FREIGHTLINER is always a standard by which others are gauged.

As mentioned in past posts as to our experiences and comments from other RV'ers, whereas Fleetwood was once a standard of quality products and dependable service from REV, such is no longer the case. The previous post on AQUA HOT detailed all the problems we have had with our AQUA HOT air and water heating system on our all-electric coach, and the fact that even though it was FLEETWOOD (previously a quality and dependable product) which opted to use that system to be the sole source of heating (for air and water), they have washed their hands of supporting that system and don't even think twice about not supporting their clients, when that company leaves their clients freezing because the heating system does not work. AQUA HOT, like the government, is given anonymity as to how they deal with the support of their product, and choose to NOT support it, leaving the RV clients to their own devices, even when they have NO HEATING in winter. SHAMEFUL!! of both REV and AQUA HOT.

We bought this brand new 2023 Fleetwood Discovery LXE 44B diesel pusher (MSRP over $600,000) from Motor Home Specialist in Alvarado TX on December 28, 2023. Since Day 2 we have had nothing but trouble with the RV itself. Motor Home Specialist was all promises on Day 1. Then their willingness to repair the issues changed and all they wanted was for us to leave, telling us that we can take it to REV so that it can be fixed correctly, since they were the ones that built it. We took it to REV and they fixed some things, others not correctly (breaking again within a month) and some not even addressed at all. Now we have to make another trip to address the rest of it.  Later, after 2 months, the Aqua Hot system started failing, until it no longer worked at all, to heat the RV. REV said it was up to Aqua Hot, and Aqua Hot says that only an Aqua Hot 'certified' tech can work on it, even though there are none within 90+ miles. So we had to take it to Idaho Falls (95 miles, each way) TWICE and the tech still never fixed it. So we had to wait till we got to FL, and the tech here has come out THREE times. Each time they need another part, which takes Aqua Hot 2-4 weeks to send to him. The RV is now 10 months old, and we are still without heating or hot water, which in 35 degree nighttime weather (in FL) makes it very hard to keep us warm, as there is no fireplace and there is  only 1 Heat Pump A/C (which by the way only works down to about 40 degrees F. We CANNOT refer anyone to REV or to any RV that is heated by AQUA HOT (instead of PROPANT).

For all the other non-Aqua Hot issues we took it directly to the REV (factory) Main Service warranty facility in Decatur, Indiana. We were at the REV Factory Service facility for over a week and they addressed most of our issues, but left some unaddressed and some were not fully repaired. So we figured we would have to return AGAIN to finish the repairs, and add some more that have come up since we left. We tried to make an appointment for October 2023, but were told that that was too far into the future and that we should seek an appointment for October in late August. When we did so, we were informed that the earliest they could fit us in was for November 27... way too late to be in Indiana (due to cold and possible snow), so they agreed to let us bring the RV back to them in May 2024, on our return from Florida, and they would still honor the new vehicle warranty up to everything reported to them by December 28, 2023. That's great but we still have to live with a lot of things that don't work until May 2024, because of their failure to give honest instructions as to future appointments.

FREIGHTLINER, by contrast, is a totally different service provider, and their reputation is  obviously reflected in their service and treatment of their client base.

We have always had the BEST service from most Freightliner dealers, which is WHY we keep buying RV which have a Freightliner chassis, versus Spartan or International. For one thing, Freightliner dealers can be found just about anywhere, and are always close to an interstate or major roadway. Not all of them service RVs, being selective to commercial trucks, but the RV-supported dealers are identified as 'Freightliner Custom Chassis' dealers. One would think that REV and other RV manufacturer groups would learn from the Freightliner business plan, but they don't. Frankly it would appear that RV manufacturers (as a whole) don't give a damn about their client base. At least such is the obvious case with Fleetwood/REV products and Tiffin Motorhomes and Montana (Keystone trailers) business plans, as we have had products of all three, and found the same issues with each. That is why we have always made sure that we buy an RV that was built on a FREIGHTLINER chassis, has a an Allison 6-speed transmission and a Cummins 380-450hp engine. When something works 95% of the time, and when something fails, it is taken care of by the manufacturer right away with the smallest amount of disruption to the owners (at least during the full first year of a brand new product, i.e. new vehicle warranty, it breeds consumer confidence, which translates to more sales and repeat sales.

We're not saying that Freightliner does not screw up with their manufacturer process. They do.  The difference is that Freightliner dealers/service centers take care of their customers' issues, with the least inconvenience to the customers. Case in point, since we picked up the RV in Texas, and left Texas in January 2, 2023, we went on to Florida for the winter and eventually headed to the REV Service Center in Decatur Indiana to have warranty work done, before heading back to Star Valley Ranch. By the time we got back to Star Valley Ranch, the body was slamming on the chassis and the front air bags were no  longer airing up at all. 

So we called Freightliner and explained our issue. Since the RV was not SAFELY drivable, they (Freightliner) sent a semi with a Low-Boy Trailer to tow us to their dealership, 95 miles away, which was the closest dealership. Compare this to Aqua Hot, which would neither send their Aqua Hot 'certified' technician, unless we paid him over $150 per trip for each and every visit he has to come to us, and would not pay his travel charge (as that is their requirement); and further, even though we had to take the RV to him (95 miles away, twice), he required us to pay for the warranty service ($100), which Aqua Hot was unwilling to reimburse us for. 

At Freightliner it turned out to be the main air hose that feeds air-pressure to the front air bags, which was poorly installed (too close to the turbo) which burned a hole in the line. They replaced the entire air line and made sure that it was secured away from the turbo. That was all taken care of in one day, and while we were there we were hooked up to 50Amp power with enough space to open our slides, for our comfort. That took care of that issue.

Another example... after leaving Wyoming, we noticed a growing instability of the body on the frame and by the time we got to Conroe, it was really bad with the body making 'thud' noises every time we touched the brakes. So, we took it to the closest Freightliner Service dealer. which was in Houston about 6 miles away. We called them and explained we were on the road, heading to Florida, but felt something was wrong. The said "bring it in right away and we'll take a look at it to see if it is a safety issue or if it will wait until you get to where you are going". We took it in to them, arriving at 9:30am. They looked it over and said "It is a safety issue and we need to address it right away. If we should have to order parts you can stay in it right here. There are two (2) big bolts/nuts (about 9" long) that hold the V-Ride suspension between the chassis and the body". They said that they have seen those bolts 'loose' before, but never totally missing, as in our case. They jumped right on it and fixed it right away, getting us out and back on the road within 4.5 hours (even staying about 30 minutes after they were supposed to close... to get us back on the road without disrupting our schedule. While there though they also noted that there was a transmission fluid leak and a further air leak, that they said was not critical and could wait until  we got to FL, but told us to take it to a Freightliner dealer in FL and made notes on our record so that the dealer we took it to would know what to look for. That's meritorious service.   Thank you David and Matt (Custom Chassis).  

So when we got to FL we made an appointment with the Orlando Freightliner. Thanks to the notes on our record (by VIN) they knew exactly what to fix and again were able to fix it same day. There too we were offered to stay overnight because it was raining, and hooked us up to 50A electric for the night.

How wonderful it could be IF REV and Aqua Hot could would copy and adopt the same business model for their Customer Service that Freightliner has apparently already developed. But, contrary to Freightliner, they don't give a damn.

