Brando was the greatest joy in our life. He passed suddenly the morning of January 6, 2007. When we picked Brando out of the litter advertised in the local newspaper, it was love at first sight. Soon after we brought him home, he was diagnosed with severe hip dysplasia. He had two major surgeries in the first year of his life yet he remained happy, and was referred to as the "class clown" in puppy kindergarten. He was a small dog trapped in a 150 lb body. He loved swimming, giving sloppy kisses, chewing and burying bones, cuddling, sleeping with us (head on the pillow just like a human), sneaking up to lay on couches, ice cream, walks, and camping. He would get so excited about camping the minute he saw us loading up the truck, he could not contain himself. He would climb inside the truck and wait until we would leave, we would have to pack around him. Brando was such a character. We once took the jet skis out, leaving him tied on the shore. We came back to find him sitting between a young couple in one of their lawn chairs. He was such an entertainer and always good for a laugh. How can I possibly put into words what this big boy meant to us? He was everything. He was so reliable. Being home is unbearable; there are no earth-shattering snores at night, no begging when I'm cooking, no one following me room to room. I simply can't imagine a life without our Brando. I can't bring myself to say he's dead; I can only say he's away. A heart of gold stopped beating. Two shining eyes at rest. God broke our hearts to prove he on takes the best. We will always love our big boy.