Cider Benson
Cider Benson
Cider Benson
Cider Benson
Cider Benson
Cider Benson

Obituary of Cider Benson

Please share a memory of Cider to include in a keepsake book for family and friends.

Cider Justin Michael Reader Benson, a chocolate lab known as Cider, passed away peacefully on Tuesday, November 17 at about 1:25pm. She was surrounded by her dad, mom, and 3 younger human siblings. Her animal siblings Lucy, Leo, Lolli, Jolly, Chick fil-a, Chicken Nugget and Peanut Butter Sandwich were not able to be there but we know they will miss her, especially Lucy and Leo as they loved eating her dog food. She lived a good life but arthritis hit her hard the last few years. She was kept comfortable the last few years with pet rehabilitation, laser therapy, medicine, at home exercises and gentle walks.

She was born on October 13, 2005 in Cincinnatus, New York to her dog mom, Daisy, and dog dad, Doc. Her human parents, Levi and Heather, brought her to their loving homes in both Ithaca and Groton, New York on December 1, 2005. The name Cider seemed to fit her perfectly for many reasons: she was born in the fall, her parents made cider on their second date, her parents have never tried a bad tasting cider and her coat was the same coloring as cider.

Luckily for her family and all who met her, Cider is like a cat having 9 lives and lived a long life. As a puppy, she tried to run across a busy road while escaping from her mom's apartment as they headed to her Ithaca College graduation. She also had an escape on her first 4th of July due to firework sounds. Many other scares include eating a box of Lillie's pink yogurt covered raisins in April 2011, an allergic reaction with eye swelling in July 2012, surgery in October 2013 to remove a large growth attached to her rib cage and an eye growth, cancer on her belly removed in October 2016, eye growth removal and eating half a pan of brownies off the counter in January 2017 that happened within days of each other, and an eye growth removal surgery in October 2017 and 2018. Ultimately, it was old age that gave out in the end and we are thankful none of these scares caused any lasting harm to her. The good news is we got to meet Dr. Wilkerson at her emergency appointment in 2012 and we were able to see him for all future visits and surgery, except emergency visits and rehabilitation.

She enjoyed anything and everything about tennis balls, especially catching, retrieving and throwing the ball back at you as she ran toward you so you could throw it for her again. She had favorite ones and sometimes could not play until she found her current favorite and often would play with one even if it was broken in half or just a little piece of green fabric left. The green fabric did not throw very far but she still loved it. She loved tennis balls being thrown on land, water or snow. She did not care how deep in the water you threw it, how far you threw it, if she caught it or had to run and retrieve it, she just loved those things. She loved barking at you if you were not quick enough to throw the ball or if you did not understand she wanted you to throw the ball immediately. She was often seen throwing the ball at anybody who would pay attention to her to try and get them to throw it for her.

In addition to her love for the ball, she also enjoyed spending time with humans, eating grass, spilling water everywhere as she drank, throwing up on carpets and not hard floors, trying to trip you because she was always under your feet, stealing your spot when you got up off the couch or bed for a minute, pretending she was a vacuum to clean up all the crumbs or food dropped on the floor, knocking over toddler siblings especially when they were new walkers, doing what we called crazy dog and running all over and knocking anything in her way, somersaulting on us when she was excited and wanted a belly rub, fluffing up blankets, towels or floor mats to make herself comfortable, chasing squirrels, getting presents or seeing a present for someone else because she thought it was for her, her tennis ball thrower, sleeping on the floor next to the crib during nap time, treats, eating food off the table or counter, kisses, belly rubs, walks, the snow, the ocean, getting into trash and recycling to see if she could find anything tasty in it, tug of war, chewing sticks, retrieving sticks, swimming in any water she could find, going into neighbor's koi ponds uninvited, going to the bus stop and getting a treat from Ms. Sandy on bus #18, pool time at Uncle Justin's, and stuffed toys and animals.

She disliked having her front paws touched, squirrels, smoke alarms going off if we burnt food, fireworks, thunder, pretzels, dogs that were bigger than her, that one time Jacoby bit her ear because he wanted to see what it tasted like, people yelling even if it was not directed at her, certain tones of voice when a human sounded scared, toaster oven clicking noise, and probably falling the last few years in her failing health, but she never complained about it.

In addition to her human family and pets she resides with, she will be missed by just about every human who met her including grandparents, aunts and uncles, cousins, aunties, friends, and staff at Windcrest Animal Hospital and Graylyn Crest Animal Hospital, especially Dr. Wilkerson, Dr. Kate, Breanna and Auntie Jamie. 

She is predeceased by her animal siblings, Blub Blub, Mickey, Tom Brady, Spooky Scary Skeleton, Dixie Chick, and Scarlet JoHENson as well as her doggie extended family members, Riley and Sandy, her dog uncle and aunt as well as Ruger, her dog cousin, but we know they have a spot waiting for her with them over the rainbow bridge.

Please join us on Sunday, December 13 at 3pm in our backyard to enjoy a cider donut and/or drink in her memory.

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