Campy was found as a stray around 1.5 years of age. A series of
events in early October 2008 led us to Petfinder.com in search for a rescue
dog. We came across “Sparky” who was being fostered in Amelia Island, Florida and
it was an instant connection. The foster parent told me that this was a very
special dog, and she was right. It was a few weeks before we got married and we
had adopted our first (and only) dog Campy. We bonded instantly with him. He
quickly became our life and our new favorite responsibility. We had little
money and no experience caring for a dog but Campy quickly showed us that all
he needed was love – and an abundance of squeaky plush dog toys.
I created a very special bond with Campy as I spent a lot of time alone at
home, pursuing a dietetic degree while Karel was managing two Trek concept stores.
Campy and I spent a tremendous amount of time together. I couldn’t get enough
of his big personality, cute smile, golden hair, perfect nose, heart-melting face and long legs. Throughout his
lifetime, Campy went with me everywhere. He was a constant source of comfort
and companionship. It may sound cliché but he was my best friend. He helped me
feel wanted and needed.
Campy showed us unconditional love and always greeted us with the same level of
joy - always standing on his hind legs with a wagging tail, always overly
excited to see us. He gave us purpose, structure and routine to every day. Every
morning, we uncovered Campy from deep within the bed sheets and told him “good
morning sunshine, it’s another lottery winning day.” Quickly we learned that we
were the ones who won the lottery.
During his 16 years with us, Campy lived in two states – Jacksonville, Florida
and Greenville, South Carolina. He lived in 3 different homes before spending
his final nine years of life in his dream home – with plenty of windows to provide
the perfect sunbeams for napping. We always promised Campy a fenced yard so he
could pursue his favorite activities – chasing squirrels, barking at birds,
running and sunbathing. In 2015 we finally made that wish come true.
Campy was opinionated and protective of his mommy. But a select few passed his smell test. For those who were
let into his tribe he showed his incredibly loving, sweet, happy and funny personality. Campy
instantly fell in love with his grandparents and Joey “the cheese lady.” And if
you had the talent of a good butt rub or a real-food treat like ham or cheese, there was a better chance of
forming a possible friendship with Campy. For those who didn’t make the cut,
they got a big bark and sometimes a “love” bite. Campy thought he was an Alpha dog,
often showing his confidence and assertiveness around big dogs, but he was a momma's boy and loved being held. For B-man,
Ruby, Lady, Milo, Reagan and Pinto, Campy was proud to call these dogs his best
friends.
Campy loved cats and truly
enjoyed it when we brought in a new kitten or cat. Madison loved Campy because he
found her in a bush outside in 2008 and Ella formed a close bond with Campy in
his later years, giving her comfort, snuggles and warmth.
A lover of couches, pillow and blankets, Campy rested hard so he could play hard. Campy collected hundreds
of walking miles throughout his life. He absolutely loved going for walks. This
grew into a strong love of being outside. He greatly enjoyed marking on every
pole, mailbox and tree just to make sure everyone knew that “campy was here.” Campy
loved to run, which became a tradition I called “Campy miles” – finishing every
workout with at least a mile run with Campy. As soon as he heard the beep of my
running watch, he would sprint in excitement until he ran out of energy. He also
took part in group runs in Jacksonville, FL. He was stubborn and persistent, always
wanting to lead the way, knowing that I would be there to carry him when he got
tired. Overtime ‘Campy miles’ turned into jogs and then slow walks, but we
continued this tradition throughout his entire life. Campy had an adventurous
spirit and enjoyed traveling and discovering new places. Campy loved everything
life had to offer – except being in water. The only water he enjoyed was a warm bath,
followed by zoomies.
Campy had a competitive spirit - just like his mom and dad. Campy was first paws across the line at Challenge
Knoxville Half Distance in 2015. Currently, Campy continues to hold the record
for fastest squeaker removal of a plush dog toy. Many dogs have attempted to
break that record but it’s unlikely that record will ever be broken.
If you knew us, you knew Campy. Our bond was strongest when we were at sporting
events. Campy traveled with us to many cycling and triathlon events.
He visited 16 states and his most frequently
visited places include Panama City Beach and Haines City, Florida, Chattanooga,
TN and Lake Placid, NY. If we couldn’t travel with Campy, he was spoiled at
home by his grandmas or pet sitters.
Campy’s favorite holiday was Thanksgiving, he didn’t mind dressing up for
Halloween and his favorite season was summer. He loved being warm. Winter was sweater weather. He would spend hours in front of the fireplace. He had a wardrobe
of sweaters and a collection of bow ties for special occasions.
Campy and I shared an indescribable bond. He was a constant for me through many
ups and downs and through many different chapters of life. He was by my side during
my most life-changing moments – when I got married, became a Registered Dietitian,
wrote three books and grew my business. He was a great listener and somehow, I
felt like he understood how to support me during my most stressful times in
life. He was there for us during our greatest struggles, like the passing of
our dad’s, Karel's broken hand and the difficult process of Karel obtaining his citizenship. Campy
always knew how to make us laugh, smile or stop to appreciate the present moment. Karel loved his little buddy. Campy was the best at unconditional love. Navigating life’s challenges seemed
doable because we always had Campy there as our proverbial handrail.
Campy showed us that rescue animals offer the most compassionate and caring
type of love. He is the reason why we now have five rescue cats. Over the past few
years, we have donated money to various animal shelters and organizations, and
we will continue this tradition in honor of Campy.
Campy excelled at sleeping. It was his absolute favorite hobby.
Campy had great health for much of his life. He suffered from seizures in 2015
but it was controlled with medication. Campy survived one dog attack which
resulted in several stitches, but he was incredibly brave throughout that process. Over
the past three years, Campy lost his sight and hearing but that didn’t slow him
down. Over the past two years, he braved a hard battle with canine cognitive
decline which affected his brain, often making him confused, wobbly and anxious.
His brain was slowing him down but his body remained strong. He simply loved living
life with us. He thrived with a routine of eating, going on walks and being kissed
and held. We are grateful for our vet, Dr. Haueisen for understanding Campy’s
quirks and for helping to make his vet appointments as low stress as possible. She
took such great care of Campy throughout much of his life, specifically in his
senior years when the vet visits became more frequent. We were honored to care for Campy in his golden years. Although he required a lot of attention and energy for his aging needs and struggles, it was our greatest gift to make sure he was comfortable for his entire life.
Campy was preceded in death by Smudla and Felix. He is survived by his beloved furry
siblings – Madison, Ella, Sylvi, Asher and Mia - all of whom, truly loved Campy.
We packed a lot into
his 17 years of life, and we never wasted a day. Campy taught us how to live a full life and in the moment. The passing of Campy left us with a broken heart which will never be fully repaired. We didn’t lose a dog, we lost
our soul mate – an irreplaceable relationship and our constant source of security,
structure, companionship, love, joy and comfort. Our whole world has suddenly changed and we now have to learn how to navigate it without our best friend.
We are reassured knowing that Campy is now free from his discomfort and he can
once again see, hear, bark and run as fast as his little legs can go.
"Dogs have a way of finding the people who need them and filling an emptiness we didn’t ever know we had."
– Thom Jones, short story writer 
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