AQUA HOT - BUYER BEWARE

Aqua Hot is the sole source of heating (air and water) as there is no propane furnace or water heater, it being an all-electric RV. This is a conundrum to us... IF it is to be an ALL ELECTRIC RV, why does it use Aqua Hot, instead of a Propane furnace, as the Aqua Hot system is not sufficient to heat water or air when the weather is quite cold, using just electricity, and instead is supplemented by use of a DIESEL burner to aid the system. With the Burner (diesel-fueled) one is able to take looooong hot showers and provide heating, when the Heat Pump A/C is no longer able to keep up.

Well, at some point we discovered that the Aqua Hot system was actually leaking diesel fuel (from the Burner) that was running through the system and down the bottom of it unto the exhaust tailpipe (yes these RVs have 3 tailpipes, one for the engine, one for the generator, and one for the Aqua Hot system). So we contacted Amy at the REV factory service center. First she tried to help us. Then she turned around and told us that REV does not  support AQUA HOT issues, as Aqua Hot insists on handling their own warranties. AND that ONLY AN AQUA HOT "Certified" Technician can work of an Aqua Hot system, otherwise it would invalidate their warranty. Where we live in Star Valley Ranch WY, there is only ONE Aqua-Hot "Certified" Technician (Snake River RV & Hitch) and he is located 95 miles away (each way). He is willing to travel to the RV, but charges $90.00 per hour for travel time, from the moment he leaves his shop, to the minute he returns. $90/hr x 1.5 hours (90 miles) = $135 each way, which equals $270 travel time, just to see if he has everything he needs on his truck (and needs to order no parts); otherwise, he will have to come back with another $270 travel charge to finish the repair. BY THE WAY, Aqua Hot will NOT cover his travel time, so we had to take the RV to him, on our dime, as Aqua Hot will not reimburse us for the fuel we have to use to take the RV to their "certified technician". 

So at an added cost of $150 (95 miles x2 (round trip) at 6 gallons per mile = about 32 gallons at $4.69/gal) versus his travel time of approx. $270, we took our RV to his shop in Idaho Falls, Idaho. He worked on it for about an hour and determined that the diesel seemed to be coming through the motor through a sprayer. He tore the unit apart and removed the motor and surmised that the problem was that due to a faulty nozzle (or something else causing the leak through the nozzle). So, since he had already had the motor pulled out, and because we would need to give the system an yearly maintenance in another few months, we told him to go ahead and do the yearly maintenance, as to do it again in a few months we would be burdened with again having to find an Aqua Hot CERTIFIED technician   

Given the problems that we have found to be true... that finding a 'certified' Aqua Hot technician may be difficult and would often cost the RV owner extra expense that Aqua Hot is not willing to reimburse the RV owner for, we opted to go ahead and give the Aqua Hot System the required yearly service, even though it would not be due for yet another 2-3 months.

BIG MISTAKE

Had we not thought ahead and tried to keep our RV well-maintained, given the difficulties imposed by AQUA HOT as to finding a workable technician, they would have covered the evaluation (and repair) under the warranty. But since we had the technician work another 3 hours on cleaning out and giving the system its upcoming 'yearly maintenance', and because these Aqua Hot 'certified' techs are NOT Aqua Hot employees, as there apparently aren't any service employees, we got screwed with also having to pay for the cost of the evaluation under warranty and had to pay for the repair as well, which according to Amy at REV, Aqua Hot is not willing to reimburse us for any warranty cost, even though such was created by their own requirement as to which technician had to be used, even when there was no other such technician available within a 200-mile radius, and not within 95 miles of our location. IF they want to limit the technician that needs to be used, and if that tech is 95 miles away, then they should either pay the tech's travel fee or cover the RV Owner's mileage expense to go to him.

Anything less is irresponsible and abusive.

By the time we got back to our campsite in Star Valley Ranch, the 'supposedly repaired' Aqua Hot system worked for about 12 hours, then broke down again. The second time it broke it was no longer leaking fuel, because it would just not even run at all. It still worked under the ELECTRIC system, but not with the BURNER. So, you guessed it... We had to take it back to the "certified" technician, at another $150 extra unreimbursed fuel expense. What was the problem with it now? A blown 20amp glass fuse, which I could have replaced myself, except that Aqua Hot will void the warranty, IF anyone (other than a 'certified technician. But because one needs an Aqua Hot "certified" technician, the RV owner has to bear the extra expenses to get to one. They did cover the cost of replacing the $1 fuse, but NOT our expense of $150 to have to take the RV to him. The tech in Idaho Falls wanted to replace the motor for a new one (and had one available to do so) BUT AQUA HOT did not authorize it.

Wouldn't it be wonderful IF that was the end of it?

Unfortunately, it wasn't. Two days after we got back to our site in Star Valley Ranch RV Resort, after the fuse was replaced by the Aqua Hot Tech, we noticed the Aqua Hot System was again leaking fuel through it AGAIN (not as much as it was before, but definitely leaking diesel through it, falling on the tailpipe and smoking... though shortly thereafter the Burner stopped working AGAIN altogether. Given that already having made two 95-mile trips to try to fix our Aqua Hot under warranty, and only accomplished to have to pay to see a technician, and he NOT having fixed the issue... there was no way we would make a third trip to Salt River RV & Hitch. What's that saying? Fool me once, shame on you; shame me twice, shame on me. 

So there we were with NW Wyoming weather getting colder and colder. The single 'Heat Pump' A/C would only work down to about 40 degrees F, but the nightly temperatures were dipping to the high 20s. So we had to only use the "ELECTRIC" phase of Aqua Hot, which does not heat all that much, and we had to supplement ourselves with 4 other electric heaters throughout the RV. This is CRAZY for a $630,000 RV. Had REV disclosed that Aqua Hot was NOT covered under their warranty and that we could not count on any help from REV, we would not have bought this RV. Thank you FLEETWOOD and AQUA HOT. If we knew then what we know now, we would NOT have purchased a FLEETWOOD or ANY RV with AQUA HOT. Come to think of it the safest bet would probably have been a late model (2015-1019) USED RV with +/- 50,000 miles, with PROPANE cooking, heating, etc.  

We had to leave Wyoming early to get away from the cooling weather. Thankfully we had taken a year-long lease of a site at Sunkissed Village RV Resort in Summerfield FL (next to The Villages), which started October 1, 2023, so as soon as we got there we could hook up to electric, on our lot and given the FL weather, wouldn't have the same need for 'heating'.

We still needed to find a way to have our Aqua Hot fixed, and fixed under the warranty. WHY should we have to pay anyone to fix our Aqua Hot, when the RV is brand new and is not even a year old yet. Having been made to pay $300 in fuel charges and not being reimbursed even $100 of our first warranty service, is a shameful quality of both FLEETWOOD and AQUA HOT.

BEWARE IF YOU BUY A NEW FLEETWOOD PRODUCT

You have now been advised of the low quality of their product and their warranty. IF you get screwed by them, don't complain. You asked for it.

We fully understand that some parts of a warranty are the responsibility of the manufacturer. Therefore, when you buy a truck and there is a problem with a tire, it won't be Ford that has to replace it, it will probably be Michelin or Goodyear (as tare on the vehicle). However, it was a Ford DEALER that sold it, so one should be able to take it to the dealership and have them replace it. They will send the bad tire back to the tire manufacturer (or Ford) and put on a new tire for the owner. That is what generates CONSUMER CONFIDENCE. That is what REV and Aqua Hot both lack.

There is NO LONGER ANY CONSUMER CONFIDENCE when you buy an RV, and for sure NOT if it is a FLEETWOOD product, which only has AQUA HOT on ALL of its ALL ELECTRIC RVs.   

