We met Star on April 1st 1998 in Pennsylvania. As part of a mid-life crisis after turning 50, I wanted my 1st puppy and I wanted it to be a white German Shepherd around 8 weeks old. He was with his mother and brothers and sisters. Maybe it was the notch in his ear that attracted Beth and I to him. It looked as if it was a result of a correction bite from his mother or maybe a play bite from a brother or sister. Star came home with us although we felt a certain
discomfort separating him from his 'family" but knew this is what
happens to puppies.

The 1st thing we did when we arrived home was to go for a short walk on a leash for his 1st time and after balking just a little he fell in love immediately with going for walks. After a few days, he was out of his crate walking around the house when I noticed he was sneaking back to a bedroom and I quietly followed him. I watched him start to squat and I swooped in telling him loudly
one time "NO" and rushed him outside and told him to "GO
POTTY". He did and that was all the housebreaking he ever needed.

Moving forward 5 years, I retired and we bought a new home in a new
neighborhood. Star loved it because he loved being around more people,especially kids, taking nice walks and more activity. We were now able to spend 17-18 waking hours most days with each other. Usually he was either beside me or lying within 5 feet of me. It was then I really started to watch him and how he handled life - he gave 110% every day and was always happy. I could feel his spirit rubbing off on me and felt the 37 years of stress related to work and raising a family melting away.

A few years ago he was diagnosed with having cancer in a rear leg
and we chose to not have it amputated since it wasn't a spreading cancer and to treat him with the drugs necessary to allow him to live a comfortable life. Even with this, he continued to live life to the fullest. His strength was always an encouragement that helped me to get through some difficult times.

On July 13th he lost the use of his only good rear leg and on the 14th the vet told us he was going to have a tough, painful struggle to ever be able to get around on his own and we made the painful decision to put him down. We chose a special friend of his and us to be with him.

Over the last few days I have come to realize how important and how much the lessons I learned from watching him had changed me. He was sharing the secrets of his happiness which I know work on humans also because they have changed me and probably could help most of us. Those secrets he taught me are:

1st - Love being with the people that you care about and who care about you, and he did love it.
2nd - Have a purpose in life. He felt his was to protect us and our
home.
And lastly - to have a squishy squeaky ball to chase and carry around to have fun with like he did, or in other words, to have something that you love doing.

For Our Beloved Star.