Squirt October 1997 to October 2008

                                                                       Squirt with my step-sister Kristi

It all began when I was a senior in highschool.  I was at the Harrod's pet shop in London when I spotted a litter of bichon frise puppies.  It was love at first sight; I knew immediately that was the kind of dog I wanted.  So when I got back to the States I checked the paper every week for them.  Finally after two or three months I found some in Tooele, Utah.  So I dragged my mom and step-dad, Jan to go check them out.  Jan wasn't too thrilled about having a white fluffy thing for a dog.  He was thinking more along the lines of a German shepherd.  

So when we got there my mom, Jan, Kristi (my step-sister), and I sat down to play with all the little bichon puppies.  It only took us a few minutes before we knew which one was ours.  Squirt was the leader of the pack.  He was the feistiest one with all the attitude.  

Squirt would go everywhere with me.  He slept with me, I took him to work with me (I worked at my dad's office at the time), I even convinced my teachers to let me bring him to school with me for a day.  

I could see that Jan was slowly starting to like him although he never would admit it.  Everyday when Squirt heard his car coming up the driveway he would race to go greet him.  As soon as he'd open his car door, Squirt would jump right in smothering him with kisses and pee all over him and car seats.  

Then I went away to college and Squirt became their first grandchild.  This is when he really stole their hearts.  Jan became his proud "bumpa" and Squirt became a bumpa's boy. 

A few years down the road in 2004 he was diagnosed with cancer.  The doctor removed as much of it as possible but he said it had already spread too far.  He gave him about two months to live without treatment.  Well, as stubborn as Squirt is, he stuck around another four healthy, happy years.  He had as much spring in his step as ever; you'd never know.  

So just a couple of months ago he came out of remission.  He was quickly fading and not the same Squirt anymore.  He would have bad days and then relatively better days.  And finally just last week my mom could really see that he was just suffering.  She was faced with the difficult decision to put him down.   

He lived such a vibrant, happy life.  He managed to steal the hearts of all the "fluffy dog haters" with all his attitude.  Personality goes a long way!  

WE LOVE YOU SQUIRT!!!