03/19/2026
Today we said goodbye to our sweet Ferguson who passed peacefully at 17 years old.
Corey and I met him just after our wedding, during a work tour of the Washington Animal Rescue League. We were taken backstage to meet dogs who weren’t yet available for adoption, and the moment he saw me, he jumped up and wouldn’t stop trying to get to me. I knew right then he was ours. We were lucky enough to be first in line when he became available, and from that moment on, he was part of our family.
He loved the dog park near our apartment in Arlington, especially the big dog side, which he insisted on joining despite clearly not belonging there. He’d stand at the fence barking until we gave in. That was Fergie: determined, stubborn, and completely himself.
When I was pregnant with Max, he would curl up against my bump, and once Max arrived, he stayed close, always snuggling, always watching. He wasn’t much for toys, but stuffed animals never stood a chance if they were left unattended.
For most of his life, he slept under the covers at our feet, only trading that spot in his later years for a cozy bed on the ottoman. During the day, he could always be found perched on pillows — not just sitting on the couch, but carefully arranged with a blanket fluffed just right. Sometimes he blended in so well we’d “lose” him entirely among them.
He loved treats, learned to roll over like a pro, and turned every walk into an adventure that took far longer than expected because he had to stop and mark every few steps. He loved being outside in the sun and would sprint across the yard to the neighbor’s fence like it was his job.
And he loved burgers, so much so that more than once he was caught running through the house with a stolen one in his mouth. Though kidney disease meant a vegetarian diet in his later years, we made sure his final meal was exactly what he loved: a full McDonald’s hamburger.
Ferguson was with us through 15 years of marriage, through every high and low, every change, every chapter. He was a constant, a comfort, and a source of so much joy.
He was a good boy. The best boy.
Our home won’t be the same without him. ❤️
