Mishka's Memorial Book

This page is dedicated to Mishka, Samoyed extraordinaire.  A long-time connoisseur of napping, Mishka now sleeps on the cold tile floor in the sky -- a place where the draft under the door is always below thirty degrees, the rabbits are lethargic and mentally defective, and the pizza bar is open for grazing until the wee hours of the morning.  A few facts about Mishka:

Nicknames: Maestro Mishka, great white hunter, abominable snow dog, big white monster (a contribution from Lafitte, the cat)

Favorite foods: Never one for fad diets, Mishka preferred mostly junk food, though he was rarely indulged.  Doughnuts and pizza were his favorite forbidden foods.  Popcorn invoked a Pavlovian response any time Mishka heard the kernels popping in the microwave.  The sound alone triggered a series of barks, yips, and little jumps that usually resulted in Mishka receiving his own bowl.

Favorite activities:  Sleeping, napping, dozing, dreaming about food, eating, chasing furry woodland creatures, walking the neighborhood, blocking drafts from the front door.

Special mention should be made of Mishka's relationship with the cat.  Although their interactions were initially contentious, Mishka became a pioneer in canine-feline relations and was even known to sleep in the same room with the Lafitte.  The cat tolerated Mishka's friendly overtures to a point but typically remained aloof, as cats are wont to do.

Mishka began life as a show dog, but after retiring from the ring, he found himself languishing at Wayside Waifs, a home for homeless pets.  He hated Wayside, mostly because the food was bad and his roommate was a pig (literally).  When Mishka came home with us, he settled comfortably into his rotund, post-supermodel figure, becoming twice the dog he used to be (again, literally).  With time, exercise, and much complaining, Mishka regained his svelte physique only months before his passing.  The fact that he was unceremoniously shaved for the summer also contributed to his unlikely physical transformation.

As a friend and companion, Mishka had no equal.  His infectious smile captivated all who knew him -- even those who only encountered him while passing by on the street.  At the end, Mishka suffered from a degenerative spinal condition, preventing him from being able to get up on his own.  Still, when we arrived home after a day's work, he would greet us by lifting his head and wagging his tail -- the most and best that he could offer.  Now he remains with us in spirit, sleeping by the front door and beneath the tree in our backyard.  We imagine him waking after a fitful nap and endlessly roaming the nature trail in the park, where he once walked in happier times, hunting rabbits and seeking out tantalizing bits of discarded trash.

We hope you enjoy the pictures posted below.  Please visit the guestbook, where you can share stories and remembrances of Mishka with others who knew him.

The behavioral tester at Wayside Waifs assured us that Mishka was definitely not a lap dog.

Mishka usually needs no extra inducement to smile.

The Good Shepherd.  Mishka is upset that his weight isn't more of a deterrent to humiliating experiences like this.

Mishka's the biggest animal on the bed (and the most forbidding....)

Jungle Mishka enjoys the dangers and delights of the outdoor world.

Could I have another pillow, please?

Mishka was Mom's dog, too.