In Memory of Raven

My friend and packmate, Raven, went to the Rainbow Bridge today. As you may have read in my post The Greys of Our Lives (in which I introduced my pack), Raven was diagnosed with bone cancer right before Mom and Dad adopted me. He had the affected leg amputated in early November 2007 and received chemotherapy, but his cancer returned recently.

I only knew Raven for about six months, but Mom has lots of pictures and stories about him from when she and Dad adopted him in March 2002. Here is one of the very first pictures they took of him:

Raven – March 2002

Raven doing one of his favorite tricks. If you told him to “hide,” he
would cover his eyes like this. It was a trick he did right up to the
end, even though he only had one front leg to “hide” with.

An early picture of Raven being a silly upside-down hound.

Raven and Aunt Carol at the 2002 San Diego Renaissance Faire.

Raven eating corn on the cob at the 2003 Arizona Renaissance Festival.

Raven and Cooper “sharing” a bed.

Love for Raven at the 2003 San Diego Renaissance Faire.

Raven loved to sing (or “roo,” as it’s called around here).

Lots of things would get Raven rooing – other dogs singing, coyotes howling, a song played in the second octave of a D pennywhistle – but the one thing that was absolutely guaranteed to make him start rooing was the theme song to Stargate: SG-1. He loved that song and would begin to sing any time he heard it.

Raven and Tag at the 2004 Doña Ana Arts Council
Renaissance Craftfaire.

Raven also loved to chase the lure in the hunting demonstrations
at Renaissance faires. These pictures were taken at the
2005 Devonshire Renaissance Faire. Look at him go!

A flying catch!

Got it again.

After running in the demo, Raven loved to go out and
work the crowd wearing a “Donation Dog” blanket.

Peaches using Raven as a pillow at the 2006 Las Vegas
Renaissance Festival.

Raven using Fox as a pillow at the 2006 Las Vegas
Renaissance Festival.

Raven and friend at the 2006 Doña Ana Arts Council
Renaissance ArtsFaire.

Raven’s #1 fan, Aunt Julia, visits him soon after his
amputation surgery in November 2007.

Silly Raven tongue antics.

Raven and Jack playing. Having only three legs didn’t stop Raven
from running around and having fun.

Me, Raven, and Jack wait for Mom to hand out treats.

Aunt Julia and Raven at the 2008 Arizona Renaissance Festival.

Raven and friend at the 2008 Arizona
Renaissance Festival.

Aunt Carol spends some quality time with Raven during his last days.

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RAVEN
May 16, 1998 to June 8, 2008