Scout Perlow 1995-2010

Scout Perlow December 31, 1995 - May 24, 2010

LONDON, UK -- As many of you have already heard, but as many of you may not have as of yet, this past Monday my family had to put down our beloved dog Scout. While there was definitely a degree of expectation that this point was coming, it always seemed to be relatively far off. Last June, she got sick, and the vet gave her 2 weeks to live. Needless to say we were all quite upset then. But two weeks came... and she was fine. Two months came... and she was fine. A few months later, and as the weather started to cool, and then get cold, and Scout was happier and more energetic than she had been all year. What was that doctor thinking?!

Well, on the reverse end of that, now that the last of the snow has melted, and the days of cool nights are not as common at home, and of course an entire year more has passed, and this past weekend it became clear that it was her time. For me, because of the somewhat advanced warning last year, coupled with my crazy travel schedule, I had the opportunity to give several goodbyes. Every time I left for any extended trip last summer... a few days or more, I made sure to give an extra goodbye. When I left at the end of September to come to London I did the same. By a miracle, it seemed, I got to spend a week with her walking her through the snow at home, shoveling, wrestling in the yard when I was home this past December. I left to come back to school, and, well, that was the last time I ever got to see her in person.

The very first picture at the top is the oldest picture I have of Scout. And yes, that huge mass of blonde hair is yours truly. I'm not sure if she was mimicking me, or if I was mimicking her, but either way, I do remember when she was a tiny puppy after we first got her, and I was still a little 8 year old kid, we would both actually fit literally in that table you see on the left in the picture. Beyond the first two days she was home, of which I remember vividly - petting her late at night the first night, and then the next day wondering aloud how long it would take before she wasn't sad to be missing her genetic dog family - this is the oldest memory I have with Scout.

The second picture above was taken from Skype just two months ago. As you can tell she was clearly healthy, and happy too - she could hear my voice, and maybe even register that she was "seeing" me on the screen anyway. But yeah, that's the last picture I have of her, and I thought I might share it... it is quite the change in technology that Scout (as well as the rest of us) witnessed. Just think... that first picture was taken on film (what's that), and last summer I took a picture of the print out on my phone, which I was just able to upload direct to my computer and now this blog. By contrast, the second picture was a click I made into an instant file on my computer while utilizing a webcam from 4,000 miles away. Things sure change in 14+ years.

The picture above is from November 2004. Just an ordinary Fall day in our backyard... windy and chilly, the colorful leaves on the ground. My favorite pictures of Scout are always outside, and this is one of them. The picture below is the next year, November 2005, outside again.

And, of course, outside in the snow...

...and perhaps best of all, the "I'm staying out here no matter what you say" look:

We love you and miss you and always will Scout... thanks for a great 14 1/2 years, and we hope there are lots of kisses and there is lots of snow in Dog heaven!

Scout Perlow December 31, 1995 - May 24, 2010