Watson, of the Red Ribbon Standard Poodles, was never little. He came into our lives as a 10-pound puppy full of energy, and grew to a cool 76 pounds in his prime. When standing on his hind legs, Watson was easily the tallest being in our house.
While his size was impressive, Watson will be remembered for his devotion to his family. There were many days (and nights) when he used his stature to protect us from the ferocious deer and squirrels who dared set foot on our property. When he couldn’t run after the dangerous beasts, he’d use his imposing vocal chords to scare them away, always putting his humans’ safety first.
Watson’s exceptionally long legs made him an excellent jogging partner. Both Peter and Venessa’s running times improved significantly when Watson joined (i.e. dragged) them on his beloved trails.
Watson was a good boy. Almost always. He did, however, have a penchant for swiping Easter candy – preferably the ones covered in tinfoil which would be found deposited days later in his poop. As trustworthy as Watson was about never jumping on furniture, he was not so dependable when it came to baked goods. Only cookies and cakes firmly sealed in the microwave or secured on top of the refrigerator could survive his industrious nose and stomach.
Waton’s general good boy reputation was only truly sullied once, when he went for a joy ride around the neighborhood and ended up in the slammer. After Andrew paid a $20 bail bond, Watson was released and completely reformed, never returning to a life of crime.
You may recall Watson from his brief modeling career. He was the inspiration for Teddy’s 2018 spring campaign of the “Illuminated Dogg” which went on to win national recognition in the Invention Convention. While unable to make the trip to Detroit, Watson’s image wearing the LED-lighted dog vest was inspired.
There were two things that Watson loved most in the world, aside from his humans – the first were endless scratches on his head. When Watson offered his paw, he expected pets. Lots of them. There was never an appropriate time to stop petting his head. Watson’s second beloved activity was sleeping. In his later years, he luxuriated in the early morning sun rays that hit his exceptionally large bed.
Watson’s great admiration for his humans allowed him to tolerate the adoption of his younger sister, Daisy. While he was particularly fond of the time his family had to spend at home because of the pandemic, in the summer of 2020 Watson was generous enough to accommodate the presence of a new, exceedingly annoying puppy into the home.
Watson, aged 14, passed away on July 12 and will be deeply missed. He is survived by his humans and his psycho-doodle-sister, Daisy.
Venessa Anderson 