In our new area of Florida there is supposed to be a MOBILE AQUA HOT 'Certified' Tech (POTGO Mobile RV Repair, 42725 West Altoona Rd, Altoona FL 32702 (610) 679-9115, potgorv@gmail..com). Supposedly there are also Aqua Hot service centers in Ocala and Leesburg (within 18 miles of our location); however, we hesitate to take the RV to yet another location, as our previous two trips to do so have been useless and only cost us additional expense. We hope we can get either AQUA HOT or REV to assist us in getting our AQUA HOT fixed finally and completely, without having to continue to move our RV to someone else, which then ends not fixing the issue.  That and often they have to keep the RV there but have no facilities for us to stay in our RV while they work on it or order any parts needed.

So POTGO came out the first time and said that there was nothing wrong, because the burner was firing up. However, after he left we noticed that though it fires up, and generates heat, it does not heat the water at all.

So POTGO came by a second time and tore open the system, finding several issues. He said he needed to order some parts but that 1) Aqua Hot needs to authorized them, then2) he can have them sent to him (which could take 7 - 30 days.) So we sent a nasty gram to Aqua Hot and got a response right away stating that the parts were authorized and would be sent the next day. So now we are awaiting his getting the parts and then he can get it to fire up again and check for what else is broken on it to know what to fix. At least he seems to know what he is doing. 

We have recently had a very negative experience with both FLEETWOOD RV product confidence, and the AQUA HOT HEATING and WATER HEATING systems, this being a product of ALL-ELECTRIC RVs, which like EVs (cars) has only proved itself unrealistic. 

Before you buy a FLEETWOOD or other ALL ELECTRIC RV, you'll want to know what warranty you can count on, and which is implied, but NOT supported, and how the Aqua Hot Service may cripple you and leave you on your own, even if you have a brand new RV, even when the same is still under a new vehicle warranty (such as ours is.) 

IF you link to our webpage and the post is not yet up, check back again. It has taken a bit longer to put this post up, as we just lost our dog and are prepping to travel South to get out of WY before winter sets in.

We bought and took delivery of our RV on 12/28/2023. Luckily for the dealer (Motor Home Specialist) the Aqua Hot did not present a problem at that time, because IF it had there was no way that they could have fixed it there, because they don't have an Aqua Hot 'certified' technician. That's right... AQUA HOT maintains a separate warranty from REV's (Fleetwood's) and insist that no one other than an Aqua Hot 'certified' technician, and if it is worked on by anyone else (no matter how good they are), Aqua Hot would not cover any repair, as the warranty would be immediately cancelled. Such was the response we got from Amy Zimmerman, at the Fleetwood (REV) New Vehicle Warranty Service Center in Decatur, Indiana, when just four months after taking delivery of our brand new 2023 Fleetwood Discovery LXE 44B diesel pusher, as $628K motorhome.

When we called Aqua Hot Technical Support for the nearest Aqua Hot 'certified' technician, we were informed that there were absolutely NONE within 95 miles from our location. They offered that there were four (4) techs in Idaho Falls, ID. We started calling each, only to find out that three (3) of the four (4) were in fact Aqua Hot dealers, IF you wanted to BUY a system, but were NOT AUTHORIZED to work on the systems they sell, because they did not have a 'certified' tech. Only one (1) in Idaho Falls (and within a 100 mile radius of Idaho Falls) was eligible to work on an Aqua Hot RV heating system. He was willing to travel (be mobile) but he would charge a $95 per hour rate (from the time he leaves his house/shop, until the time he gets back. Since we were 95 miles away from him, it would take him 1.5 hours each way, so that's a 3 hour RT travel charge, which at $95/hr equals $285 (just for travel time), which Aqua Hot refuses to pay for. So the customer HAS TO take their RV to the Aqua Hot required technician, which is 95 miles away, because they don't have any other technician nearer, and even after doing so they refuse to repay the RV owner for the warranty work, which the technician requires to be paid for. FOLKS, that is just criminal. 

So IF you buy an RV that is ALL ELECTRIC, it will be sure to have a heating system from either AQUA HOT/HYDRA HOT or OASIS, and they apparently (according to Aqua Hot and REV/Fleetwood) won't disclose it when they sell you the RV, but will disassociate themselves from the responsibility of their ONE YEAR COMPREHENSIVE WARRANTY. That too is criminal and irresponsible from REV. 

So you have been WARNED. IF you buy a new ALL ELECTRIC RV (and that is the way they all are made nowadays) you are sure to have to deal with Aqua Hot to repair it when it breaks. Also, IF it is a FLEETWOOD (REV) don't think you can count on the RV's own Warranty, because you can't. The first thing they'll tell you (as they told us) is that you can pay for the repair if it is an Aqua Hot certified technician and that then you'll be reimbursed... BUT YOU WON'T BE.... UNLESS it is a TIFFIN Motorhome. 

We have talked to other RV'ers who have had brand new Tiffin motorhomes, and they were told by TIFFIN to just find ANY technician that can fix an Aqua Hot system, and that TIFFIN will reimburse them for it. Here in The Villages, Florida, NEXT LEVEL RV, LLC (352) 274-8008, nextlevelrv@yahoo.com is a reputable and knowledgeable MOBILE RV TECH, although they are NOT an Aqua Hot 'certified' technician, they were able to fix the two Tiffin RVs' Aqua Hot systems, and the owners were paid for the repairs by TIFFIN, directly.... UNLIKE by REV (Fleetwood), which can't be counted on for anything. However, IF you want an Aqua Hot 'certified' technician, who is mobile and only charges $100 for a 'mobile' service charge, his name is Todd Paolini, whose business name is POTGO (Paolini On The GO), from Altoona FL, Cel. (610) 679-9115. This one is listed on the Aqua Hot website under authorized service.

Sunday, November 26, 2023 - POTGO called that he had FINALLY received the part from Aqua Hot and would come by on Monday to install it, to see IF that takes care of the problem, but that IF NOT, at least he would be able to make other tests to find out what else is failing. He warned us that IF NOT, then he would have to order another part, as Aqua Hot won't just replace the whole unit to afford the owner peace of mind, but rather will only authorize ONE PART AT A TIME, even though that imposes a much longer repair time since each part ordered takes 2 weeks to a month to get to the tech. Further, the mobile tech has to travel from his location to the site of the RV, which implies  lost time to him as well as added fuel costs. So he charges a $100 Service Fee. AQUA HOT, will compensate him for the work he does (under their supervision and part by part); however, Aqua Hot refuses to compensate him for his travel charge... therefore he has to get it from the customer, or he will not be 'mobile; and the customer would have to take the RV to his location, EACH and EVERY TIME that yet another part arrives to be installed. SO, though AQUA HOT AND REV say they have a comprehensive ONE (1) YEAR WARRANTY, in all actuality, they don't. REV shifts the responsibility to Aqua HOT and their own warranty is designed for everything else, other than the owner's peace of mind with their BRAND NEW $600,000 RV. When even their own techs say that they would never buy an RV with an Aqua Hot heating system, it's a referral that should be taken seriously and abided by. Otherwise, an owner really has no claim when they get screwed, because they screwed themselves. Unfortunately, hindsight is 20/20. Ha d we known then, what we know now, we would NEVER have trusted REV or Aqua Hot.

So, now we are on hold AGAIN, waiting for yet another part, because now the Aqua Hot BURNER does fire up, yet the water does not heat to more than 99.5 degrees. The fluid that heats the coils in the system is actually 45 degrees BELOW what the computer says it is, so it will never get hotter. 

IF YOUR HOT WATER STOPS COMING OUT THROUGH YOUR FAUCETS, TRY THIS!

