A Farewell

We made a sad farewell today.

A decade ago, Tara and I adopted a standard poodle.

He came to us with the name Prince, which seemed like a complete mismatch. As we got to know him, we found him not even the least bit pretentious.

We knew the name Prince could not stick.

So, we cast about for a new name. For the last decade, we’ve known him as Siku, which is an Inuit word for ice. It seemed fitting, since our previous poodle had been black. And the two dogs could not have been – pardon the pun – more black and white.

Siku joined us just a few months after our daughter, Ayla, was born. From the first moments, he was unerringly gentle, kind, and patient with her – and really, with everyone.

You might think I am making him out to be a saint. He was not. He had a mischievous side, too. We soon learned that any food left out on a kitchen counter was fair game. But only when we stepped out of sight. And, if you had food on your plate that he fancied, he was quite willing to walk up and startle you with a nose under your elbow. (My mom may never quite forgive him for that habit!)

After Tara and I parted, Siku came to live with me and was a faithful companion in my new home. He’s had a rough spring and summer, succumbing to a variety of digestive and respiratory ailments. I think, if he had had his way, he would have quietly disappeared one night and we would have never known of his suffering. But we’re attentive humans; we recognized his stoic nature and knew that something was not right.

And so today, we say farewell, Siku.

You were a good dog. A very good dog.

It was an honor to give you a home.

Just after Siku joined our family. · Home, Poulsbo, Washington, 2009

Chill · Home, Poulsbo, Washington, 2009

He always loved a car ride. · Poulsbo, Washington, 2009

At Ayla’s first birthday party. · Home, Poulsbo, Washington, 2009

Siku loves the great weather, too. While you’re pushing Ayla in the swing, could you throw a ball for me? · Home, Poulsbo, Washington, 2010

Clean-Up Poodle · When Ayla was in her high chair, Siku loved to hang out underneath and clean up the leftovers. · Home, Poulsbo, Washington, 2010

Grace and Siku · Home, Poulsbo, Washington, 2010 · by Donald C. Scouten

Home, Poulsbo, Washington, 2012

One of Siku’s favorite things to do was to put his paws up on us when we were petting him.

Home, Poulsbo, Washington, 2012

Home, Bainbridge Island, Washington, 2014

Home, Bainbridge Island, Washington, 2015

Hello everybody, meet Siku. Siku is super friendly and loves to put a paw up on you when you’re giving him attention. He’s also absolutely shameless about going and grabbing food off the table when nobody’s looking. · Home, Bainbridge Island, Washington, 2015

Home, Bainbridge Island, Washington, 2015

Home, Bainbridge Island, Washington, 2015

Any question how long he has been staring at this tennis ball? Doggy persistence. · Home, Bainbridge Island, Washington, 2016 · by Tara Scouten

That tail though …

(Video taken by Brooke Hammett, who was kind enough to watch him while we were on vacation one summer.)

Home, Bainbridge Island, Washington, 2016

Home, Bainbridge Island, Washington, 2017

Dog is a dog’s best friend. (Found in Ayla’s room just now.) · Home, Bainbridge Island, Washington, 2017

Home, Bainbridge Island, Washington, 2017

This picture pretty much sums up the local sentiment on the heat wave. This guy never throws in the towel on fetching!

Home, Bainbridge Island, Washington, 2017 · by Brooke Hammett

Home, Bainbridge Island, Washington, 2017

Home, Bainbridge Island, Washington, 2018

This lazy boy … · Home, Bainbridge Island, Washington, 2018

Home, Bainbridge Island, Washington, 2019

Home, Bainbridge Island, Washington, 2019