My Best Friend has passed away xxx

R.I. P. Kullaholm's Padme´ a.k.a SOPHIE 

Today I lost my best friend. She knew me like no other. She sniffed out my cancer. She was my sounding board. She was always there for me and made me happy when I was sad. Life will never be the same. I am so lucky to have known her. She brought happiness to everyone she met. She is gone too soon.

Here is her tribute:
Born in Motala, Sweden on April 8, 2009. She was the prettiest girl in her pedigree litter of 9. Her parents were champions like her grandparents and great grandparents. She had 3 sisters and 5 brothers. There names are Aayla Secura, Amidala, Chewbacca, Darth Vader, Han Solo, Luke Skywalker, Princessan Leia and Yoda.

Those beautiful eyes.

Eric and Sophie

First visit to meet the puppies

At 8 weeks old, she left her brothers and sisters in Motala and got three new brothers: Kevin, Marcus and Eric. Just from the drive home to our house we knew she was something special. After 2 days, she learned to do her necessary business outside and made sure it wasn't even on our property. Good Girl!

Her younger days were spent playing hide and seek inside with the boys. Outside, she loved smelling everything, running in the park and playing with other dogs in the neighborhood. Her first summer was spent hiking in the North of Sweden and Norway. She totally loved drinking and running in the fresh mountain water springs. She loved running and playing with Peter in the wooded jogging trails around Stockholm.

Northern Sweden on a hike in the mountains

First Family Picture July 2009

When school started in the fall, she knew the routine of walking the boys to school each morning. The amount of groupies she had at school was amazing. There was always a large crowd petting her and saying hi each morning. She spread joy wherever she went - easily done when her tail was always wagging non-stop.

Her shiny black Labrador coat was one of her trademark features along with her sweet expressive face, especially her eyes.

Kevin was the one who taught her all her tricks. He had a special connection with Sophie. Marcus let Sophie onto his bed so they could cuddle and he always gave her big hugs. Eric and Sophie were always looking out for each other. She was very protective of him.

She was a traveling dog and loved to explore new places. She had many adventures in  Wales, Dover, Camber Sands, Canterbury, France, Holland, Germany, Belgium, Denmark, Norway and Sweden.

Cliff of Dover

Sophie and Domino frolicking in the English Channel

Sophie and the Boys- Camber Sands

My girl

Eighteen months ago she moved to England with us. This is where her pedigree grandparents were from - so it was like coming home. She didn't like all the new noises here in the big city but she adapted and made new friends.

Domino and Sophie

Her qualities included the following:

• Constantly tail-wagging with happiness
• Happy Facial expressions
• Unconditional love
• Bi-lingual in Swedish and English
• Great listener
• Loyal
• Generous
• Smart and Wise
• Caring
• Best-friend
• Young at heart with eyes that spoke to your soul
• Tolerant
• Beautiful
• Loved life. Enjoyed every moment. All in, all the time.
• Mediator
• Amazing Frisbee catching skills
• Honest
• Expressive eye-brows
• Friend to all she met
• Squirrel chaser 

She did all the things on her bucket list:

Swim in the English Channel (or just dip my paws in) - October 2015

Swim in the Thames (definitely just dip my paws in) - October 2015

Eat popcorn- almost every day in November and December 2015

Run in Hyde Park- September 2015

Catch the squirrel in the park - very close on several occasions

Sleep in Mommy’s bed - First two weeks of December 2015

Family portraits - October 2015

Get lucky with getting my favorite table food (cheese, chicken, fish) every day....

Sophie and Kevin

Marcus and Sophie

Eric and Sophie

Sophie and Peter

In her last few months, her tail wagged a little less, although her spirit remained high, her limp became more painful and she ate gourmet food quite often. (Some of her favorites were popcorn, fresh salmon, chicken, fillet mignon, pizza and cheese.)

She passed away peacefully in our arms. We were lucky to have known her and share in all her adventures. She has brought joy to everyone she met.

She is survived by Teresa, Peter, Kevin, Marcus, Eric and too many friends and relatives to count. Her spirit will live on if we all live each day like she did: greet everyone you meet enthusiastically and show your unconditional love each and every day to each other. 

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PS. I am lucky to have had her in my life. The hole in my heart will never heal. The ache can only dull slightly with the passing of time. The joy she has given me is a once in a lifetime gift from a best friend. She was Brave and she Loved Life. ///Teresa

GRATEFUL. BEST FRIEND. SOPHIE. 
BEST DOG EVER. LOVED. REST IN PEACE.