So then we called REV, as it was no longer an issue with Aqua Hot. Shane, the REV Owner Relations Tech told us to check the Hot & Cold water handles on the Utility Bay outside shower, to make sure that they are FULLY CLOSED. We didn't understand HOW that could have any bearing on whether the inside faucets would be able to get hot water or not, but we checked. 

Lo and behold, they were both fully open, so we closed them and then re-checked the water inside the kitchen sink, half bath, main bath and shower.... SCALDING HOT water. WOW!!! Can you believe that such a simple, stupid change could fix the problem, We can't either, but it did, and we are so glad to finally having continuous hot water that we can depend on, especially with company coming from Wyoming in January.

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Roxy's VETERINARIANS

As we do everywhere we go... we write about the places/establishments we visit and recommend or point out their deficiencies, for the benefit of other travelers. So too, we thought we would write about ROXY's Veterinarians, so IF you need a good veterinarian in your travels, you'll know who you can count on, and who to avoid.

Shortly after adopting Roxy 02/24/2019, she started having loose stool, so we took her to All Creatures Great and Small in Benson, AZ, (where we lived), where it appeared that their only solution to every illness was 'ANTIBIOTICS'. However, one has to experience something to be able to judge it, so we gave her the antibiotics. They didn't help Roxy, so when we called them about it they issued a Rx to DOUBLE the dose. When that didn't help they said they would issue a RX to triple the dose. We said NO WAY. If you find yourselves in Benson, AZ (MM300-306 on I-10)STAY AWAY FROM THIS VET or don't complain if you go there.  

ACG&S VET SCORE:  1/5 💔

We had already planned our first RV travel since adopting Roxy, starting with a visit to the North Rim of the Grand Canyon, and we were at the Thousand Trails Verde Valley RV Resort in Cottonwood, AZ, when Roxy's diarrhea started to get worse. So we looked for a veterinarian in the area and the best recommendation was the Anasazi Animal Clinic at 407 W Highway 260, Camp Verde, AZ 86322.   Dr. Pollock and his staff offered no different treatment than All Creatures Great and Small, claiming that antibiotics is the correct protocol for diarrhea, so we had no choice than to forego trying to fix the problem there, either. We cannot recommend them, and would go as far as to WARN against them.  ANASAZI VET SCORE: 2/5 💔

So we continued our trip to go see the North Rim and stayed at the Kaibab Camper Village on Forest Service Rd. in Fredonia. AZ. It is the only campground on the North Rim with full RV hookups, which is not really "roughing it", but then our name is Roughing It-GENTLY, after all. (Wink!).  It is about 25 minutes to the Grand Canyon North Rim entrance kiosk, and another 25 minutes to the Grand Canyon Lodge and the canyon rim. We were that close, for just a few days, but our main focus was our baby, So, we decided to suspend our trip to the North Rim (after all the Grand Canyon will always be there, and it it's not, then neither will we to worry about it). 

We called SPR for a recommendation as to a good VET to address Roxy's issues and treat it correctly. They recommended VetMED AZ Emergency and Specialty Veterinary Hospital. So we called them and made an appointment for within a few days, long enough for us to get back to the Thousand Trails Verde Valley RV Resort in Cottonwood, AZ, which is only about 80 miles from VetMED in Phoenix and where we could camp for FREE, while taking care of Roxy.    

At VetMED Emergency and Specialty Hospital at 20612 N Cave Creek Rd, Phoenix AZ 85024, we saw Dr. Brigham and Dr. Sluiter, which were both EXCELLENT vets, knowledgeable, thorough and caring. They kept Roxy overnight and did tests up the Ying-Yang, put her out and put a camera down her throat  to inspect her throat , esophagus, stomach and intestines. Unlike the Benson vet (All Creatures) and the Camp Verde vet (Anasazi) these guys didn't just prescribe antibiotics or anything without first knowing what they are treating.  They kept Roxy overnight, to do fecal labs, bloodwork, ultrasound and even to scope her stomach and intestines and took many small biopsies. Until getting the results of the biopsies they modified her diet prescribing just Chicken stock for 2 days and then prescription Hill’s Science Nutrition Digestive Care Diet i/d Low Fat (canned stew and dry kibbles). They suspect IBD (Irritable Bowel Disorder) but needed all these tests and procedures to rule out other issues and make sure it was not cancer or pancreatitis. Kudos to VetMED Emergency and Specialty Hospital and Drs. Brigham and Sluiter (although judging by the reviews and other SPR folks who have experience with other vets there, everyone there is top-notch.  The next day we got great news. Roxy's biopsies came back ruling out any cancer and confirming the preliminary diagnosis of IBD (Irritable Bowel Disorder), which though not curable, it is usually manageable with a special diet and steroids (in this case we are starting with Prednisone at 2x20mg daily and then see how it is to be adjusted or changed). By this date also, Roxy's diarrhea has started changing to being more formed, though still soft (but pick-upable), and mostly to the point that she can hold it all night, which means that we no longer have to stay up at night with her. However, after giving her 2-3 days of Prednisone we will again take turns to see how it goes, as a side-effect of Prednisone (in dogs) is that it makes them thirstier and subsequently need to pee more. The question is whether she will still be able to hold it all night... or not. Anyway, we are not leaving until June 25, 2019 so we'll have a week to see how it goes.  

  

 

However, as good as we thought we had it once Dr Sluiter prescribed the Hill's Prescription Diet formula food and Roxy started to get over her diarrhea and firm up her poop, the Doc changed her food again, to Natural Balance Limited Ingredients food, because according to her the biopsies showed that a protein that she is allergic to is also found in the Hill's formula. So, though we were happy with the improving results, like idiots we followed the doctor's advice and changed her food. Within days Roxy started getting looser evacuations again, until by the day we had to leave (on our way to Fort Running Bear in Mountain Home ID - 900 miles away). The trip was going to take two nights on the road with a dog that had diarrhea again and we would have to make pit stops with very little notice to let Roxy out. So, we had to override the veterinarian and get Roxy back on the Hill's Prescription diet. We arrived at Fort Running Bear in Mountain Home ID on the 27th so we could set up camp and drive into a PetSmart in Boise ID to get her the Hill's Prescription i/d Digestive Care that the vet said she was allergic to, However, apparently Roxy never got the memo on that and it was the only one that had worked. Within just a few days her diarrhea was corrected and her stool started being well-formed and if not always fully firm, at least always 'pick-upable'. Bill kept a record of how much of what was given on each feeding and how many pees and how many poos and what degree of firmness, etc., even with photos. We reported to the vet who concurred with our decisions and offered to reduce her steroid (Prednisone) from 2x 20mg  daily, to 1-1/2 20mg daily. One side effect of the steroid is that it makes her very hungry, so even though she is now back to her regular 4 cups daily (1 cup four times a day... 6am, 12noon, 6pm and midnight), she is still always starving.

At some point in the future, Dr. Sluiter was still not comfortable with Roxy being back on the Hill's food, due to the possibility of that dastardly protein creating a problem for Roxy in her future, so she researched it and switched her to Royal Canin Veterinary Rx Low Fat Chicken flavor food and had us keep tabs on her stools. Roxy seemed to tolerate Royal Canin as well as the Hill's, so we kept her on the Royal Canin food from that point on, until her death.  

