A Tribute to King (AKA Kinger Springer): 2018 - 2026
King was the bestest boy. He started everyday by stealing my spot in bed when I went to make my morning coffee, and when I returned, I would have to fight for my spot back—sometimes I won, sometimes I didn’t. He would lay there while Darryl and I started our day, waiting for Darryl to wake up and give him some snuggles.
His next job was to wake up the girls, Berkleigh and Paisleigh, so they could get ready for school. He knew just how to get them up, especially Berkleigh who needed a little more rousing in the mornings.
Downstairs for breakfast, and before you knew it, Darryl would say “King, Load Up!” and King would jump into the work truck like a gazelle and away they would drive.
King was a working dog and seen many worksites over his lifetime. There was no shortage of things to stay busy at, and he spent his days chasing birds, squirrels, and other critters, all the while just a few feet away from his favorite human, Darryl.
King loved spending every moment with Darryl. Although he loved his family and friends, he and Darryl shared a special bond that only pure love can create. If ever the two were separated, as soon as they were reunited, King would welcome him with barks, kisses, hugs, and any type of manner that a dog could embrace a beloved human.
At the end of a workday, Darryl and King would arrive home and King would bound through the house, full throttle, give me a look, head to his dishes to give them a once-over, and return back to say hi to me. As Darryl would sit and attempt to tell me about his day, King’s stories were more urgent, louder, and he would bark and carry on until he got it out of his system. He would get these ridiculous zoomies and make the most outlandish demon noises while rolling upside down on the couch and acting a fool. He was such a character!
King normally liked other animals, but his two best buddies were Ryder and Koda. He loved running, playing and wrestling around with them. Although he started out his life being chosen by Darryl and the girls, he eventually accepted me as his mom, and formed his own little bond with my son Danny. King generally liked most, but you could tell you were special if he chose to sit right beside you, or on you, or if he hugged you…he was stingy with the hugs and only gave them to those most dear to him. When he did, you knew you were loved.
King loved many foods, but his favorites included pizza, Chinese (especially chicken balls) and cheese. If King was in the kitchen and the fridge door opened, guaranteed he was beside you with his head right in there, looking the shelves up and down as if he would select his own meals if he had opposable thumbs!
King loved toys and balls, like other dogs, but one of his favorite activities was bouncing on the trampoline with his friends and neighbors.
Each day when bedtime arrived, King preferred our bed to his own, luxurious bed in our room, preferring to try and negotiate his spot with us, and making it known that he expected us to make all necessary accommodations for him until he was ready to retreat to his own cushy bed.
He had a variety of special talents that included knowing how to use the power window buttons in the truck, and he would use his paw to activate the buttons and roll the windows down when he wanted to put his head out the window to get fresh air and let his ears blow in the breeze.
We didn’t know that King was sick because he hid it well. It’s possible he hid small symptoms for quite some time, and by the time we knew his body was struggling, it was only days before we had to make the difficult, heart-wrenching decision to let him cross the Rainbow Bridge. He really did live the life of a King, you know…everyone doted on him and he was included in every part of our day. He didn’t have a mean bone in his body. He woke up everyday and was unapologetically himself. He shared his love and attention with those he loved, and enjoyed the simple, yet meaningful pleasures that we have in this life. We could learn a lot from him.
Kinger Springer: You had a huge personality, a loud bark, a zest for life, a love for family, a devotion for Darryl that surpassed any connection I’ve ever seen before, and your memory will live on in our hearts, and out loud, forever. We will never stop saying your name, never stop watching the hundreds of videos we took, never stop telling your stories; we will ALWAYS love you and we’ll see you again one day…promise. XO