Scruffy was a "pound puppy." We adopted him from the SPCA a month after Mr. Ruffles. It was his last day on "Death Row." What a find! We got Scruffy to keep Ruffles company during the day when we were at work or school. He was picked up on the streets of Chester, PA and had the personality to match. He used to be a scrappy dog, fighting with Ruffles every time he felt slighted. Just like siblings! LOL!
Scruffy was a very smart dog and learned all of Ruffles' tricks from Obedience School. Scruffy would have gotten an A plus! He was known for being able to get out of things, collars, leashes, locked doors... We started to call him "Hairy Houdini" after he managed to get out of the locked porch door numerous times. He loved to roam all over the neighborhood, worrying us to death. But he always came back. Another thing about Scruffy is that he can't swim. Once when we were out in the canoes with Ruffles in one boat and Scruffy in the other, Ruffles jumped out and started to swim around. Scruffy couldn't stand the thought of Ruffles being somewhere he was not, so he jumped into the creek too. One problem - he couldn't swim, not even to do the doggy paddle! So the kids learned canoe rescue techniques right then and there. Another time he jumped out of the canoe at a lake and when we got him ashore, he rolled around in the sand on the beach. There was sooo much sand in he fur that we couldn't wash it out. He had to be shaved. Poor dog, how embarassing!! He also was quite the singer. When Heather would play her saxophone, Scruffy would join her in a howling match. As she'd go up the scale, so would he. As long as you didn't look at him - if you did, he'd shut right up. Stage fright!
Scruffy was blind for 6 months before he died, and picked his way around the house. We tried not to move the furniture too much 'cause he'd just walk right into things! His funniest/saddest thing he did recently is look alertly and expectantly at the refrigerator or the back door, as if it were a person offering him a treat.
He was missing his pal, Mr. Ruffles, and wandered around "looking" for him for days. At 21 years of age, it wasn't long till he joined his pal.
Scruffy died on March 8, 2001 and joined Ruffles chasing squirriels in Heaven.
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