Emmett

February 3, 1994 - March 9, 2008

Emmett Black is 3/4 Black Lab and 1/4 Daschund, which explains why he looks like a scaled-down pure-bred Lab. Many people think he's a Lab pup because he is about the size of a 6-8 month old, weighing about 67 pounds. Emmett is extremely intelligent and obedient. Some of the things he does and the way he acts can be akin to a human child (no kidding). Aside from all the typical "doggie" tricks, he can open French patio doors to let himself in/out, watch TV and "interact", and play sports such as baseball, Frisbee, swimming, and football. He even understands certain "rules" such as when I hike him the ball, he knows "down" (gets down on front paws while standing), "set" (stays in position), and "hike" (barks for the ball)!

Emmett loves playgrounds, in particular the swings and slides. He enjoys long trips in cars and going for relaxing rides in a rowboat. He even picks apples from the tree when he gets hungry while hanging around outside on nice days.

He has no aversion to wearing boots (in the winter), bandanas for the holidays, and doggie-shorts when left alone in the house for long periods of time. He enjoys long walks and will fetch his leash when he knows he's going. He has a toy box full of toys and knows many of them by name. He has two beds in the house (one upstairs and one downstairs). He prefers the one downstairs during the day so he can watch over the house easier, and he even carries a pillow to his bed upstairs at night when he senses it's "bedtime". Unlike most dogs, in particular Labs, Emmett can stay still for long periods of time and enjoys cuddling in front of the TV. When I work on my cars, he sometimes helps by fetching tools and making sure everything is picked up when the work is complete.

Did I mention he is quite the ham when it comes to getting his picture taken? He will hold poses until the camera clicks or flashes. Below are a few examples, plus some action shots. Yellow text indicates where pictures will be added.

Puppy Pictures of Emmett as a puppy.

Emmett gets his holiday bath in December of 2001

Emmett's Room (The Gameroom)

At Grand Parent's House

Emmett's 8th birthday in 2002

This is how Emmett prepares to go for a ride in the car, before getting buckled into his harness (June, 2002).

North Park in Summer of 2002

After losing a nail in August 2002

You know you're comfortable when... (May, 2003)

Emmett follows Dad's lead by falling asleep while watching Formula-One auto-racing in 2003

Emmett settles in for a long Summer night's sleep in 2003

Taking a break during a long Autumn's walk in 2003

Emmett likes to remove the cap rings from plastic bottles. Once he accomplishes the goal, he loses interest (January, 2004).

When he can't be outside, Emmett likes to sit and watch the world go by, dreaming he could be out there too. This picture was taken in the early spring of 2004.

We can't get over how cute Emmett looks when he's asleep, and so we take many pictures of him while he's dormant (May, 2004).

Here he is mimicking one of his favorite toys we named "Tommy Turtle" (June, 2004).

Emmett likes to read Daddy's "SportsCar" magazine when he gets a chance (April, 2005).

Emmett reveals who his alter ego really is (May, 2005).

Here's Emmett advertising his favorite mail-order company (October, 2005).

Emmett shows off his favorite school colors (November, 2005).

Christmas 2005 Pictures.

Emmett shows off his Terrible Towel during a Steelers playoff game (January, 2006).

Pictures from Emmett's 12th birthday (February, 2006).

Emmett enjoys being out in the yard and surveys his domain while "Mom" works hard in the background (June, 2006).

Christmas 2006 Pictures.

Pictures from Emmett's 13th birthday (February, 2007).

Pictures of Emmett with Megan.

Christmas 2007 Pictures

Pictures from around Emmett's 14th birthday.

Pictures from Emmett's last days on Earth.

MISCELLANEOUS
Pet owners usually out-live their pets, partially due to the companionship and unconditional love they give us (gives us a purpose in life and helps manage stress). Therefore, we must consider what we're going to do to honor them after they pass, even though they may still be with us (just as we do for our human family members). If you're considering pet cremation when the time comes, I highly recommend Chartiers Custom Pet Cremation for numerous reasons. Just make the call and you will understand.