Orion S.

Orion ("Bear", "Pooh Bear", "Polar Bear") was born on July 23, 2009; was adopted on September 22, 2009; and passed on July 15, 2022. He is survived by his pet parents, Rob and Stephanie; human siblings, Roman and Clementine; and pet sibling, Phoenix. Orion's favorite toys were sticks, Kongs filled with peanut butter, but playing with his sister Phoenix was his favorite. His favorite activities were hunting squirrels, begging for food, going on long walks, pulling the sled in the snow, eating snow, howling at people through the window, and visiting new places. His least favorite thing was a bath. His favorite place to sleep was behind furniture, hard floors, or in walkways. Favorite Memories: From the first moment we met Orion, we were drawn to his calm, sweet demeanor. He was this little, fluffy, black ball of fur with spotted paws and that day at the rescue he walked right up to Rob and sat next to him, gently leaning on him, observing the other pups in his litter. We had recently bought our first house and it had a big, fenced-in yard, perfect for a dog. We went looking for one dog, but that day I found myself taken with his feisty sister. So, we decided we'd adopt both of the Alaskan Malamute/German Shepherd mix puppies! It was very challenging being first-time puppy parents to our "twins", but they were worth it. We named them Orion (boy) and Phoenix (girl). They were joined at the hip from the beginning. They loved running together, hunting squirrels, barking at everything, chewing sticks, going on walks, visiting Lake Michigan and our families' houses. They had a very special sibling bond. Snow was their absolute favorite thing. We hooked them up to a sled every winter, which they happily pulled. They loved exploring new parks together. They could communicate almost telepathically with each other. Orion was always a bit more independent than his sister, and more of a loner. He enjoyed quiet time alone and didn't have to be with us all the time. In his first year, Orion had a near death experience where he ate some poisonous wild mushrooms. We almost lost him, but he pulled through. We joked from that day on that he had a new lease on life because after that incident, our sweet little black bear turned wild. Orion had a zest for life and loved being with his family. He was crazy and uncontrollable at times, defiant and frustrating, but he was also very loving, funny and tolerant. He took it in stride when we started having (human) babies. He was a great dog to our 2 children. He knew to protect them and love them and never growled or snapped at them once. Orion loved being a "big brother" and has filled our home with many wonderful memories: eating tissues anytime he gets the chance; howling like a wolf; always trying to run away, just wanting to be wild and free; being a competitive walker, always having to be in the front of the pack; his adorable stick eating obsession as a pup; his strange desire to get himself in small spaces behind furniture when he was older; how sweet he was with our cat Stella, she would clean him and they would lay together; his love of being outside just sitting for hours enjoying the breeze; his excitement every time we said the word "walk"; how quickly he could chew a bone down to nothing; his soft, flopsy ears; how he'd catch food in mid air like a shark jumping out of water; his bunny hop down the stairs at the new house; his enthusiasm doing his tricks for a treat (sit, shake both paws, lay down, roll over); how dopey he was trying to hunt squirrels (though he did catch a few); how he liked to visit people in the bathtub/shower; the way he (and his sister) cross their paws when they lay down (the lady at the rescue, Mary, called this "praying"); how he always got under the table to beg for food and wait for someone to drop something; how much he resembled Eeyore in his old age; all of the times he jumped the fence and ran loose through the neighborhood; his ability to drink the entire bowl of water at one time; his cone of shame days; how safe we felt knowing that Orion would protect us no matter what, he always barked ferociously at strangers who came to our door; his "grinch paws"; his resemblance to a sloth bear, black bear, all bears pretty much; how he was able to save so much pee for marking every single spot on his walks; how he'd lick all the dishes in the dishwasher; stealing the meat at Nana's house; how he loved going to Grandma and Grandpa's house where he got special treats; the sound of his panting and licking while we tried to sleep. All we have known for the past 13 years is having two big beautiful furry dogs. We have always walked two dogs. We have always fed two dogs. We have always loaded two dogs up in the car when we go somewhere. Losing Orion is akin to losing one of our children, because he was one of our first furry children. We adopted him and Phoenix together as a couple. He is SO loved and will be missed incredibly by us and our kids, and possibly most of all, by his sister Phoenix, who is now in the house all by herself for the first time. This winter without him will be especially hard because it was his favorite season, our sweet snow-loving polar bear. We are grateful for the 13 years we had with our Orion, and that we had the opportunity to say goodbye to him and cherish him in his last few days. Orion, we will always remember what a darling puppy you were, your rebellious younger years, your adventurous later years, and these last few older, calmer years where you slowed down and took each day at a time. We know you'll be there waiting for us at the Rainbow Bridge, with Stella, Echo, Max, Kasey, Nugget, Miles and Simba. Until then, we will miss you every single day.

Orion S.

July 23, 2009 - July 15, 2022