Ranger

Ranger was a very special dog to us.  We have fostered a lot of rescued dogs with difficult temperaments over the last 30 years.  But almost 8 years ago our children demanded a “normal dog, who liked everyone.” I was most put out and scornfully said: “what?? You want like a golden retriever? Exactly” they said! And then a golden retriever puppy fell into my lap.  

Ranger was the runt of his litter.  Not expected to survive.  The breeder was a young Amish man doing some work on our house.  He started telling me about his 1st attempt to breed dogs.  It wasn’t going well.  He told me about the one puppy he had taken into bed so he could bottle feed it at night.  I told him I would take that puppy.  That was Ranger.  

And just like my children wanted, he loved everything and everybody.   

He was so easy and so naturally loving we turned him into a therapy dog just to give him a job.   Whether he was in a hospice ward, a mental hospital or a pediatric wing at CHOP,  he loved to connect with people especially children.   

He was a storybook dog.  

I was attacked by rabid raccoon in Radnor a few year back (google Devon woman saved by golden retriever) and he jumped in front of the attacking Raccoon and saved me.   

Ranger collapsed in February 2026 out of the blue and we discovered he had cancer everywhere.   They told us he would live a week. He was 7 yrs old.   We got 4 and 1/2 months.   I am grateful for the extra 4 months we got but I’m angry didn’t more time with him.  

He is greatly missed in our family.  

Amanda Bernard