Bucky Butters: November 5, 1995 -- January 18, 2011

Put to sleep peacefully at Dr. Larsen's office on a sunny and warm Tuesday morning, at the age of fifteen years and two months, in his mommy's arms, with his daddy looking on. Dr. Larsen was not able to be present to say goodbye. Bucky is survived by his eternally grateful parents, Bill and Vivian, his human brother Henry, and his newly adopted canine brother, Rascal. Bucky was predeceased by his canine brother, Trinket, and canine sister, Macie. Bucky is also survived by his fond grandparents, many human relatives all over the world, and numerous fans among the pug and canine families online and offline.

Bucky was born in the backyard of the Butters family, on a small street behind Whole Foods in Los Gatos, California. On the day he turned eight weeks old, he was sold for $300 "as is" in De Anza Flea Market, with a flea on his belly. He was two and half pounds. As a very wet-behind-the-ears young pup, he ate, pooped (in all the wrong places), harassed his siblings. He promptly doubled his weight in three weeks. As a youngster, Bucky attended no more than three intellectually and physically challenging courses before his parents threw their hands up in the air and declared him "spirited". Bucky loved to play chase, carry his toys around and tease his siblings, and talk back to his parents. He barked at Rottweilers and motocycles, barked at the TV when the door bell rang, barked at the real door bell, barked at dogs on TV and dogs on the computer, barked at real dogs everywhere; he barked when Henry cried, when his humans returned home, when birds chirped, when there was a fly in the house, when chasing butterflies in the backyard, when leaves fell in the backyard, when birds chirped in the neighbor's backyard, when leaves fell on the street, three blocks away; whenever Trinket barked, Bucky barked, only louder.

As a child of digital age and product of high tech parents, Bucky enjoyed fame and virtual belly rubs on the internet. He was a star in the original Pug List hosted on RT66 during the mid and late 90s. Since the inception of this blog, and lucky for Bucky, a less demanding, more maturing human sibling, his mom was able to devote more digital time for Bucky's PR. In his old age Bucky enjoyed increased attention from his friends through Dogs on Thursday, Ravelry Pug Lovers group, and Facebook.

Bucky attended Pugtacular from 1996 to 2010. In 1998 Bucky won the fastest in agility, among the amateur attendees. In 2006 Bucky won the Pug Race, after a decade of trying. In 2010, Bucky was the oldest pug attending the event and had pictures taken by the local paper. Twice in their lives, Bucky and his mom won the second and third place in Pugs and Owner Look-alike. There were other ribbons and stuffed animals that Bucky won and his people lost track what they were for. Since Pugtacular happens right before Christmas, Bucky's winnings have become part of the holiday decorations and they will always remind his family of the rambunctious puggy.

In lieu of flowers, a donation to your local dog rescue organization in Bucky's name will be the best way to memorialize him and benefit other canine kind.