Moratel Duke of Glory

This isn't Canada. Mika may have thought that when he arrived in Utah in September, 2003. Flown in a crate from Montreal to his new home in Salt Lake City, Mika dashed to hide behind the chairs as soon as the gate was opened. "Mika! I love you already!" was what I said first. I plied him with kibble and tugged his collar, at which point, cranky, he growled. In time, he came with me on a lead from the cargo building, and we walked around outside on the grass. After hopping into the car, I drove us to a park near my bungalow. In the dark, under stars, we ran around on the field and explored a whole new country!

Noir, brun & blanc. The CKC-certified Mika (Andres) was born on May 12, 2000 in Franklin Centre, Quebec, to his mother, Aisha Von Allmitwald (SWI) and father, Moratel Duke of Glory, from Proprietaire A La Naissance (Jakob Weibel). He had a lovely home with lovely people (Emi and Jim Tsatsoulis) who relinquished him after Mika tore a knee ligament. They were concerned they wouldn't have time to help him get better. He came to me limping a bit, but I had him for two months before the surgery. In that time, we got to know each other; it occurred to me on one hike that he had become a "country mouse." Having lived in an apartment in Montreal, here he had great wide sage-filled fields and dusty brown trails to run on. He also loved his brother from the start. Nebo (r.i.p. 08.06) was a big fluffy buff-colored dog who let Mika have what he wanted, including the bed! Mika was more than capable of scooting himself up on it after surgery. The repair to his ligament was smooth and successful. One of my fondest moments was sleeping beside him on the floor when I got him home that night.

Mika loved carrots and apples most of all. At friend Cate's garden (where her dog Buddy lives, too!), Mika managed to get under some fencing atop a raised bed to pull out carrots by their long leafy stems. He'd sit under an apple tree for a half hour nibbling apples and cores held between his paws. He was afraid of the water so much so he wouldn't cross a small overspill from a small stream. Eventually, he waded in enough to cover his paws. He ate 2 pounds of chocolate in 2 days and managed to live through it. The first time, he ate open a cardboard box delivered by UPS at holiday time, and got into some low-brow, bottle-shaped chocolate filled with liquor. (Blech!) The next day, with a boost from the couch pushed up against the wall, he ate through some gift wrap and a candy box and chowed on some nuts-n-chews. He bit me early in our relationship when, after attempts at everything else, I tugged his collar to free him from a deer leg bone jutting from the snow, and on which he was gnawing. He never liked that collar tug. Ever. He barked like a good guard dog, although he certainly liked to hear his own voice! I've lost hearing in my right ear, I'm certain. He followed me every where I went in and out of the house, and came with me whenever it was possible. Of course, he loved the front seat. Mika had many excellent adventures: lakes in Montana, southern Utah's desert, the Sawtooth and White Cloud mountains in Idaho, and a small town there, too, named Crouch. There, where we camped, Mika didn't like the pine needles on his feet one whit, and so stayed in the station wagon, hatchback raised, lounging.

Last spring, in 2007, he developed what seemed like, and we treated for, allergies. After various medications and such, he had a cat scan that showed a mass in his nose and behind his eyes. He died within several weeks of that diagnosis of cancer, but to me seemed to be comfortable, with a good appetite, and not quite ready to go. His last meal was antelope. He'd not eaten that Saturday until, at a party, he had some of the game. On Sunday, we knew it was time. I called my vet friend first thing Monday morning, and he came at the end of the day. November 12, 2007 was a nice, quiet one. We visited Cate's garden, sniffed a lot of things, rested in the sunshine. I felt some peace, knowing I had the power to make it better for Mika, as he did for me from the moment I saw him.