In loving memory of Pepper 6/18/2007-5/1/2022
About 9 years ago, an acquaintance of mine introduced me to Gus, an adorable little coal-black Affenpinscher boy with a silver beard and wiry white hairs on his coat. Gus walked with a jaunty gait and winked cheekily with his lustrous dark eyes. There was something so human-like about him. I felt perpetually happy and amused when in his company, how could one frown with such a face around? I set out to find one of my own but discovered there were none around at all. I had owned large dogs all my life but I was ready for a tiny companion to keep me company. I also researched Brussels Griffons because they had similar little faces and beards. At this point I decided to begin my search for one or the other.
I lucked out and found a site that listed retired Brussels Griffon show dogs. That is what brought me to my heart dog Pepper. She was a 7-year-old retired show dog and had been a Grand Champion in her glamor days. I didn’t care about any of that, I just wanted a furry friend to love and she was that and more. With us she could relax and finally be a regular dog without a care in the world.
Pepper was like a person to me and not a dog at all. It’s hard to explain the connection we had, and I doubt I will find love like that again. Every Friday, we would pop some popcorn and watch a movie. That was her favorite day of the week! She loved ‘popcorn time’ and would get so excited to get a few pieces of unbuttered popcorn. She was probably the smartest dog I had ever owned and learned several commands like sit, lay down, high five, ‘bang, you’re dead’ all within a few weeks. She even learned a few words like ‘hamburger’ meaning time to feed her, and ‘I love you’. It took her a while to work up to that but when she got it, it was adorable.
My husband and I loved our Princess Peppy very much. She was mild-mannered and loving. We took care of her through her old age, through her blindness, and all the trials that come with aging. We cherished her until the end, and still cherish our memories of her. She will always be greatly missed.