VETMED SCORE:  5/5 💓

Everything went well (well, at least manageable) until August 2021 when Roxy's stool started getting 'loose' again. We were at the Star Valley Ranch RV Park in Star Valley Ranch, WY, so we took her to the most recommended local Vet, Bridger Animal Hospital & Haystack Pet Resort, which was also the closest to us. There she started seeing one vet and then another, Drs. Wilson and Ashley. Both were very young and apparently recently graduated from Vet School, but when in one lives out in the country (90 miles away from a major city) on has to use what is available and most recommended. However, sort of like it was at All Creatures Great and Small in Benson, AZ and at Anasazi Animal Hospital in Camp Verde AZ, they started treating her with one thing and then changing to another, and then when out of ideas, one of the young(er) and less experienced Vets said, "I would recommend doing a liver biopsy to see if it shows anything." We said not only "NO, but Hell, NO", and opted to make the trip to Idaho Falls, hoping to find a more experienced and professional Vet who would only do a biopsy IF it is to confirm a particular finding, rather than just to see if it tells you what you have no idea what it may be; and if it does not... Oh, well,  (poor dog, cat or horse). 

Later we found out that Dr. Pachie the practice owner IS that more experienced and more professional voice of reason, who had we had the benefit of her experience and professionalism, we may have continued with treating Roxy there, as we are fairly certain that she would not have recommended a biopsy, just to see if it found anything, while not knowing what was suspected. But that is life. You live it and you learn from your experiences. Still, they are all very conscientious with trying to care for your pets, and for what the options are in Star Valley, they are among the best.

BRIDGER VET SCORE: 5/5 💓

In Idaho Falls we were referred to the Countryside Veterinary Hospital and there we dealt primarily with Dr. Shoemaker who was very professional and very thorough.  From that point on Dr. Shoemaker was Roxy's Vet and we would coordinate her appointments with days we had to go shopping in Idaho Falls, like the V.A., Costco, Albertsons, etc. We also kept Bridger Animal Hospital for her vaccinations and ordering her food, which they were always very prompt with ordering. For the rest of time until she started getting sick again and was losing her strength, Dr. Shoemaker said that she had done all she could for Roxy and that anything else would require a Specialty Hospital (like VedMED), but that the closest was near Boise ID (345 mile, 5-1/2 hr. drive) and given Roxy's health condition it may not be feasible, if our main concern is having given her as best a life as we could, BUT also keeping her from suffering as her end of life stage approaches. COUNTRYSIDE VET SCORE:  5/5 💓

 

By August 9, 2023, her health started to nose dive. We hoped we would have had at least a week longer, so we could spoil her with indulging her with all the things that she has absolutely loved doing (riding on a golf cart, sleeping on our bed with us, etc.), but her health declined so fast. For a more in depth accounting of how her last week went, check out our blog post at:  http://www.roughingitgently.com/2023/08/roxy-201-2023-we-could-not-have-asked.html (click link).

To avoid her suffering any further we opted to put her down on Sunday, August 13, 2023, but did so in the back of our Ford Explorer where she was at ease, since it was her favorite vehicle to ride in. We called Bridger Animal Hospital in Thayne; Dr. Lisa Pachie (the practice owner) was on emergency duty, and was already taking care of a dog with a broken leg, another injured in a dog fight, and another that was also injured, but agreed to also see us to end Roxy's suffering. We had never dealt with Dr. Pachie, but both agreed that IF we had her as Roxy's Vet (instead of the two young inexperienced Vet, Wilson and Ashley, we might not have felt a need to seek a different Vet.  So we would like to take this opportunity to say THANK YOU, DR. PACHIE for your experience and humanity, making Roxy's last minutes at ease for her and with absolutely no fear, dying in our arms while we loved on her. Her ashes will now travel with us and Mary's other GSD (Kaiser) in our motorhome and be with us until it is our time to go as well. 

Unfortunately, while seeking and insuring that she would not suffer any longer, now we are the ones suffering, without her in our loves. She was such a GREAT dog and will forever be missed, having left a huge void in us. There is not a single day that we don't shed a tear thinking of her.

Before closing this post, we want to thank Dr. Sluiter and all the staff at Vet MED in Phoenix AZ; Dr. Kathy Shoemaker and all the staff at Countryside Veterinary Hospital; as well as Dr. Pachie and all the staff at Bridger Animal Hospital & Haystack Pet Resort for your ongoing care and attention to Roxy. And thank you Bridger Animal Hospital for your donation to the Arbor Day Foundation to plant a tree in honor of Roxy. as well as the Sympathy Card signed by all your staff. We have added a lock of her hair and a cut swatch of her favorite pink blanket that came with her from the Saving Paws Rescue in Phoenix AZ. She will now continue to travel with us for the rest of our days in our motorhome alongside her brother, Kaiser (2000 - 2010)  

- - - - - - - - - - -

ROXY: The greater the Love, the deeper the Sorrow...

 

Our precious baby girl, 

ROXY (fka Wonder)

has gone to the Rainbow Bridge 

Sunday,  August 13, 2023

Following is a Pictorial Memory Garden

to her memory, for the couple that found her in California, and rescued her, as well as for the folks at Saving Paws Rescue AZ who took her in, so that we could be fortunate enough to be able to adopt her, as well as for all the friends that she made in the last 4-1/2 years, and for her Uncles Jerry and Darren and Aunts Sue and Rozz.

We could not have asked for (or deserved) a better dog.

It is with our deepest and most painful regret that we inform all our friends of the passing of our much loved Roxy girl. She has now gone to the  Rainbow Bridge peacefully. and our sole consolation is the knowledge that one day we will get to join her, never again to be parted, when our own time comes. Still, for now and until then, our hearts are broken into a million pieces. There won't be a day that we won't think of her life with us, and we will always carry her ashes with us, where ever we go. She has left such a deep void in our lives. We pray that the pain of her loss will subside in time, though our love for her never will.

Through extensive testing at Vet Med AZ, an Emergency & Specialty Veterinary Hospital, (suggested by SPR) she had Inflammatory Bowel Disorder and lately also  Elbow Dysplasia. About two weeks prior, Degenerative Myelopathy (DM) has been added to her growing list of illnesses. According to the Vet, DM has no cure and will only keep deteriorating her condition. It is a hereditary disease that weakens the hind limbs and will eventually cripple her, causing her much pain. Despite all the hardships experienced with Roxy's trials and tribulations, made all the more sensitive by living part to most time in an RV, and in spite of all the expenses of so many needed vet and specialty care visits and tests, as well as about $500/month in vet Rx food and meds, we are absolutely blessed to have been able to share the last 4+ years with Roxy, to love her and feel her love for us, and be able to care for her trying to minimize and counter whatever negatives she has faced in the first half of her life. We love her soooo much and the crater she leaves in our hearts may never be filled again, because we doubt that we will ever find another dog that will measure up to what she has been for us.

She was treated for the IBD with Budesonide (a steroid) which makes her always hungry, (no matter how much she eats), so we balanced her weight with diet and exercise. Because she could not eat ordinary people food, but to make her think she was getting something extra, Bill taught her to eat  (crunch) and love ICE. Then he taught her how to catch it from about 10 feet away, and after that how to take it from his mouth ever so gently. She also gets Gabapentin (for pain), Forti Flora SA probiotics, and Ursodiol. The elbow dysplasia does not help because it makes her elbows weaker, and apparently at some point in her previous life (previous to us) the vet suspects she suffered a broken or fractured arm, which apparently never healed properly. This poor girl must always have been suffering to some extent, one way or another, to some degree; but you would not know it, because she never complained, and where ever Mom and Dad are going, she has always been ready and wanting to go with us. 

We travel in large RVs but all have 5-6 steps in/out. Still she has always loved going along with us, has traveled in 19 states and quite often been a tourist attraction, herself, with everyone wanting to pet her and have their photo taken with her. One can tell how much she loved the attention. Here she is at Horseshoe Bend, near Page, AZ. She is always such a sweetheart that she seemed more popular than even the scenery or location. A group of Asian tourists all wanted to pet her and have their photos taken with her. Others, German and English tourists also wanted to love on her. And she loves being petted and loved on, and being the center of attention. We kept her on a leash because that was the site rules, but she was even better Off-Leash, after a 2-week training with Abe Fabela, a professional 'Off Leash' Dog trainer.

