R.I.P Jack 9/29/00-2/17/10 We lost our beloved Zeus on February 6th 2010. At 6 years old he was already considered elderly for a Great Dane, when his hind legs begin to give out. We found him in July of 2006 on Petfinder.com and it was love at first sight when we went to the shelter to meet him. From that point on he spent every waking minute making sure we knew how much he loved us and how grateful he was for us. If he could have spoken, he would have told you that his 3 and a half years with us, were the best ones of his life. It’s funny, sometimes 3 and half years is considered a long time, like when you are supposed to graduate in 2 years and it takes that much longer. But in this case 3 and a half years went by so quickly. 3 and half years was not enough time with him. SPARTACUS (“Sparty”) GINTHER, 10, MUSE AND BON VIVANT –Not the New York Times News Service— Spartacus Ginther, the occasionally lively and always amusing Beagle, died on Thursday, May 13, 2010, at Hillsdale, New York. He was 10 years old. Thanks for the love, fella. My very sweet baby beagle boy Elmo was 14 ½ when he passed away December 19, 2010 from complications due to a brain tumor. Lisa Gabriel Talbot November 29, 2008 – August 25, 2016 Our sweet and loving beagle passed away unexpectedly, but peacefully at the age of 7. Talbot brought great joy and happiness to our family. He came to us as a 6-week old puppy and left us as an unforgettable member of our family. He taught us the meaning of unconditional love, a lesson that strengthened us as individuals, and as a family. Whether we were gone for an hour, a week or a month, he would greet our return with unbridled enthusiasm and affection. No human will ever match the bond he made with each of us. There were other lessons we learned from our relationship with Talbot. The zeal and gratitude he expressed for his twice daily meal of kibble demonstrated how one should feel about the kindness and caring given to us each day. His need to sit or lay right up against us revealed the power of physical contact as an expression of love. Sleeping in or next to our beds delivered the sense of security each of us know we need. The obvious nervousness he displayed when taken to grooming reminded us to reassure others at times of uncertainty. Talbot had many friends – literally everyone with whom he came in contact. His bright eyes and wagging tail drew them to him. Their affection for him was a joy to watch and made him all the more affectionate to others. Those of you reading this who knew Talbot should know that his boundless love included you. Perhaps the greatest lesson he taught is that
Meet Roxy my beloved little beagle. We rescued her from our local humane society in September 1993. She was the best little dog a person could ask for. She was like my shadow. When I would work in my office she was usually at my feet. If I would get up to go get a drink or do something else she followed. I know she loved me as much as I loved her. Unfortunately she crossed the Rainbow Bridge on January 23, 2010. She was 16 ½ years old. I am still devastated. I miss her so much. Roxy you were the best and I will miss you forever.
Spartacus, known to all and sundry in New York City and Columbia County as “Sparty”, had been in good health. On that beautiful spring day, Sparty had been running free on his property and, with great concentration, sunning himself on his deck. But he had come inside with a limp, lay down on a bed made–not surprisingly–just for him, and appeared unwell. Shortly after, he passed away at the veterinarian’s office, apparently having suffered heart failure or a stroke.
Sparty had enjoyed a full life, or at least as full as he was interested in. His agents, chefs, valets, butlers, and an occasional trainer always attended to his needs. Which in reality were few but deep: tasty food served regularly and often; sleep: deep and long preferably on soft furniture coveted by humans and in spots blessed by warm sun; constant and deeply felt affection bestowed with gratitude by his agents and servants; and, (on occasion) exercise, even at times exercise in which he participated.
Sparty was a dog of many talents and accomplishments. He had won the affection of countless humans in addition to his agents and servants and including chance encounters on city sidewalks. Sparty took particular pride in the bestowal of the Best In Show award in February 2008. (Or maybe he didn’t … it is not always easy to tell with Beagles.)
Sparty’s agents, Ray and Marie Ginther, were devastated. “Sparty was the best dog in the whole world!”, lamented Ray. Marie worried that Whole Foods and Lobel’s Prime Meats might not be able to stay in business without Sparty’s patronage. “But those many shopping trips, lugging heavy bags of food home for Sparty were labors of love,” cried a tearful Marie.
Sparty’s huge and creative sense of humor not only provided much of his adopted family’s entertainment, he inspired Matt, Sparty’s butler (also a son of agents Ray and Marie) who had developed a dry and deadpan sense of humor clearly derivative of Sparty’s. “I learned from Sparty that funny lines and funny acts are best if the speaker appears not to notice they are funny,” said Matt who is now casting about for a muse of comparable talents. “I despair of finding another as inspiring as Sparty,” he said. He and his girlfriend Emily were privileged to be at Sparty‘s bedside to be of comfort and witness his last “woof’s”.
Tommy, Sparty’s valet and sometime trainer, (also a son of Ray and Marie) is an accomplished hockey goaltender. He credited Sparty with all his success in that sport. “I learned first from Sparty that bulk was essential. He then taught me that the most important players in many sports were the one who had to move the least. He often asked ‘Hockey centers and forwards must move all the time – but do they get fed any more than the goaltender?’ He said I could also be a baseball catcher but catchers had to go back to the bench at least nine times a game while a goalie only had to go back three times in a game.”
Sparty began life on February 29, 2000, which technically made him only 2, but Sparty found that too confusing and, besides, did not want to miss three birthday cakes every four years.
His first home with his agents and servants was in an apartment at the corner of Madison Avenue and 94th Street where he found many, many admirers in the lobby outside his door and on the sidewalk. However, at about the same time, another “Spartacus”, a pretender according to Sparty, took up residence in the building. As if the attempt to aggrandize his name were not enough, this second “Spartacus” was a hyperactive Jack Russell terrier – an embarrassing breed to the dignified Beagle. And not least of all, the new Spartacus had never even enrolled in Michigan State University, much less graduated from MSU as had Sparty (although as a stealth student).
Sparty convinced his agents to move to the rarified air of a penthouse at East End Avenue and 79th Street where he spent many enjoyable days when he was not at his beloved country homes. Sparty was buried on that lovely country property and a memorial sunset maple tree was planted on the spot.
Sparty is not survived by any canine offspring. In his early years he expressed regret at not being able to sire puppies, but later he confessed that they would have been competition for food and affection and would have interrupted his naps.
His family has requested that in lieu of flowers, we all stockpile dog treats to take with us when we join Spartacus in the great beyond where he will be waiting for us with pleading eyes and his enthusiastically wagging tail!
Awhile back i posted a comment on my beagle "maggie" on your page, under"My beautiful old beagle", i never had the chance to send a pic till now. Sadly,Maggie left us yesterday morning, peacefully at the age of 12. She was my puppy, my companion, & most of all, my friend...she will me missed terribly !
Dorothy Litch
Neptune, NJ
I miss him terribly and I will always love him!
on10/18/07 and passed on 10/12/12.
we should each try to be the kind of person that Talbot thought we were.