Obituary of Hagrid Howie

Hagrid, aka Briardale’s ‘Mischief Managed’, was a family member, companion, and protector, and he will be missed by everyone that knew him, both two-legged and four-legged.  A Briard, he was the epitome of ‘a heart wrapped in fur’, and he grew into being a perfect match for his two names.  Bigger than the breed standard with a nickname of ‘the gentle giant’, he delighted in stealing napkins off your lap unnoticed, and was a playful instigator with the four-legged pack mates at the house.  His abundantly happy and outgoing personality was barely contained inside his large body.

For Hagrid there were only two kinds of people in the world: the friends he knew, and the friends he hadn’t met yet.  He had a special place in his heart for fearless little girls who wanted to see his pretty brown eyes, and he would sit patiently as they moved his locks aside so they could see eye to eye with him.  Anyone else that tried this would be interrupted in their efforts as he pawed and shook his hair back into place.

An adorable puppy and feisty teenager, he grew to be a calm and well-mannered adult, though he would quickly lose his composure if someone knocked on the front door or one of the package delivery services made a drop-off on the front steps.

An eloquent and expressive communicator with a large vocabulary, one always knew what was on Hagrid’s mind.  When he was outside in his fenced back yard, he always had a lot to say to people who came down the nearby path though, unfortunately, few stopped to talk to him.  He also shared gossip with dogs in the surrounding houses from this back yard vantage point to the dismay of some of his human neighbors.

We especially want to thank the specialty veterinary doctors, nurses, and staff at Blue Pearl Malvern for their kindness and compassion during his treatment there.  Due to their efforts his time with us was longer than it would have been.  We are at a loss for words to fully express our gratitude and thanks for the care he received there.

His time with us was too short but we will carry memories of him with us for the rest of our days.

“Dogs are not our whole life, but they make our lives whole.”  Roger Caras