Our Beloved Sundance Passed Away Today

After lymphoma and cancer in most of Sundance's body had taken his hearing and eyesight away, we brought him to the vet clinic today. The wonderful staff at Banfield Pet Hospital all loved Sundance, and as hard as it was, because we loved him, Viktoria and I sat with him as they lovingly released Sundance from his suffering at exactly noon today, Sunday, July 21.

To all who have loved Sundance, we thank you from the bottom of our hearts. He was a gift from God, who loved us and everyone fully. We will write more later. God bless you.

Sundance Comes Into David & Viktoria's Lives

Sundance's First Days At Home

In October 2002, we went out to "only look" at golden retriever puppies at Vandecars Goldens in Mannford, Oklahoma. However, the most precious puppy you've ever seen crawled into David's lap, and the rest was kismet.

What were we going to name him? We had just returned from our honeymoon in Colorado and Wyoming. Wyoming was so beautiful and impacted us so greatly, that when Sundance returned home with us, we wanted it to be part of his name.

Both "Sundance" and "Golden" were part of one of the names in his lineage (after all, he is a Golden), hence, his AKC registration papers list him officially as:

Golden Wyoming Sundance.

With Viktoria it was love at first sight. They bonded immediately and have been close knit ever since. She may insist otherwise, but she cleverly orchestrated the whole arrangement of going out to Mannford and showing me one of those unbelievably gorgeous, irresistable, perfect, adorable, little golden retriever puppies.

In other words, I love him, too.

Our ambivalent Cairn Terrier, Valentino, did not love Sundance at first. In fact, he was quite put out that his world went from being all about himself to being about Sundance ... and then him. But, his resentment lasted about 2-3 days. All of a sudden he couldn't take Sundance's want for playing and relented. They started playing like they had never been strangers, and from that time Valentino, though much smaller, was the alpha of the two. Yes, he loved Sundance, too.

Step away from the toy!!

Okay, we be bros, now, who's yo daddy!?!

Our dear friends, Mark and Donna Mader, were anxious to meet Sundance. In November of the following year, during one of the most beautiful autumns we've ever had in Oklahoma, they drove up to Tulsa to visit with us. Of course, they too fell in love with Sundance.

Sundance and Valentino began hiking with us from their earliest months. Valentino, the first born, and Sundance, each first hiked with us when they were just a few months old. They loved it, loved the outdoors and loved the water.

April 12, 2003 - Sundance and Valentino overlooking a bluff at the Wichita Mountains