Yo-yo, our big white Labrador, join us in 2009, when Fang was 9 and “graduated” from his hamster. We took yo-yo from Salinas shelter after visiting many places. When we first came to the shelter, all dogs were excited, barked and jumped. There was only one young dog, sit calmly and majestically as if he was the prince of the shelter. I immediately know he is the dog that we wanted. After the shelter checked numerous factors of the house and the family members, we finally adopted him. Since he is a Labrador retriever, we expected him to pick up balls back and forth like a yoyo, hence our naming of him.
The day that I picked him up was a sad day. He was obviously traumatized because he was just got neutered. He looked at me with an expression “what have you done to me!!” I felt bad, since he was so healthy and handsome, I figured that he must had been chosen to breed. I don’t know why he was in the shelter. He was clearly a well cared pet with a very nice brown color double collar. Maybe he was lost, we’ll never know his original family.
The first few nights yo-yo was nervous and cried all nights in the kitchen, we came down to see him a few times during the night. He was well trained and will go to the backyard to release himself automatically.
He was a great match for us, our town Carmel was known for a perfect place to dogs. Almost every household has a dog, shops welcome them, beach is one of the rare beaches that dog can be unleashed and roam free. I ran with yo-yo many times to the beach during sunset, a handsome Labrador on Carmel beach during sunset, the epitome of perfect picture.
Yo-yo tried a few time picking up tennis balls but after after a couple of throws, he would not retrieve more. Maybe he is too smart knowing there is no point getting the ball back, or he was just too lazy. I wish I could discuss this with him.
We walked him every day, on the beach, in downtown, in Mission trail, in Hutton canyon. DD treated yo-yo as a brother, they grow up together. DD often walked yo-yo at mid night, I guess they both enjoyed the misty Carmel and contemplate the meaning of lives together.
DD went to college a couple of years ago. When he returned home, he and yoyo will continue their mid night walk. Yuan Yuan also enjoyed walking yoyo whenever she came home.
In 2021, around 13 years old. Yo-yo started to show his old age. While still exciting to go out every day, he breathed heavily when we walk him, having difficult time climbing uphill from the beach. He develop tumors on his face and lost most of his hearing. In early October, he refused his regular dog food and only eat human food. We know his days are numbered.
The end came quickly, he refused to eat any food and often hid in the corner of the backyard for hours. The very last days, I put his bed under the piano next to me in my study, he does not move much but still struggled to open his eyes to catch the last few glimpses of his family. Oct 20, I video conferenced with Yuan and Fang to let them say the final goodbye to yoyo. Both of them were really sad and cried.
Oct 21 in the afternoon, yo-yo died. He has a great life in Carmel with a family that adore and took care of him. We buried him at the corner of the backyard, his favorite hiding place.
We will miss you, yoyo.
