, NJ. From distinguished lines, he is the son of Amity's Bella and Bowater's Caleb. We were thrilled to be entrusted with this beautiful boy whom we planned to show in AKC conformation, obedience, water rescue, and drafting events.
Rufus was the newest addition to Mannahatta's four-legged band, and he fulfilled a lifelong dream to own a canine companion. Naturally, we chose a breed whose temperament will complement those of our kitties. Here in animal friendly Maine, there are so many places where dogs are welcome and so many events they can attend, so we hoped this gentle giant would have a full and exciting, and, of course, pampered life!
Rufus at Play
Here are a selection of pictures of Rufus having a great time.
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Second Row Left to Right: Rufus @ 7.5 Months in Playroom; Rufus Romping in Snow; Rufus Waiting for Freshly Baked Cookies
Third Row Left to Right: Rufus on the Beach; Rufus at Hermit Cove; Rufus Watching Horses at Noble Farm
Rufus' Show News
Rufus would have attended his first puppy match in March 2010. We had prepared him with AKC certified obedience training, private lessons with a trainer and show handler, and water rescue training. On the day before Greg died, we had begun a new group class in North Yarmouth (Basic 201) . He continues his training now with his breeders, Diane and Tom Broderick, Tom a noted trainer/handler.
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Rufus' Working Events
Rufus is, it seems, a natural! With weather and water still relatively mild, we took Rufus first wading, and then SWIMMING this past October! This fall and winter Rufus took swimming lessons and conditioning with a certified canine aquatic therapist at Doggie Dome Spa in nearby New Durham, NH , so he could stay fit for spring training! In June he would have joined a water rescue dog training group also in New Durham. The bond between Greg and Ruufus created by these sessions was a truly beautiful thing to experience. The joy both were feeling is evident in these images. We also had looked forward to his bringing home our 2011 Christmas tree over the snowy trails.
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First Row Left to Right: Rufus' Emerging from Ocean at Fort Popham Beach, ME, November 21, 2009
Rufus with Melody Horne and Dad at Doggie Dome Spa without a Life Vest ; Rufus Bringing Bumper to Mom
Second Row Left to Right: Rufus Swimming with Dad; Rufus at "Wait" Command in Pool; Rufus at "Stay" Command in Pool
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