We adopted Woody from the local Golden Retriever
rescue group,
Gold Ribbon Rescue
in 2000 -- or so say the official papers.
He started off as a foster dog but
after a few months, he decided life in the Robinson household was
good and he adopted us. Woody passed away November 28, 2003 at age 12.
These three pictures show Woody at a local park, dozing on
a backpacking trip in the Pecos Wilderness of New Mexico, and
sitting in a field of bluebonnets.
Woody suffered from glaucoma, finally losing his eyesight
altogether at age 11 despite much veterinary care, and was blind for
the last year of his life.
According to the veterinarian and from our
observations, the useless eyes hurt, so they were surgically removed.
I became a seeing-eye person. We developed a set of
specialized commands to help him get around ("step up",
"step down", "touch you", "turn left", "stop", and so on).
Woody adapted
remarkably well and seemed quite happy until sickness overtook him
in the final couple of months.
Here is King Woody in formal regalia painted by the great
artist Hans Holstein, the spotted.
