After a life beautifully lived, and a very important part of our family for twelve years, and eight months, on August 15th, we said goodbye to our dear Little Mister, Nicholas. A flat coat retriever born on Christmas Day, 2011 Nicholas (named after St Nick) was a going concern from day one when we got him at eight weeks old. After searching Google for a large breed puppy, one look at Nicholas baby picture and I was hooked, it was love at first sight!!! Doug and I went to see him in Dartmouth at noon on a Monday morning. He was one of fourteen pups and no doubt about it, he was the alpha pup! We really didn’t understand the full extend of what that meant. They checked out our credentials and references and one week later I went back with two friends to bring him home.
Heading Home!He was adorable and full of energy to say the least. He ran his siblings with an iron fist, totally running the show. We thought it was funny but when we got him home, he stated playing with us the same way, jumping all over us, rough housing, when we sat on the sofa and he was so very strong, even as a small pup. We laughed until our stomachs hurt. He took one look at my brother, Tom, and went right at him. Tom was laughing so hard, saying “pull him off me”, I said, “I can’t, I’m laughing too hard”.
After about a year, we figured he needed a Buddy to play with at home, so I went back on Google. I knew we needed a big strong dog that could hold his own against our rambunctious little fellow, who was growing quickly, at a year old was 70 pounds. In Gatineau, Ontario, I found Buddy, a six month old Landseer, Newfoundland. I had looked at 100 dogs on line and as soon as I saw Buddy, I knew he was the one. A friend picked him up and brought him down to the house. Doug, myself and Nicholas were all standing in the yard anxiously awaiting the arrival of the latest family member. He jumped out of the back seat and acted like he’d lived here all his life, tail wagging and what looked like a big smile on his face! He and Nichols took off racing around the yard. They were best friends and brothers for the rest of their lives and never parted. The ate together, played together, walked together, swam together, rode in the back of the SUV together. They were inseparable.
Every day, year round, Buddy and Nicholas were walked at Spy Glass, Allison Dr. or went to the beach for a swim at Riverside, New River or Hammond River where they met lots of other dogs of all types. Nicholas was super athletic, he could run like the wind (never met a dog to outrun him), always got the ball when it was thrown, no matter what breeds were around and the same when he was swimming. I always said, if he was a kid, I’d put him in the Olympics. He was very kind and loving and never barked or growled at anyone in his life but his tail was always wagging when he met new people or we had company. He was an exceptionally fussy eater, rarely touched breakfast but ate his supper. His favourite foods were liver and fish. I home cooked their food all their lives as the vet said it was so much healthier for them. And I guess that must be true as Nicholas would have been 13 this Christmas and the vets said they never saw a Flat Coat Retriever over 8 years old.
Nicholas always had a little flag at the end of our walkway and the day after he passed I saw one which reads “In Memory of a Life Beautifully Lived”! It was the perfect description of a loving happy dog who loved us so much and gave 100% to every day. He was loved and he is missed.
Goodbye from
our pal Nicholas 
