Buster Boy, (after much researach of Chinese language, we named him Sir Buster Chai Pao meaning, "pride of the house") our little 18 1/2 year old bundle of love and joy (and "spit fire" attitude in his younger years), given to me as a gift from A. C. and the puppy Lord.  When we went to visit the litter, Buster was only 5 weeks old.  He was the ONLY puppy running around and nipping at his little brothers and sisters, and making "mad dashes" around the home of the registered owners.  A. C. said, and I quote verbatim..."that's our boy"...and the rest is history.  Buster has been a part of both A. C. and my family forever, extremely loved by everyone in both families, especially his grandma Sheppard (and uncle Jimmy helped), who took care of Buster almost as many years as we did.  We would not have been able to travel and do the things we have over the past 21 years, if it weren't for her caring for Buster on numerous occasions and with extreme love.  We would remark that we "shared custody" of Buster!   When he and they were little, we loved watching him nip at the grandchildren's legs...he loved Elisabeth so much, (she was almost at his level being so petite and cute), also Chris, Ben and Charlie (his other cousins) he loved them with all he had.  He was extremely playful (that's to put it mildly), taking one of A. C.'s slippers from upstairs bedroom when we lived in Lancaster, running down the stairs, straight out to the backyard in the middle of winter (even when it snowed) and slammed it from side to side in his chops.  VERY funny memory, but we have many.  Buster would drive Uncle Joe (from Palm Springs) and many other friends of ours CRAZY, barking and "asking" for a pet on the head, if they did it and gave him a "cookie", we'd have to spell it, he was fine, if they didn't, well...We've laughed at that for years.  My friends who have met and loved Buster, thank you, he and we appreciated it.  He lived a very, very full life.  Faithful baths almost every week of his life, at least two-three walks every day, played tennis ball, "humped" his toys, VERY cute...and most of all, just a special and fun friend for life.  In his later years, we've hand fed him special chicken breast, Italian seasoned turkey breast, american cheese (at happy hour time), anything he would eat, in addition to an incredible vacuum packed soft food from "Three Dog Bakery", a food recommended by a good friend in the desert, Andy P, which she used with her 19 year old pup, and it has sustained his life for at least another year.  Dr. Dean in Malibu said to give him whatever he would eat, and we did. Oh sure, when he was younger, we always fed him special dry dog food...but occasionally, we would spoil him with little bites of banana (his favorite), watermelon, popcorn, cheese, english muffins, whenever we ate, he would come sit and "look" for a bite/treat.  Buster's groomer Joyce and girls, took such good care of him weekly, whenever Mom had "custody".  A huge thanx to them for caring...I have much more to say, but will hold off for now, he was as much "man's best friend", as "woman's best friend" too, and today is a very sad day.  My mom had the burden of taking him to the vet, as we just returned from vacation Monday, and were going to pick him up later this week.  The vet convinced A. C. and I that it was time, and we had much soul searching to do.  We hesitantly agreed, and were assured that he would rest in peace now, not hurt anymore, and my mom was able to hold him for a couple of hours before knowing it was time.  She and Uncle Jim cuddled him, tickled his belly gently, gave him their and our forever love and put him to rest.  Thank you all for knowing and loving Buster in your own way, we will miss him forever.  



Love, A. C. and Shaughne