Bruno came into our lives a teeny tiny puppy the summer of 2000. He was named Bruno because he was born in San Bruno, CA. He would whine when left alone so I would sneak him into my room at night to sleep with me. He wouldn’t fall asleep until I was cuddled into bed with him, not content to sleep on his own.

He came to us with a stuffed squeeky octapus. It was quickly unstuffed and desqueeked by Bruno, but he continued to adore “Octi” throughout his life. His affection for it, and the fact that it had six tenticles instead of eight prompted us to nickname it “Sexi”.

Bruno had no idea that he was a small dog, or really even a dog. He barked down the largest scariest dogs, and never fully understood why we didn’t provide him a plate at the dinner table.

He would lick one to death for a belly rubbing and was endlessly frustrated by Missy, a chihuahua/pomerianian mix that came into our family several years ago.

When I moved to Seattle Bruno came with me and we walked daily overlooking the Puget Sound. He was my roomate and most favorite companion. He would drive the neighbors nuts in my absence, barking at my departure. I quickly learned to feed him in the kitchen, coat and keys in hand, then jump the puppy gate and leave the apartment before he noticed I was gone.

When I moved to San Diego we walked the streets of Bankers Hill and discovered Balboa Park together. He stayed up late and watched movies with me, traveled on planes with me, and became my closest friend.

When I married Garth, Bruno watched over our seats as a sentinal, and even joined us in our first dance. He stayed with my parents as we went on our honeymoon and moved from San Diego to Florida. A few days before I left San Diego to pick him up, a year ago today, my Mom called to tell me that he was gone. She’d watched in horror as a clueless Bruno, having slipped behind the protective fence in my parents yard, was snatched by a coyote.

We’ve searched the hillside below the fence several times and have never found anything. No collar, no bones, no “Bruno” bone-shaped engraved pendant (my valentines day present to him), so sometimes I like to daydream that he’s the Elizabeth Smart of the dog world and will one day come strolling back into town in a wig, thinking that he’s a coyote.

I still miss him.

Josh made this for him, it’s the first draft, but still pretty dang sweet.

rest in peace Bruno.

xoxoxox
Laura

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