Enzo came to us at the darkest point of our lives in 2008. We never had a dog before and wondered if our small house could accommodate one adequately. We went ahead and took a leap of faith that it would work out, and the adventure began. From the beginning our 3 month old 'red fox lab' Enzo was smart. He was potty trained within 24 hours of getting him home. That summer we introduced him to every body of water we could find, backyard pools, Mammoth Lakes, Lake Tahoe, the beaches of So Cal and before long he was a top notch swimmer, the kind bystanders just stop and watch with awe. I know every pet owner thinks their dog/cat/bird/horse is smart, but Enzo had an innate ability to connect and adjust to his surroundings. If we took him to a pool he was unfamiliar with, he would circle it twice and observe the depth of the water, where the stairs were before he would leap in to get his swim frisbee. I remember telling my husband, "There are grown human beings who don't do that and injure themselves jumping into shallow water!" He knew how to act with small children, the elderly, and he knew who wanted a good roughing up. By the time he was a senior he understood full sentences and was constantly astounding us with his intelligence. He touched so many lives that when he passed our kitchen was full of notes and flowers from his heartbroken fans. Enzo used to sit exactly at the end of our driveway and wait for what we called "customers." He wasn't happy if he hadn't met someone new or one of his regulars for attention. There were times when we didn't want to be social and we'd see Enzo's tail begin going back and forth when he eyed someone interesting off in the distance. We couldn't leave until he said his hello's. He loved to have his teeth brushed and would smile and sit at attention when his daddy cleaned his pearly white and perfectly straight teeth. He took medicine like a champ and at the end when I had to give him Adequan shots he knew that it was so he would feel better. But we will always remember Enzo at his healthiest, running down the beach, chasing a ball or frisbee, swimming until he could barely stand, and of course, getting right up on you and shaking so all the cold water from his fur got you nice and wet! He had funny traits, like being a food hoarder. We'd give him a cookie or something special and he'd hide it in the house or in the yard. Days later we'd see him chewing away, he had saved it until he was hungry, while most dogs just devour whatever they're given at that moment. We were blessed to have almost 11 years with our sweet furry son, and we thank God for all the veterinarians and vet techs who kept him going all those years. It's important to realize that while some people are merely 'pet owners' others are 'pet parents' and have a deep connection with the animal they live, travel and interact with on a daily basis. We will never get another dog again, as our hearts are completely broken, but we cherish the years we were given with sweet, smart, and fun Enzo Riello. (12/7/07-2/17/19)