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Mahubbah joined the family as "the baby" in 2001 being about three months old. Lori found him on her school's playing field and talked Deb into bringing him home. He was always a very smart dog learning lots of tricks from Lori. Lori picked his name partly in defense of the other kids wanting to name him "Bob." Mostly we called him Hubbah or Hub but one day Deb tried to call him "Pup Pup" and mispronounced it "Putt Putt". Needless to say, that kind of stuck so Mahubbah had yet another name. Being the smart dog he was, he always knew we were talking to him or about him no matter which name we used.
When I arrived in mid-2005, Mahubbah and I quickly bonded. He picked me rather than the other way around because I'd always had cats and never been owned by a dog before. Hub loved chicken and always knew when I was eating some. But I guess he also knew how much I disliked animals "begging" for food so he always kept his distance while I was eating. He'd position himself so he could see me and know that I saw him as well. He never approached me until I was done and let him know it was ok and time for him to get his "skins." He was never disappointed.
Probably his most favorite activity to share with me was our weekly trip to put the trash cart out at the end of the drive. Just as with the chicken, he kept his distance until I gave him a signal that it was time to go. He was always free and unleashed on these trips because he always responded to me. I would never have to raise my voice to get his attention only say his name in a normal voice to have him come right back to me.
When Lori came home from her job in South Carolina at the end of the summer of 2011, she noticed Hub had lost weight. After she left to go back to SC permanently, we took Hub to the vet. The vet found a growth in his neck but tests showed it was not cancerous. However, x-rays showed the mass to be intertwined among the muscle and blood vessels of his neck. It was inoperable, growing and the disease was 100% fatal.
Even though it wasn't "trash day", we went on our trip before going to the vet for the last time. As always, we both enjoyed it immensely. Later that morning he died peacefully in my arms. While I am devastated to lose him, I rejoice in the fact he was my friend for the time we had together. Mahubbah was the bestest dog ever.
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