For the last two months or so she has started having daily diarrhea, which then changed to wanting to go potty but not being able to go (as with severe constipation). Then suddenly last week she took a turn for the worse. The diarrhea (totally liquid this time) came back, accompanied by throwing up (first her food and then just bile, when there was no food left in her stomach). Wednesday and Thursday we had to stay up with her in the living room so we could hear if she was getting fidgety as if needing to 'go out'. However, by Friday she started with heavy diarrhea often with no warning. Poor baby, we could tell by her demeanor that she was so embarrassed, knowing that she was not supposed to do that in the RV, but having no control of herself. Though we kept reassuring her that it was OK, her facial expressions were of shame, as she hung her head and gave us pouty eyes.

By Friday and Saturday nights she would no longer go back into the motorhome, staying outside. Thankfully, despite the cold weather at night (40s deg. F) there was NO RAIN. Mary stayed with her outside, with some cushions and her sleeping bag. 

On Saturday we called the vet, who told us not to feed her anything for dinner , which was really hard because she is always so hungry. She said to feed her again  1/5 of her daily food dose on Sunday morning and feed her 5 times a day instead of her usual 3. However on Sunday morning, despite not having had anything to eat since 2:00pm on Saturday, she barely drank any water but had absolutely no interest in her food AT ALL. This, from a girl that has always been ravenous to eat, due to the steroids. She was also having trouble even just getting up, but managed to do so to move out of the sun and into the shade, though we had rigged her elevated bed sideways to give her some shade and keep the sun out of her eyes and later we even set up her elevated bed in the shade, with a ramp up to it, but she just laid on the gravel next to it. Frankly, we didn't know if she would even last through Sunday night, but again decided that if she did we would ask the vet to euthanize her as soon as humanely possible on Monday; but when she was just not interested in eating or  drinking and her demeanor changed to not even being able to smile anymore, we realized that it would be unfair to her to drag it out any longer and decided to put her down as soon as possible, to end her suffering and pain. The job of Mom & Dad is not an easy one, and it carries a responsibility to always protect our babies from needless suffering when there is no more Hope, as well as from any harm even when they are well. So we can only hope and trust that we have done our best, for her.

Foreseeing that he r end was near, last week, based on the continuing deterioration of her health, we had made the appointment for the procedure a week out, for the Friday, August 18th, to be able to rent a golf cart on Monday to give her rides, which was a favorite activity for her, while sitting between us; and to be able to carry her onto our bed to snuggle with us (another favorite) and spend some quality time with her. However, Friday she suddenly took a turn for the worse and we knew it we would probably not have much time (if any) next week, to wait until next Friday... perhaps just Monday or Tuesday, if we were lucky, which we weren't. Saturday evening's further decline cast doubts on even waiting until Monday. By Saturday evening her mood and demeanor had changed completely. She spent the day (Saturday) with constant liquid diarrhea and vomiting, first of her previous food intake and all the poop that as the vet described it... "her intestines and colon are not only full but distended from accumulation, so at least she is finally being able to get it all out, but due to her condition, she will probably never recover from this. Finally when that ended, she was exhausted and laid town unable to get back up voluntarily. Her ever present smile and good cheer had vanished, and the most she did was to lick us as we lay by her side, promising we would take care to end her suffering... soon. Sunday morning we realized that "soon" had to be "as soon as possible"... meaning right away. 

So we spent the days and nights outside with her, at her side, and called the vet at noon on Sunday, to arrange for an emergency euthanasia the same day. We were surprised that she would do so and the poor lady was already at the clinic with a dog with a broken leg, and another injured in a dog fight, and a third one that came in while we were waiting, who had been hit by a car. After 4 hours though she called saying that she was ready for Roxy. So, we carried her into the back of the Ford Explorer, which is where she always rode when we went anywhere in the Explorer, because she has her own 'ducted' A/C to that area and the most room for her to be able to stretch out. We took her pink blanket that her rescuers in California sent to SPR with her, and her little Lambie (a squeaky toy), which a neighbor had given her and which she loved to sleep with and cuddle with it. We had them do the procedure right there where she laid in the back of the Explorer, because we figured that she would be more at ease there, than being carried off into the vet clinic (which she was not too fond of, anyway).

It has been our observation that despite her separation anxiety she is OK with being left alone in either of our car or truck, or in the motor home, as long as we tell her (as we always have) "We'll be back". But whenever we leave her at PetSmart for a beauty spa day, even saying "we'll be back" does not minimize her separation anxiety. So we opted to put her down in the back of our Explorer on Sunday, August 13, 2023. Now we'll have to live with the constant reminder that that is where she died, but the consolation is that she died peacefully in familiar surroundings, in the arms of her Mom and Dad, holding her and kissing her and telling her that she won't suffer anymore. We didn't lie, but it is WE who will suffer now, trying to find a way to live without her in our lives.

We have both loved and lost other four pawed companions and the decision to take them to the Rainbow Bridge is never an easy one, but after much deliberation and seeing the gradual but progressive decline in her health, as well as in her demeanor, we felt that no matter how much we may have wanted to hang on to her, it was not fair to make her continue her internal suffering. Roxy has always been identified by her veterinarians (and her professional dog trainer) as 'very stoic', meaning that no matter how she feels (physically or emotionally, inside) she will never show it externally. The dictionary defines it as "A person (well, to us she is a person... she's our adopted daughter) who can endure pain or hardship without showing their feelings, or complaining." That describes ROXY to a T.  And though she never shows how bad she feels, we can now see it in her deteriorating condition and demeanor, mostly because now she does not even want to eat anymore, barely drinks water, just lays down and NO LONGER SMILES. The most she does is to lick us when we caress her and tell her it will be all right soon, as if saying that she knows she can count on us to take care of her and minimize her suffering. 

Roxy was a Saving Paws Rescue (www.savingpawsrescueaz.org) GSD dog. They were not sure how old she was but they thought she was at about 5+ yrs old then (February 2019), so she's about 9-10 years old now. 

We want to say Thank You to Mark and Kathy Walker, who found her wandering in a California forest, and though they couldn't keep her due to an abundance of other pets of their own, took her in and called a friend, who they knew worked with a GSD pet rescue (though be it in Phoenix AZ). Mark and Kathy, she was the greatest gift you have given us. Thank you! And FYI, she still has the pink blanket you sent with her, and she has always had a fondness for it. We will cut a piece of it and wrap her ashes in it, in her box, where along with Mary's  other GSD, Kaiser (2000 - 2010) will continue to travel side by side with us in our RVs. IF you would like a portion of her pink blanket, we would be glad to send it to you. We will be posting a Pictorial Memory Garden on our blog soon (www.roughingitgently.com) in our girl's honor with photos of her life with us. Again thank your for rescuing Roxy. She deserved people who would love her.

Thank you also to the Transporter, Kenny Whittington (Mark & Kathy Walker's friend) who drove 6+ hours to go get her and 6+ hours back to the SPR shelter, Kenny Whittington of SPR (Saving Paws Rescue). 

Thanks also to Manan Dave, who figured she would be a great dog for RV parents, because she travels so well, and he was right. 

And thank you to all the volunteers at SPR, for the great work you do for these dogs, but especially to Kelly McQuillian, who always showed a special fondness for Roxy and drove 2+ hours (each way) to do our Home Inspection, in Benson AZ, to make our adoption final for Roxy. 

