09/27/2026
🐾💙 Rico the Therapy Dog 💙🐾
January 28, 2014 – September 26, 2026
12 years old.
Last night, we laid our sweet Rico to rest.
There will never be another Rico.
When I think back to the beginning, I remember taking a chance on a German Shepherd after having Rottweilers my entire life. We drove to Charles Town, West Virginia, to meet a litter. Rico’s mom was a beautiful white German Shepherd and his dad was a saddleback German Shepherd. The puppies were gray, with hardly any color except for a black line running down their backs.
I wanted the runt.
But Savannah, who was only 7 years old at the time, had other plans. She picked Rico as her very first dog.
We named him after the Madagascar penguin, brought this little puppy home, snapped a picture, and texted it to Brandon:
“Hey… we got a puppy!”
And just like that, began a tradition of sending Brandon pictures of every new dog with the same message. ❤️
Those first few nights, I slept on the couch beside Rico’s crate because he cried and didn't want to be alone.
Little did I know that this tiny, gray puppy would grow into one of the smartest, kindest, most incredible dogs I would ever know.
Rico earned his Canine Good Citizen and went on to become a therapy dog with Wags For Hope, serving for 9 years and bringing comfort, happiness, and a little bit of his own special magic to so many people.
And Rico loved his job.
He loved the members of Wags For Hope. He loved visiting people. He loved being needed. And he especially loved having Savannah by his side as his Junior Handler. Together, they made an incredible team.
But Rico wasn't just a therapy dog.
He was Uncle Rico.
He was the leader of our pack. He helped raise the puppies that came after him, teaching them, putting up with them, and keeping everyone in line. I recently told him that the Corgi puppies would be the last ones he would ever have to raise.
He had no idea just how much those words would come to mean.
Rico loved car rides.
He loved walks.
He loved going to the creek.
He loved being outside.
He loved animals of all kinds.
And he loved his family.
Rico was not your average German Shepherd. He was gentle, sweet, patient, and incredibly kind. He was an ugly little duckling who grew into the most gorgeous sable German Shepherd.
His coloring was so unique that people would sometimes ask if he was a wolf.
But those who knew him knew the truth:
There was nothing wild about Rico. His heart was pure love.
I will always remember one day at the dog park.
A man was bragging about how much money he had spent on his dog, telling everyone that his dog had been flown over to the United States. He looked at me and asked, “Which one is your dog?”
Rico was running and playing with the other dogs.
I decided to put all the training we had been working on to the test.
I whistled and motioned for Rico to come.
He immediately stopped what he was doing, turned around, and ran straight to me.
I raised my hand.
Rico sat.
The man was shocked.
He looked at me and asked, “Where do you go for training?”
I just laughed.
Because Rico didn't need to be the most expensive dog.
He was simply Rico.
And that was more than enough.
As the years passed, Rico slowed down. In his last few years, he spent many days laying in the backyard, watching everything around him. He would still try to chase LeRoy and Lucy when they had the ball.
His back legs were getting weaker.
But his spirit never changed.
He wanted to run so badly.
Yesterday, I went into the backyard and Rico couldn't get up.
Later, he was able to come inside and walk a little.
But we knew.
We didn't want our boy to reach the point where he lost his dignity.
So we made the hardest decision anyone who loves a dog ever has to make.
We let him go with love.
Rico gave us 12 beautiful years.
He gave Savannah her first dog.
He helped raise our puppies.
He became a therapy dog.
He touched the lives of countless people.
He made us laugh.
He made us proud.
He gave comfort to people who needed it.
And he gave us memories that we will carry for the rest of our lives.
One of a kind.
Our sweet boy.
Our Uncle Rico.
Rico the Therapy Dog. 🐾💙
Thank you for every car ride, every walk, every visit, every wag, every cuddle, every lesson, and every unforgettable memory.
You were never just a dog.
You were family.
You were a protector, a teacher, a therapy dog, a friend, and the heart of our pack.
There will never be another one like you.
Run free, sweet Rico.
Your legs are strong again.
Go chase that ball.
Go run with all the dogs who went before you.
And someday, when it is my turn, I hope I hear your paws running toward me again.
I will see you again one day. 🌈🐾
Until then…
Thank you, Rico.
For 12 wonderful years.
For being one of a kind.
For being our boy.
Forever loved. Forever missed. Forever our Therapy Dog. 💙🐾
Rico
January 28, 2014 – September 26, 2026
Wags For Hope Therapy Dog — 9 Years of Service
