Following Our Calling One Day at a Time: Remembering Bazooka

Bazooka's Story:

In 2008, Jason and I lived in Long Island, we were going to be graduating from college that year and moving back home after graduation. We had a dog and 2 cats at that time. I frequently browsed Craigslist "just because." On one day in particular I was reading through the pet section and saw an URGENT HELP add, a dog named Buddy was to be put to sleep in the Manhattan animal shelter because he was a bully breed and had bordetella (kennel cough). I had seen these types of posts before, however I was drawn to the profile of Buddy and to his picture. After discussing the possibility with Jason, we decided to inquire about him. After getting in touch with the rescue things were put into place so that we could adopt him. We picked Buddy up from the shelter the following day. It took him a day or so to start to bond with us, but after that he was just another member of the family, we were his people. We did not think the name Buddy was very fitting for him (plus we worked at a boarding kennel... do you know how many "Buddy's there are!?), so we decided on the name Bazooka.

2008 This is out Bazooka shortly after we brought him home.

Bazooka was a wonderful dog from day 1. When we brought him home he went inside and peed on our garbage. We told him"NO" very firmly and he NEVER peed nor pooped in the house again. When he was in the animal shelter in NYC, there was no outdoors for him to go to the bathroom, they took the dogs onto the roof of a building to do their business, we don't know how long he had been using the bathroom inside/on a building for, but he adjusted to going outside quickly!

He was always such a ham. He was silly and he knew it. He also was great at reading people. I think he acted silly for our benefit. If someone was sad, he would always try to cheer them up. One time when I took him to the vet for a check up there was an older couple that had come in after us with a tiny puppy. The puppy was there because it was accidentally dropped and would cry any time it was picked up. The woman owner that brought it in was very distraught and afraid for her puppy. Bazooka picked up on this immediately, walked over to her and just plopped his big head in her lap. It was so sweet! He always impressed the other clients whenever we took him to the vets office.

2008 Goofball!

Bazooka was a BIG BABY, he loved to be with his people and to cuddle. He also loved to be warm! We used to allow the animals to sleep in bed with us but 2 people, 2 large dogs and 2 cats in one bed got to be way too much! He LOVED to get under the covers and be warm. On his last night with us, Jason let him sleep with him and he slept in bed with me when I got home from work the day we had to put him down.

2009/2010 Cuddle bug, but not fond of cameras!

2009/2010 Getting comfortable.

Bazooka loved us all but he adored Jason! When we first got him, Jason was able to spend a lot of time with him and he built a very strong bond with Jason. At times it was rather pitiful, he would sit/lie by the door and whine waiting for Jason to come home.

2009/2010 Waiting for Jasonto get home.

2009/2010 Trying to see if Jason is home.

Several of the pictures above we taken at the apartments we had when we first moved back home from college. In Sept 2010 we had a fire and lost our apartments. All 4 animals were in the fire. When the fire fighters broke the door down, the dogs ran out and were running around the village. One cat was unconscious and the other was nowhere to be found. It took a few hours but Jason received a call from the police officer that was kind enough to be helping us find the dogs, he said that he was following Bazooka in his cop car because he would not come to him. Thankfully it was not far from the house and Jason was able to walk and go get him. I am sure it was quite the sight to see a dog being pursued by the police in a car!

The fire fighters had a baby air mask and applied it to our cat that was found lying on the floor, she was taken to the vet immediately and required a lot of treatment as she suffered from inhaling a lot of smoke. While a clean up crew was working in the apartment the next day or so, our other cat came strolling in looking for help. She is a skittish cat who does not like strangers but went right up to them looking for help. She was once all white, not she was very grey! She was taken to the vets as well and stayed with her sister.

We searched for our other dog, Sky for a couple of days before we finally got a call from the neighbor, or maybe it was the police that she had been found but was not letting anyone go near her. I came over right away and she was not even wanting me to go near her. She was terrified! Once she finally sniffed me her demeanor completely changed, she came right to me, was wagging her tail and licking everyone in sight! It was such a relief to know that we had found all of our animals!

The vets office was VERY kind to us, they treated the dogs right away and even picked up the tab for treating the cats who had to stay there for a week! We are very grateful for everyone who helped us out during that difficult time in our lives.

We lived with Jason's parents for several months during that time until we bought our first house. Bazooka lived with us and the other 3 animals lived with my parents. At first he was understandably terrified of the fire place! It did not take him long to realize that it was not hurting him and he qickly grew to LOVE lying in front of it to keep warm. Did I mention that he loved to be warm!? It got to the point that his poor skin got very dried out and he had bad dandruff. After the fire he struggled with staph infections on his skin for a couple of years because of the toll that it took on his immune system. The dry heat from the fire place probably did not help! We eventually got him on food that helped to keep him healthy and free from infections.

Christmas 2011

Bazooka was wonderful with all of the animals in our house. Once he got used to the cats, he left them alone... usually! He was good with them but would occasionally chase them for fun, he liked that he could make them run away. Also, we watched a little Maltipoo for a few months with Jason's grandmother was in the hospital. Bazooka did wonderful with her, he even let Lilly lay next to him and chew her bone!

2009/2010 Friend to all!

He was even friendly with little dogs, in this pic Bazooka and Lilly were both chewing bones!

Bazooka put up with a lot. He did not being used as a pillow by his sister Sky! She would often climb all over him to either get warm or to use him as a pillow. The two of them often cuddled close to one another to sleep.

Willing to be a pillow

2012 Sitting pretty for a treat

When Claudia finally came home, Bazooka took to her very quickly, he also learned quickly that she was a source for food! The two of them were such great buddies! Bazooka looked after Claudia. There is a reason that pit bulls were once called nanny dogs! He let her climb all over him, bounce on him and cuddle. The two of them could often be found just hanging out together (with supervision of course!) The relationship that they had was incredible. I am glad that she got to be with him for the 10 months that she did.