Our Captain Kelly

Sadly, today, after a rough couple of weeks, we had to say “goodbye” to our darling, precious, beautiful, kind, loyal, fiercely protective, and very loving family companion – Kerry Blue Terrier Extraordinaire, Captain Kelly Ventura Scarbrough.

Kelly gave our family such joy and happiness, and unconditional love every day of his life – we were all totally unprepared for this moment.  We are extremely thankful that we were able to visit and talk to him, and tell him how very much we loved him, and that he was such a great dog before he left us.  He was very sick and weak, but he recognized us all and was very happy that we were there with him…Our beautiful, sweet Kelly drifted peacefully to sleep surrounded by his Mama, Ranae; his Grandpa Barry, and his B-Ma Sandi.  His Dad, Christopher, and Brother, Lotez said their goodbyes at home.

Kelly was so dearly loved and cherished by all of his family – and he dearly loved and cherished all of his family in return.  This precious dog made our lives rich and full.  He will be greatly missed, never forgotten, and he can never, ever be replaced.  Kelly loved us all unconditionally; he will be in our hearts and memories always.  We have been so very blessed to have him in our life.

He is now in a beautiful place, running happily around with all of his puppy cousins and friends that passed before him – Heather, Lucy, Midnight Princess III, Toby, Lacy, Heidi, Shawnie, Zoi, Ashley, and Xena Princess Warrior.  He is no longer in pain, he can hear again, and he can have anything the heck he wants to eat!

Now, here are some facts that we want to share and remember about our Precious Little Sweetheart.

Kelly was born May 21, 2011, at Beltane Kennels in Ohio.  When he was xx months old, his Mama, Dad, and Brother Lotez, drove halfway from Colorado Springs to Ohio to pick him up from the breeder.  One time, when they stopped for a break and leg stretch, Puppy went out for a peeps and stepped into a sticker patch, and his Mama and Dad had to pick them all off of him!  He really didn’t like to be confined in his kennel either, so he sat in a seat next to his brother all the way home – and, when they got home, he still didn’t like being confined in his kennel!  Whenever it was time to get in his kennel, his Mama always had to bribe him into it with a treat – but after awhile, he got wise to this and just refused to get into it – so his Mama did not make him use it anymore.  (Need to insert any additional info on the Scarbrough family trip to bring him home from Ohio to Colorado Springs).

Our Kelly was certainly quite the character – he had an absolutely amazing personality.  He was the cutest, cuddliest, loveablest, most big-hearted dog ever!  He was very protective, devoted, and brave.  Sometimes he could be “sassy,” but always, always very loving and loyal.  He had the most beautiful, soulful eyes.  He was quite a talker, as well – he could, and would certainly let you know what he wanted.  And he had the cutest waggety tail, not only for his family, but for everyone he met.  

His bark was quite “manly”.  He enjoyed standing guard and gazing out of the front door watching for his deer friends, or anyone else coming down the driveway.  He would jump up at the front door and bark whenever he saw any strangers or delivery vans approaching his property!  If he didn’t know you, he would bark and bark until he could sniff around you and know that you were okay to be at his house!  He was on the Fed Ex “ferocious dog” list (ha ha) because of his high jumping at the front door, and his very manly, fierce bark – which was quite scary to anyone who didn’t know this sweet dog.  They just didn’t know what a Sweetheart he was because he wasn’t able to smell them! 

Kelly was a right little Curious George.  He had to check out every delivery, and then sniff it and see just what exactly was delivered.

Kelly’s mama taught him sign language very early on in his life, which was a blessing, because he lost his hearing when he was about two years old.  He knew very well the signs for:  sit, stay, down, come, speak, gimme five, up, twirl/circle, and the figure 8.  He always liked to perform these trick for his chicken treats.

He loved sunning and chilling on the back deck with his Mama, and sitting on her bedroom divan looking out of the window to see what was going on in the great outdoors.  Kelly always asked for her permission first, before jumping up on it.  She would lay his little Winnie the Pooh blanket on the divan and then motion to him that it was okay to jump up.  He also rang bells we had at both the front and back doors, whenever he had to peeps.  What a clever lad he was!  Whenever Kelly was outdoors, he loved to sniffy sniff the air to see who was in the neighborhood and he really enjoyed barking at his “deer” friends. 

