Bannan came into this world with a rip snorting roar. At birth,
he weighed more than twice the norm for a Miniature Pinscher...and 
mama Heidi was small. He had a twin who didn't make it, likely
because of their size.

He was always a happy dog. Each morning he awoke to the happiest
day of his life. Emerging from his cage where he slept, he waited
for an ear and body rub then bounded down the stairs to the back
door where he barked at the world outside. Immediately when the
door was opened, he ran outside at full steam to investigate things.
Barking and yipping he hardly took time to do his business. Of
course, Heidi was in tow; he'd look around to make sure she was in
his tracks. God help him if an obstacle had appeared over night.
He'd have creamed it for sure!

He was always (unless not feeling well...which was seldom) wagging
his tail. Even when we made one of our final visits to him at the
vet clinic, he was wagging it while hugging Lori. Curious, because
his usual attitude when not feeling well was to lay very still, 
looking very sad and pitiful.

Christmas time with Bannan was a real hoot. Think of the most 
excitement you've seen in a child and then double it...that would
be Bannan. When a gift was for him, he was absolutely wacko. He
could not wait to get into it. If the gift was a new collar (and
one always was) he was absolutely beside himself until it was
clipped around his neck.

Bannan was the epitomy of the alpha male and the epitomy of the
Miniature Pinscher breed. Early in life he showed Sidney (our male
Balinese cat) who was boss. As a min-pin, he thought he was the
baddest meanest animal around. In reality he was a wuss; he put
up a good front though, even facing bears.

Bannan could really be a pest where Heidi was concerned. She was
always wandering way back in the back area investigating things.
Bannan would get closer to the house and lie in wait in the grass.
When Heidi started toward the house, he would bound away running
circles around her; in general being a real pain. I guess mom's 
have a special place in their heart where their kids are concerned. 
That he aggravated her no end did not phase her at all.

Bannan was an extremely loving dog. He liked nothing better than to
lie on Lori's chest, hug her around the neck and kiss her ears and
face. He'd spend hours sitting on her lap as she worked around him
to get to her laptop.

Stephanie and Robert graduated high school in 2004 and 2005 repectively.
They then went away to college in the fall of those years.
Bannan was born in May of 2005. Lori always called him her "empty
nest baby". I think they both knew that was the case. A wonderful
"baby" he was, too.

On 30th July, it was apparent he was under the weather. He didn't
bound down the stairs; he barely stayed ahead of me as I walked down.
At the back door he did bark, but not with his usual gusto. He did
go on outside and came back in a few minutes waiting to be let in.
Lori made him some special food that evening as he appeared to not
be eating the regular dog food. The next morning, Saturday, he was
no better. 
On to the vet. After a few tests they determined that he was suffering
from kidney failure. He was put on an IV and anti-biotics and hand fed. 
On Sunday he appeared some better and ate a bit. We were hopeful, but 
it was down hill from there. On Tuesday the vet recommended he be taken
to a full fledged animal hospital; we arrived there Tuesday night. After
some quick tests, a failure in the urinary system was confirmed. Later 
that night the conclusion was he was indeed experiencin kidney 
failure. Treatment continued with some very little progress seemingly made. 
The vet early on Wednesday said Bannan was a "real trooper".
He was keeping his positive on life attitude along with his friendliness
to his helpers. I'm quite sure his tail was wagging quite a bit too.
However it was downhill from there. 
Wednesday's input from the vet was that he had noticeably degraded and 
was not responding as hoped. We decided Wednesday evening to continue 
treatment through the night but to not proceed unless there was positive 
improvement overnight. There was not.

We lost Bannan the morning of 5 August 2010. I guarantee you he
entered dog heaven wagging his tail.

jgm