I estimate he knew about 30 English words. He somehow always understood when he needed to pose for a camera. He maintained absolute authority over any dogs nearby regardless of size. I witnessed him herding cattle and chasing chickens. He never backed down from a cat. He caught several birds (I have no idea). He would corner snakes and trap mice. He always needed to pee and poop in front of my mower while I was mowing. He needed to mark his territory about every 5 feet when we walked. He never cared for fetch. In reality, he was ‘above’ fetch. He was stub-born – it took about a year to get him fully potty trained. He lived (and stored pee) for walks. He loved to hang with people and dogs. His arch nemesis was the Dyson Animal vacuum, and later, any remote control device that moved under it’s own power. These things were deathly serious. He established the animal hierarchy in our home and maintained a control over Dutch that we will never understand. He slept where he wanted, ate first and maintained preferred observation positions on the landing or near the door (ref. the pictures below). He is the only dog I’ve ever met that smiled by showing a full row of teeth. Or maybe it was a beg face? He was sweet when he wanted and fierce when he needed to be. In his prime, his bark could be heard several houses away and scared the unprepared nearby. He was referred to as ‘the captain’ or ‘boss dog’. He never stopped licking the floor regardless of how well you cleaned a spot. He loved to sit on the front porch or back stoop and look on. He was so chill. He was even a chill puppy, if that’s possible. He never missed a bed time. When it was 10 pm, he would quietly leave the room and put himself to bed. He lived by the ‘eat first, ask questions later’ mantra. He loved to “help” me with my projects by just hanging out. He taught Danelle to love dogs. And, his bags were always packed. He loved to just go – it didn’t even matter where. If a travel bag moved, he watched every subsequent move closely – and circled the car until someone put him in.
Zorro battled cancer for a few months before it finally proved too much for him. He passed away on March 29, 2024. He was nearly 10.5 years old. He was the sweetest, best companion animal one could ask for. And he left so many memories – a doggy lifetime – for us to cherish for years to come.
We love you and miss you, Captain!