However, last but definitely not least, a very special Thank You also to Trish Houlihan, who  as volunteer at the local county animal shelter in 2012, saddened by the volume of German Shepherd dogs being listed for euthanasia... just because,.. founded  Saving Paws Rescue in Phoenix AZ, saving countless GSDs and finding good homes with the people who love them... like us.

The German Shepherd breed generally gets a bum rap, as a vicious and dangerous dog, probably because they are often used by the Police and Military organizations, for their intelligence, bravery and yes, aggressiveness when it is called for, but realistically in a home environment the GSD is one of the most intelligent, trainable, gentle, noble, and mostly loyal and loving of breeds. 

When we decided to adopt a dog, 9 years after Mary had to put Kaiser down due to Cancer, we were actually looking for a boy, because Mary's Kaiser was a boy and he had been a wonderful companion and friend. We keep Kaiser's ashes in a cabinet in the motor home and one morning shortly after bringing Roxy home, we got up and found Roxy in the living room staring at the cabinet where Kaiser's ashes were. She ignored us saying good morning to her and for about 5-10 minutes just stared at that cabinet. A few weeks later we noticed that Roxy had adopted some of Kaiser's traits and personality. Could be coincidence... or maybe their spirits are somehow connected. Now they are both  going to keep traveling with us side by side.  However, that will be the last dogs for us. In our 70's we couldn't bear going through the pain of such loss again. 

For a little over 3 years, while traveling in our motorhome/truck we carried a 4" toy resin dog (a GSD) who we called Rex, in the hopes of one day finding a real one to adopt. So when we called and submitted an application at SPR in 2019, we were actually looking for a male dog. However, we figured that they would probably reject us anyway, because we were living in a small Casita and traveled in a motorhome. But the next day Manan Dave called to say that we were approved and that they had the perfect dog for us... one who was house-trained and travelled very well. The only issue was that it was a GIRL named 'Wonder'. Manan sent us a photo and as Mary is always quick to point out to everyone, "One look at her eyes in the photos and Bill was smitten." TRUE FACT. Wonder, who we later changed to Roxy (sort of a feminine derivative of 'Rex') had the deepest, gentlest and most loving eyes, and as they say that the eyes are the windows of the soul, this proved to be true in her case. We went to 'visit' her to see if we each got along with the other. Manan said she had already been taken by another couple (on a trial basis) but was returned to SPR because she was aggressive with their cat. 

 

That is so hard for us to accept, seeing how gentle and friendly Roxy is with a neighbor's Siamese cat ('Buddy') and with all other critters she encounters. She has rubbed noses with two different cats (one who the owner said it hates big dogs) and with two horses, and will patiently sit by our side to just observe a herd of wild horses, a flock of sheep, the mule deer and a mama moose with her calf that visited us in winter, and one day while taking her out for a walk she stopped mid-stride and then blocked Bill's passage, and pointed out 2 baby ducks in the tall grass, right in front of him, who had wandered away from their mama, so he would pick them up and take them to a nearby creek. However, some people will make up the darnedest excuses when they are not a good fit. Anyway, we 'visited' for about 15 minutes and told Manan that a trial basis was not necessary, that we would all get along just fine. We took Roxy to our truck (F150) and asked her if she wanted to go Home with us. She LAUNCHED herself into the back seat and wore this huge grin all the way back to the house, in Benson. The rest, as they say, was history. I know everyone thinks that of their fur-babies, but to us Roxy was the BEST choice, and we feel pretty confident that she echoed the sentiment. 

We know we have done all we could for Roxy and that no one could love her more. We just hope it was enough to make up for the suffering she has endured in the first half of her life. Mary did not have any photos of Kaiser, so I made it a point to take plenty of Roxy and include some of them here, to share with you who knew her. However, all told we have over 1,900 photos and videos, so now the issue is to select the best ones.

Roxy, we love you, always will, and you can be assured that we will all see each other again, when our time comes. Below is a Photo Memory Garden to commemorate the life and love we have shared for 4-1/2 years, wishing wit could have been 9-10. 

These few were taken just as we were pulling out of SPR the 

day we picked her up. She was so happy... as were we.

She loved the motor home, especially taking Mommy's 

seat as the Co-Pilot, so she could tell Bill where to go. 

"Let's go, Dad!, Why aren't we moving?"

Whether in the RV or the truck, we would take her everywhere with us. At first she had separation anxiety real bad, but in time reinforcing telling her "We'll be right back" when we left her in the RV, truck or house (when we couldn't take her) and though the separation issues never fully disappeared, she was more at ease as long as we told her "We'll be right back.'

Don't know if she had ever been to a beach before us, but she loved it in Florida.

Though we put her through a two-week boarding Doggie Training with a professional Off-Leash Dog Trainer, even he said that the separation anxiety was the only thing that he could not break her of. However she walked better Off Leash, than on... always on the left and always by our side. And we always got compliments on her being so well behaved and minding every command we gave her. "Stay" worked only as long as she could see us. If we went around a corner or behind a car, she would break 'Stay' and go look for us.

She knew that she could not get on the furniture, except on one sofa that was her very own sofa. The RV Copilot seat and the bed in the bedroom (whether at home or in the RV) she had to be "invited" to get on it and she always respected that, but loved getting 'invited'.

Who says a GSD can't be a lap dog? This one time 

Daddy invited her on his chair, and she loved it.

This was her RV sofa with a protective cover and her pillow on it. The TV was behind her but she loved being able to see both of us across from her.

When she was rescued in Hesperia, California, the couple that found her sent this pink blanket with her. For whatever reason she has always been very attached to it, and we have made sure that it is always with her. She still has it today, and we will try to have the Cremation folks put in the box a piece of her blanket, and we will keep another part of it and offer a part of it to the folks that rescued her.  

 

Here she is with Mommy, while hiking thru an RV camping area in Cottonwood AZ

And in a forest and other trails.

And after long hikes she was ready for what she loved most... coming back to the base camp and hanging out with her peeps, laying on her canopied, elevated bed to be fed ice cubes and relax with Mom and Dad.

Here she is in Yellowstone National Park. She loves watching the Elk, Bear and Bison, but from a distance. She has more good sense than most 'tourists' that come wanting to take selfies with these wild animals.

In 2019-2020, our (Roxy and us) first Christmas together. 

She was not amused with the antlers, but tolerated them for the photo. 

Except when she got her German up, she was always so willing to please us.

One of her favorite things to do was to be invited to get on the bed with us. Can you tell by her big smile? She would eventually get too hot and jump down on her own, but until she did she would try to see how she could position herself to take as much of Daddy's side of the bed.

Lowe's was her favorite store to go visit, because she was ALWAYS welcome in there and seemingly everyone wanted to pet her there. But per chance if someone didn't volunteer to pet her, she would go solicit a petting, by putting her nose under their hand.... "You WILL pet me!" Generally we could leave her in an aisle and as long as she could see us she would stay there. However, she would always try to position herself to take up as much space as she could, so someone would pet her.

At the campgrounds, whether on grass, gravel or a cement pad, she always had her own raised bed to keep the bugs off of her and be cooler. It even had a canopy over it to help keep the sun off of her.

In the RV kitchen, waiting for her dinner. The poor thing was ALWAYS hungry due to the Budesonide (steroids) for her IBD. That's why Bill taught her to like ICE, so she could at least have the fantasy of 'eating' something (even if it was just water).

