Harold was brought into the family mix when he was 3 months old as part of the marriage proposal to my wife, Megan. At the beginning he was fully intended to be Megan’s dog, but he wore me down quick and spoiling him soon became a family affair. In very short order, he entrenched himself as head of the household.

Harold was full of life from the beginning. Always curious, always silly, and always ready for an adventure. He loved many things. The usual items were on that list: food, play, toys, treats, walks. But there was nothing he loved more than meeting new people. When doing so his pure and unmistakable excitement was on full physical display. His rear end would shake and his whole body wiggle rather recklessly. This was joy taking full control of normal body functions.

Not surprisingly, Harold had a huge rolodex of friends. City park staff, front desk workers, bar and restaurant owners, neighbors, parking garage attendants, crossing guards, other dogs and dog owners, etc. all became a part of our circle and life experience solely due to Harold’s God given drive to make a connection with everyone he met. Did I tell you he had a big personality? Yes, well it can’t be overstated. He was a presence, and quite literally opened up our world to some wonderful people that we cherish, and who also loved him.

Harold was a terrific sidekick and game for anything you wanted to do. Road trip, check. Office work, check. Babysitting, check. TV show, check. Bedtime, check. Meal time, big check. When lounging on the couch or lying in bed he developed what we termed the “butt tuck.” After 2 or 3 adjustments around the horn he would perfectly wedge himself along the backside of your legs and right up against your rear. This was his cozy spot where he was open to settling in for as long as you would have him.

Harold saw a lot in his 11 years. He was with us through absolutely everything. He was in our wedding party and a guest of honor at another. He was with us through 4 different moves. He was there when we added our daughter, Sylvia, into the fold. He was also quite the road warrior, leaving his mark (literally) on 25 different states.

Throughout his life, Harold was much more than a pet. He was our therapist when no one else could be. He was our ears when no one else would listen. He was our comedian when we needed to lighten the load. He was our rock when we needed stability. He was our constant. He was our home. And by all means, he was our first child.

Nothing is right without him here with us. His presence and love seeped into every part of our world. Although we still have him in our hearts, we lost a big part of ourselves when we had to say goodbye. Our time with him was the absolute freaking best. We brought him into our world on a Sunday, 5/13/12. He left our lives almost exactly eleven years later to the day on Sunday, 5/14/23. And this is the period of our lives where the family was complete.

We love and miss you, little buddy. And will always.