Dog: Tank (English Mastiff) – MI

dog Tank - English Mastiff

Dog: Tank (English Mastiff) – MI (2009-2019)

Tank left us on August 18, 2019, being peacefully put to sleep after a ruptured disk left him unable to walk. He was an excellent dog and will be dearly missed.

We adopted Tank in March of 2011. He was quite a bit bigger than we were expecting, and as a growing puppy he was a bit confused by his own size too, but from the start we knew he was a sweetheart.

He’d tear up cookbooks when we left the house, and then he’d hide upstairs with his tail between his legs like he knew he’d done something wrong. He’d even hide if he hadn’t ripped anything up! As he became integrated into the family, the separation anxiety (and the destroying of cookbooks) eventually subsided.

Tank was the “gentle giant” idea personified — just short of 200 pounds of pure love and affection. He never really understood how big he was, and would often try to sit down in his favorite people’s laps, much to our amusement and discomfort.

He loved romping in the backyard, throwing tantrums when he wasn’t fed on time, and napping with his sister. He also had a habit of excitedly taking a drink of water whenever his humans came home (much to the dismay of the other pets, as his jowls were always full of dirt, hair, and slobber that was inevitably deposited in the water bowl).

Tank’s passing was sudden and unexpected, and it will take a very long time to adjust to life without a horse-sized creature shambling about the house. Up until the very end, he had the stamina of a dog quarter his age, and hardly any gray on his muzzle to speak of.

He is survived by an adopted elder sister, two kitties, and a human family who all miss him very very much.

8 Comments

  1. What a beautifully written tribute. Hank must have been the best. Love & hugs to the family. RIP Big Guy ❤️

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