For a good number of years my wife and I trained adult instructors at our scout ranch near Melrose, Florida. We volunteered our time for three weekends every fall to ensure that our youth had the best instructors and that their environment was safe. It was nearly 8.5 years ago on the final day of the final weekend of fall that that we met Taylor.

We were cleaning up the dining hall where we did most of the classroom portion of the courses that she came up to us. She had been roaming around camp all weekend and was a true love of a pup. She approach many of the adults in the class with a wagging tail ready for the attention she garnered. The camp ranger, Robert, was there to check on our progress and get the keys for the faciliites we'd used over the weekend. Up camp this part German Shepherd, part Doberman, part - Heinz 57 dog of about 50lbs. We asked why his dog was roaming around camp. He quickly let us know this was not his dog but likely a drop and run stray (yes, people do this). He also informed us that he would have to call the local shelter to pick her up. It was a kill shelter. I picked her up and rolled her on her back - she was calm and fine with my test. Cynthia and I decided we could bring her home and would find her a family. And, that we did. It was us.

We needed a "temporary" name for this dog while she was with us. We found her outside the Taylor Dining Hall at Camp Shands. Thus, she became Taylor. She had many names, as have all our dogs: Taylor, Tay-lore, Girl, Sweet girl, Big girl, Good girl, Surfer Girl (when she counter surfed for paper towels and napkins which were a food group on their own), Tay, Tay-Tay, Tay mutt, Stair mutt (she loved to give kisses while standing on the landing at the top of the cabin staircase), Peck's bad dog, Energy Multiplier, Grr-url, Gru, Gru mutt, Muttulous, and Taylor Marie (when she was particularly misbehaving - like eating socks).

She was not perfect. She liked to snag food when we weren't watching. It wasn't only once that my morning cereal disappeared when I was called elsewhere before having time to enjoy. She also had a sock addiction and thought paper towels were a food group. She was territorial. It was common for her to follow our Dezzie or Phoebe around when doing their business and mark right after them. She was a cover hog in bed, a snuggle-bunny on the couch, and a great traveler in the car. She wore a "thunder-shirt" during storms as she was terrified of lightening. She looked like a white-tailed deer as she praced after wildlife in the yard. She especially loved stalking and eating lizards. She would play with them, then throw them into to air and catch them in her mouth. If we repremanded her terrorizing a lizard, she would sit on it and look at us like, "what lizard?" Her lizard habit was significant enough to bring up with our vet who laughed in reply noting Taylor burned up more energy stalking than from her slithery treats. She was a great family dog. She loved her human pack. Taylor would even join Elizabeth and Michael at night when they came to visit. Oh, and Tay was a cover hog when sharing the people bed.

Summer of 2023 we headed to the cabin in May to enjoy the cooler weather. As is always the case, our dogs came with us - Phoebe, Phineas, and Taylor. We arrived on a Monday and it was obvious Tuesday morning that Tay was not feeling well. We took her to our NC vet and they treated her distress. She didn't improve and by Friday morning she was not able to get around easily. We called the vet and was told to bring her in. Unable to get in the truck unaided I assisted. Her gut was so sore she yiped - which was very unlike her. After tests and imaging it was determined that her systems were shutting down. We had to say goodbye. I sat on the floor with her as she left us. Telling our big girl how much we loved her. She had gone from normal to passing in less than a week. We were all numb. She was an unintentional pet that wound up being a great companion. Love you Tay-mutt.