Gunther's Gift: Life Lessons from our 19-year old Rescue Dog

A few weeks ago, we said goodbye to Gunther, our beloved Jack Russell–Corgi rescue. We let him go gently, with dignity and comfort, surrounded by love and feeding him his beloved bacon until the very end.

And even though we know he broke the bell curve on age, even though we were gifted an unexpected 4½ years with him, our hearts ache with missing his sweet and sassy spirit.

Gunther had been dumped at a shelter the week before Christmas in 2020 at the age of 15. Something about his sad little promo photo struck my heart.

“Gunner,” the listing said.

"Adoption fee $100 — waived.”

We had always adopted greyhounds, so it took (just a little) convincing to get Tim on board with this little, square-shaped soul at the very end of his timeline. “He’s had a hard life,” I said, using my best puppy-dog eyes. “Let’s give him a soft landing. The shelter vet said he might live a few months, maybe a year. And what will happen to him if we don’t help him?”

When I brought him home, Tim took one look at him and said, “Wow. Could you have picked a more pathetic dog?”

I looked at our “new” dog and had to admit "No, probably not.”

He was completely deaf and had an ear infection from neglect. His coat was mangy, with big patches of fur missing from the inflamed, flea-gnawed skin on his legs and back. He was missing several teeth - except for two lower canines that somehow made him look like an endearing cartoon character.

‘Gunner’ felt too tough a name for him. Plus, he wasn’t that cool. We promptly renamed him “Gunther.”

But a funny thing happens with love.

The moment Gunther trotted into our home, stubby tail wobbling and brown eyes shining with intelligence and curiosity, it was as if he’d decided: “Oh, so this is where I belong!” He’d finally made it.

And darned if he wasn’t going to do his best to stick around for a while.

Joy Is Everywhere

We Just Have to Look for It

Gunther was pure joy.

For him, every moment was worthy of a celebration.

• Dinner time? That warranted the Happy Dance.

• A car ride? Ear-to-ear grin.

• Belly rubs on TV night? High-fives all around.

Noting his little signature swagger-trot, with his ears and tail perked up and little chest all puffed out—my neighbor laughed, “That dog doesn’t walk, he bops!” (To see Gunther "bop," click the video below. Sound up!)

Gunther "bopping!"

Gunther loved being out and about, taking in the sights and greeting the neighbors. When his step finally slowed down (right around 17 years old—I know, right?!), I bought him a dog stroller. Bright, fire-engine red. I figured, why not just go all in?

"Really?" said Tim, raising an eyebrow when the box arrived. "Have we become those people?" Then, he promptly called dibs on being the one to wheel Gunther around the neighborhood.

So, yep. We were officially those people.

But, oh, the places Gunther went in his little red stroller!

New York at Christmas. Weekend getaways. Roadtrips. Dog-friendly restaurants, malls, and ice cream shops. Tim and I loved watching people’s faces light up as they caught sight of Gunther, smiling at them from his bright red chariot. Somehow, the joy he exuded helped people forget their troubles for a moment and simply smile and shine.

“Thank you for sharing him with us,” people grinned as they stopped to feed him a treat or ruffle his now-healthy, thick, plush coat.

"Hashtag FOG - Friends of Gunther," said another.

“Here comes the sun,” smiled a stranger sitting on a bench, as Gunther cruised by.

Gunther reminded me daily: Joy is everywhere—we just have to look for it. And if it’s not visible in the moment, then create it.

FOG- Friends of Gunther

Your Past Doesn’t Define You

Gunther's joy was legendary in our neighborhood, and his hopefulness was contagious. This small, bold one taught me about second and third chances.

While we didn’t know the specifics of Gunther’s past lives, we knew his life hadn’t been easy. Whatever wrongs had been done to him, Gunther forgave instantly. He greeted each new day with bright eyes and a wobbling tail, as if all that had come before was just part of the road that led him home.

He might have chosen fear or aggression. Instead, he chose trust, hope, and joy. He chose to believe good things were always just ahead.

Gunther didn’t let his past define him.

We don’t have to be defined by—or resigned to—where we’ve been before either.

We can choose to step into the next chapter of our lives with hope and trust.

Shine Your Light

Something about loving our animals—so joyful, trusting, so full of life—brings out our own light, doesn't it? Loving an old dog, like loving any older loved one, requires patience, attention, tenderness, and care. If you’ve ever loved an animal or cared for a loved one, you know the privilege, the deep bond that comes with doing so willingly, gratefully.

Choosing kindness over speed.

Being instead of doing.

There is grace in caring for another when they need it most.

Our pets shine their light 24/7, and invite us to become better versions of ourselves.

When it came time to say goodbye, Tim was away traveling, heavy-hearted that he couldn’t be there with us. We had talked about it ahead of time though, and agreed that if the moment came, I would make the call to let Gunther go gently, with love and dignity. It would be the last kind act we would do for him.

But we weren’t alone.

Neighbors and friends came by to pay their respects, showering Gunther with treats and his beloved bacon.

Bouquets and cards appeared at our door. Friends took me out for dinners and drinks, to keep me busy and remind me how much Gunther—and I—were loved.

The outpouring of love on social media for this little, larger-than-life soul was a poignant reminder of just how many hearts he had touched.

So much kindness. It broke my heart all over again.

Gunther may have been small in size, but his spirit and the lessons he shared are over-sized.

If a scrappy little rescue dog could choose hope, forgiveness, and joy every single day,

we can too.

Off on another travel adventure!

In a world that often feels heavy, Gunther’s life reminds us:

Joy and hope are always accessible—we just have to notice and celebrate them.

He proved that our past doesn’t have to define us, and that kindness has a ripple effect far beyond what we can see.

I think back to all those people who stopped to pet Gunther in his red stroller over the years. They often told us, “Oh, you’re so wonderful to adopt an old dog. He’s so lucky to have you!”

But they had it all backwards.

To have opened our hearts, to have known and loved this funny, fierce, joyful, hope-filled little soul for 4½ years?

Clearly, we are the lucky ones.

Stay Strong. Stay Kind.

With so much Love,

Susan

PS- If you are thinking of adding a pet to your family, please consider opening your home and heart to a rescue, maybe even an older or disabled pet. They have so much love to give.

Gunther does The Big Apple!

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