If you came to our house on a sunny day, you could always almost find a panting sunbather in our yard. Drool would be rolling off of her nose, but our dog loved every minute of it. No matter how hot her fur got she just couldn't get enough of those Pittsburgh rays. The next part of the routine would involve a call from dad " Katie girl come get a cookie." She would jolt inside eager for her prize. Not only were these cookies her reward but her prey as well. We could laugh until tears rolled down our eyes as she bit, snarled, and pounced on her treats. This accompanied by a few laps around the dining room table and sprawling onto the couch eager to play some more. She was a great companion and on many occasions my best secret holder. As long as you rubbed her belly, she could listen to people babble on and on. At night she was camoflauged. The only way any of us could spot her in the dark, was her little white tipped tail. We always said it looked like someone had dipped her tail and paws in white paint. I don't think there was any person who could ever have come into our home and not fallen in love with her. The mailman is going to miss his daily laugh. How she would always grab the mail from the slot and tug it out of his hands. Katie was also a great camper. She loved chasing after deer, even after they started chasing her and mom. Just a few weeks ago she caught a mole in the yard. She loved catching rodents. She would drop it in the yard and look at us, almost as if she was grinning. Her way of saying " look what i got, aren't you proud of me." Secretly we always were proud. We were a lucky family, blessed with the best pound puppy out there. We will miss her more then anything. Her sickness is over and she feels no pain. Who knows, maybe she is in heaven terrorizing moles, smiling with her front teeth like she often did in times of joy, just smiling down and saying, " Look family, look what I caught". We'll miss you Katie, and we love you.