TazzMan Buddy "Pooky" Gilbert
1996-2010
Rest in peace my little man
On July 12, 2010 at 14 years, 3 months and 3 weeks my little buddy Tazzman Buddy Pooky King "The Man" BKT Gilbert crossed over the Rainbow Bridge to join his buddy Michigan. Tazz is the first dog my wife and I got shortly after we were married and my very first dog ever. We went to a little place in Kansas and picked him out at 4 weeks.Inhindsight the facility was a puppymill, but we still ended up with a pretty good pup.
As a puppy Tazz didn't act like a puppy, he seemed more like a 9 lb dog in a puppy's body. Even though I had not yet began my life as a Wayside volunteer, dog trainer and knew nothing about dogs, I made my Tazz a constant companion. The first week we had him, we drove him down to Stockton lake for the weekend at 9 weeks old. Tazz was a fearless little puppy and enjoyed the lake and the many adventures we had over 14 years. As a puppy we knew he was special when on one evening he would not quick barking at a wall outlet. We pushed him away, but he persisted. At just 12 weeks old he found an outlet that was shorting out and save our home.
Some of our best adventures started when we began volunteering at Wayside Waifs. Tazz spend 8 years going to schools and other events to talk about Wayside and all things dog. His best friend Michigan accompanied him until his death 3 years ago at which time Tazz also retired at 12. Michigan and Tazz were the dynamic duo. Together we spent hours at Smithville Lake just walking and playing. I still have the fetching stick I found there 8 years ago that we would play with. A favorite trick of Tazz was to do body roll onto a rotting animal corpse, be it a deer or carp. Other times we'd take the road trip to Iowa where he taught my mom to laugh again after my dad died. On one trip I left a bag of little chocolate donuts in the truck and when I returned Tazz was still stationed in the passenger seat, his head covered in chocolate. Tazz never looked guilty, just mad he got caught. One his favorite nicknames was BKT, Bunny Killer Tazz. Over 14 years 2 bunnies lost their lives to Tazz and one he proudly threw at Jan's feet in the house. Never a day went by that Tazz didn't make us laugh. What other dog would only take one of two grilled cheese sandwiches off the plate and leave you one? Whether it was chasing his bunny, or getting you to play tug of war he was always there.Tazz always knew what to do around people. When he met my grandmother he kept her feet warm, if at a school he find the kid who was the most scared and just sit next to him. A group of girl scouts once made Tazzcopters from his hair and took them as souvenirs.
Each evening Tazz would pace or bark for his favorite green chair and I would get out so he could take his place on the thrown. A favorite trick was bone-thirty. 2-3 times an evening he'd grab a bone and go running through the house, Jan and I would yell bone-thirty until he stopped and received his milk-bone. Tazz would help with projects around the home and always seemed on the verge of saying something. So many people said he was the only dog who looked like he could talk.
Three of his faithful companions preceded him in death, Michigan, Sasha and Jasmine. Poor Tazz was never the same after Michigan died and slowed a bit. We didn't realize the big guy was acting as Tazz's ears before he passed. Below is one of my favorite pictures of Tazz after playing with his bunny, the peaceful content look of a life well lived. I will miss my little Pooky each and every day.
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