While we lived in Benson AZ for about a year after we adopted her we had a golf cart, which she absolutely loved riding on it. It had a fold out rear seat that we thought would be perfect for her to lay on, but she  said "NO!.. I'm riding in the front with either, or both of you".  And so, she always did. In Wyoming we didn't have a golf cart (and now we kick ourselves for not having gotten one for her) but we did have a JD zero-turn lawn mower, which as shown in the video further below, she would jump on to get her  'ride' fix. It's easy to see by her smile how happy she was riding the golf cart and saying Thank You to Dad for taking her for a ride in the desert.

She was always an Observer of Life (including other critters), She would never chase another critter with malicious intent, as here 'observing' the Sand Hill Cranes walk past our campground in Florida. Well, once or twice, IF she flushed out a Jack Rabbit (in Arizona) she would jump to give it chase... but just for the fun of chasing it, knowing full well that she would never really catch it. However, even so, IF Mommy said "Roxy, NO!" she would stop the chase instantly and return to Mom's side. What a good girl she was.💓

She loved it when Dad would clean out her ears and scratch them.

                      

And she always found the darnedest ways to position her body to sleep.

She loved to cuddle against Mom.

No, she wasn't being punished in the corner. Come to think of it she never nedded to be punished and rarely even let us down about anything. Here, taken from the Security Cam in the house, she would always wait at the door for about 3-5 minutes, when we left (in case we changed our minds and came back to invite her to go along), since usually we would take her along wherever we went. Then, usually, as soon as she heard the car back again, she would be at the door ready to greet us.

Meet the Cuddler...

And the Bed HOG

Here (above) she enjoyed sitting out with us on the 2nd floor deck, when we first bought this house, but the back deck had a golf course behind it and for whatever reason, she was deathly afraid of golf courses and golfers. I mean DEATHLY AFRAID. Even on the second floor deck, 50 yards away, she would just not sit out there during the day, when the golf course was open. But she knew they didn't play at night, so at night it was OK. Needless to say, Bill had to give up golf. But for her, he didn't really mind it. Maybe now he'll take it back up again.

She loved to watch the neighborhood from the 3rd floor balcony off the master bedroom, as well as from the second floor (front) deck, so she could survey her territory and go bark at anyone who came by to let them know that it was not OK to visit UNLESS they paid tribute with ample pets for her. Funny thing was that she barked the loudest when it was friends who came, hackles up and then would lick them to death. She loved Justin the UPS driver.

What a Lap Baby!

She loved going for walks with Mom and/or Dad.

In the house, this Loveseat was her one sofa she could get on without being invited, but even having to share it she always preferred one of us on it with her, so she could cuddle or get caressed or loved on, which was our favorite thing.

The back seat of the F150 and F350 was always ALL hers. We always had a hammock there to keep her safe during a car ride, plus tethered to a seat belt.

Keeping Dad company in the back yard, while Dad worked on the trees.

Did we say she liked to cuddle and be loved on?

Actually, she LOVED it. But football game time was not her favorite. For some reason the excitement and boisterous behavior seemed to scare her, even if we tried to cuddle were during that time. Mary's team U of Michigan and Bill's Texas Aggies never played each other, so we each supported and cheered for the same teams. She didn't care, she just didn't like it, so we hade to control ourselves when cheering. 

"How else can I take up more room on the King bed, so I can block Dad's space?"

When there were critters out on the road, she would sit on mommy's foot to observe them. Here a wild momma moose and her calf were on the road and normally wild critters (especially with their young) would take exception to a big dog out there with them, but she must give off  calming scent or demeanor so that other animals are not put out by her presence, like the horse in the video above, and others.

Wrapping her paws with Dad's warm shirt to snuggle on, while sitting next to Mom.

Mom is a great snuggler too.

"Oh boy! It snowed last night. Can I go play in it?"

"Mom is taking a shower, so I'll just keep her pillow warm for her, 

until she comes back, then I'll share it with her."

There were ALWAYS three Solo Cups for Happy Hour... Mom's and Dad's (with adult drinks), and Roxy's (always full of ice for crunching). Because of her IBD, that was the only thing she could 'eat'.

As evidenced in the videos and other photos above, she loved all people (adults and kids) and other critters (adults and babies). People with small dogs were always leery, expecially if their dog was afraid of bigger dogs from having been attacked previously, but as they approached Roxy, they became friends in no time at all. People everywhere always complimented us for "What a beautiful dog that is, and so well behaved. Well, she did go to a two-week boarding training with a professional Off-Leash Trainer, but we suspect a lot of it was just her own personality, as Bill could tell from her eyes the minute he first saw her.  

Are we going out for a walk, Dad? Can we? Can we?

En route from one destination to another, as is often the way of traveling RVers , here we stopped in an open field in Kimball, Nebraska off of Interstate 80.  

Sharing 'HER' back seat with Dad and her Best Friends, Jerry and Sue Hazen (Sue is in the front seat) with Mary, who both loved her very much, as much as we love their babies, Sadie and Charlie.

At Gator's Dockside in Port Canaveral FL where we went to meet 

friends and visit the area. Roxy went EVERYWHERE with us.  

This was her favorite place to travel in the motor home, because here she was right beside both Mom and Dad, and since Dad liked to crunch ice while driving, she was sure to get some too, and since the engine is in the rear, it was a quiet area. When she got tired of the hard floor (or Dad wasn't giving her any more ice) she would go back to her sofa.

What you got there Mom? Is it ICE for me?

At the REV Service Center for Fleetwood Motorhomes in Decatur Indiana. She always found the craziest places to lay down in or rest her head on.

She was happiest ANYWHERE, where Mom 

and/or Dad were... even out in a parking lot.

The receptionist at REV had to say good morning to all the doggies, because she is an animal lover, but she always seemed more partial to Roxy. 

She loved her back seat hammock.

She had this thing about her. She always knew in advance (based on our schedules) where we would need to stand or sit at any moment... and beat us to it to lie there before we got there. EITHER we would have to tell her to MOVE,  OR we would spoil her and just stand or sit around here. Yes, we are sure like most rescue dogs, she was very spoiled.    

The main (rearmost) full bathroom of the motorhome has a step up/down between the main floor and the bunk house area, next to the shower, so she would sleep with her body on the upper level and her head on the lower level. Go figure. How can anyone be comfortable like that, but that was the ways Roxy liked it. 

Eating a piece of ICE. That was the best thing that Bill taught her. At first she was just not interested in it, but he would tease her with it until he got her interest up. IF Dad is eating it it must be good, right. From then on that was her favorite treat and because it is just water, it is safe for her making her feel like she was eating, and at the same time helping to clean her teeth.

In her last week before she took that sudden turn for the worse, we took her to the Vet, Bridger Animal Hospital in Thayne, WY, She was always anxious to get out of there, so she and Dad went out ahead to put her in the truck, but she was having none of it. She had to wait for Mom to come out too, or she was not going anywhere (even with Dad)

She loved her back seat hammock in the old truck. So when we traded it on a new 2023 Ford Ranger, even though she was already starting to get sick, we ordered her a new hammock for the Ranger, hoping to make ter transits easier and to let her know that that is hers, just like the other one. Unfortunately, she never got to even get on it. She declined so fast that she could no longer get up there, not even with a ramp that we had bought her.    

The only treat we were able to give her before she lost total interest 

in food, was a bare leg bone to chew on, which she always loved. 

By her last two days on Saturday and Sunday, her demeanor had changed completely, she had lost most of her strength and her fabulous and ever-present smile was forever gone. But THIS is how we choose to remember her... a beautiful, loving and happy girl, that has now left such a void in our lives. RIP sweet baby girl, ROXY, Until we meet again at the Rainbow Bridge