He was such a good boy whenever his Mama gave him a bath and a haircut.  He was a calm and patient dog, but he let her know when he wanted a little break.  Kelly let his B-Ma help his Mama with his haircuts, too.  Kelly was a very handsome, good-looking dog!

Before our Kelly began to have different allergies to certain foods, he was always the first one at his Dad’s barbeque to get pieces of yummy steak, or whatever other delicious meats his Dad was grilling at the time.  He absolutely loved his Dad’s cooking.  He also enjoyed going outside for wee walk-abouts with his Dad, while he played tunes on his banjo.

Captain Kelly really enjoyed his walk-abouts with his Grandpa Barry – and always let him know when it was time for one!  He also liked hanging out with Grandpa while he was working around in the back garden or anywhere he was on our property.  His Mama and I would often see him happily trotting along behind his Grandpa just following him wherever he went.  When Puppy was a youngster, he loved to chase the squirrels and bunnies in his back garden, he never caught them, but he always thought it was such great fun!  

Our sweet dog always enjoyed spending time with B-Ma and Grandpa in the evenings while they watched Telly in the evening, before bedtime.  He would dig and dig in his bed or on the carpet to make it a perfect spot before he layed down.  It was so cute watching him doing that.  When it was time to go to bed, his routine every evening would be to stand at the top of Grandpa’s stairs and be coaxed down to go out to peeps.  He thought that was great fun.  Happy times, they were…

One time, when we first moved into our house in Monument, B-Ma had slipped and fell off of a stone fencing in the flower bed and fell down and hurt herself – Captain Kelly to the rescue!  He quickly, without hesitation, ran into the house and alerted Grandpa and his Mama, who came out and helped B-Ma.  What a hero our Kelly was!  B-Ma fed him his breakfast and his supper.  After he had his supper, Kelly and B-Ma would go into her sitting room and watch Jeopardy.  He slept each night with her as well, snuggling up with her on her bed.  She really felt safe with him there.  And, he would always let her know when he had to go peeps during the night – in fair weather, rain, cold, or snow! 

Kelly was always excited for each of our Birthdays, because loved to help everyone open their presents!  He also loved to open all of his Christmas presents, too!  He would just tear and dig at them until they were all opened!  It was so cute to watch him doing that. 

Another thing that we all really miss about Our Kelly is that he was always happy whenever anyone came home – we would always see his sweet Puppy face as we drove up to the back door of our garage.

We received condolences from many people who knew Our Kelly.  Dr. Ron and Dr. Barb Buxton, and all of their staff, Aunt Rolonda and Uncle Jim, Christina and her family, Glenn, and Dennis and Diane.

Dogs such as our Captain Kelly come around only once in lifetime.  It was such an honor and a privilege having him as part of our family and taking such good care of this very, very special dog.  He was our favorite “hello” and our “hardest” goodbye.  We miss him terribly every single day…

Those we love don’t go away,

They walk beside us everyday.

Unseen, unheard, but always near,

Still loved, still missed, and very, very dear.

Kerry Blue Terrier

In Killarney and places like that,

For that’s where most Kerries are at.

Of course, since we first were exported,

In dozens of lands we’ve been sported.

From dog-lovers far from Old Ireland,

For that as you know is our sire-land.

But global at last is our vogue,

And no longer we bark with a brogue.

Kerry Blue Terrier

I’m an Irish legend from County Kerry,

A jack of all trades who’s always ready,

For action and adventure and an urge to explore,

Cos I like to keep busy, as I’m easily bored.

With a blue-grey coat, with a muscular physique,

I’m full of life with a clownish streak.

Fiercely devoted, protective and brave,

Though if no one’s watching, I might misbehave.

I find a good dig in the flower beds, or the pursuit of prey,

Are both marvelous ways to pass the time of day.