Little Leo Wonka Wonka

Some dogs come into your life... and some become part of your soul.

In 2009, we answered an ad on Puppy Finder and drove all the way to Clearwater, Florida, to meet a little dachshund puppy. Technically, he was the "discount puppy" because he wasn't quite the size of a true miniature dachshund. He was just a little bigger than all of his brothers and sisters. His name was Moose.

That lasted about five minutes.

The kids all started throwing out names, and somehow he became Little Leo Wonka Wonka. Over the years, he also answered to Loafy, Little Leo, Ween... and a dozen other nicknames. He answered to all of them, especially if you had a ball or a treat.

Rosie was only five years old when we brought him home. From that day on, they were inseparable. He wasn't just her dog. He was her best friend, her shadow, her sidekick, and for almost her entire life, her constant.

She and Sam dressed him up in little outfits, pushed him around in strollers, and sent him down slides. He tolerated every bit of it because being with his girls was always his favorite place to be.

Leo loved life.

He loved chasing balls and squeaky toys, chasing the laser light, licking absolutely everything, and vacuuming the floors better than any Hoover ever could. He loved floating in the pool, riding around like he owned the place, and he proudly took on the job of training every new dog that joined our family. Somehow, he managed to outlive quite a few of them.

He loved vacations with his girls, Rosie and Sam, to St. Augustine, where he'd wear his little shark life jacket and enjoy the beach, the sunshine, and the waves. He loved all of the little ones who came to visit, and somehow every person who met Leo walked away smiling.

Today, after 17 beautiful years, we helped our sweet old man find peace.

There is never enough time. No matter how many years we get, it is never enough.

Our hearts are broken, but they are also so incredibly grateful that one "discount puppy" from Clearwater became one of the greatest blessings our family has ever known.

Run free, Little Leo. We'll picture you chasing endless tennis balls, squeaking every toy you can find, licking everything in sight, and running free on the Rainbow Bridge. 

Forever our Little Leo Wonka Wonka. ❤️🐾