Ruby Elizabeth “Rubinator Six Five Thousand” “Snoop” “Queen Ruby” “Ruby Gurl” Gilman, age 15,  passed away peacefully at home on Wednesday, February 24, 2021.

Not only was she a very good girl, she was, is, and will always be the very best girl ever.

Ruby, a large black Labrador Retriever, was born in Georgia in 2006. She was brought to the Mohawk-Hudson Humane Society in Menands, NY, where on January 19, 2009, Charles and Wendy met her for the first time. Initially, she was very shy and submissive. When we first saw her, she was in the very back corner of her kennel; as the staff brought her out, she flopped on her back and peed herself. But she changed when brought outside for playtime: she frolicked in the snow and was an entirely different dog. Charles and Wendy were smitten. They rushed to pick up Greg and Marguerite so they could meet Ruby before making the adoption official.

Ruby immediately became part of the family. At first, she did not know how to climb stairs, but with the help of treats, the children quickly taught her. She was not much of a barker, in fact, for several few weeks, it wasn’t clear that she could bark. Ruby had some hunting instincts, she would occasionally stop and “point.” At what, we usually didn’t know. She loved to chase after squirrels — she even caught two. To be fair, one was dead (Charles remembers the fun he had removing the dead squirrel from her mouth), but one was alive; Charles did get Ruby to release the squirrel so it could escape.

Six weeks after Ruby’s arrival, while out walking with her one winter morning, Charles slipped on a small patch of ice and broke his ankle. That’s the only time Ruby hurt any of the family. Ruby sensed that Charles was hurt and was useless, and ran to a neighbor to try and join that family. During Charles’ recovery, Wendy became the primary dog walker, but once he could manage a walking boot and the leash, Charles was once again Ruby’s constant walking companion. The two could be seen walking all over the Morningside Heights neighborhood and Frear Park.

For several months, Ruby was still quite submissive and would lay down on her back when meeting new dogs or people. However, once she realized she was in her forever home, Ruby became the “love bug.” When out on her frequent walks, she would pull to the other side of the road to greet her friends, human and canine. If a friend was down the street, she would lay down and wait for the friend to catch up. Visitors to the house were greeted exuberantly and were expected to provide many pets and scratches behind the ears. Sitting down was considered an invitation to climb up on your lap — not an easy feat for a 90 pound dog.

Ruby escaped from the house a few times but would return after rolling in some good-smelling poop. She once broke through the screen door to go after a skunk in the front yard. She got the skunk good, but the skunk returned the favor and Ruby tried to retreat into the house. Fortunately we were able to grab her and properly bathe her outside before she was allowed indoors. A “skunk wash kit” was always available after that incident.

Three years after becoming part of our family, she gained a “sister”, Lola. Ruby was the alpha dog but Lola taught her to bark at anything moving outside.

As sweet as she was, Ruby wasn’t perfect! She was a Labrador retriever that didn’t retrieve. She wasn’t food motivated, although she would bark at the family at the supper table, demanding her after-dinner treats. Her favorite place to sleep was on Charles and Wendy’s bed; she ruined several comforters and sheets sets due to her desire to nest. Ruby was stubborn and would let you know when it was time to walk or time to head home. Both dogs were taken to obedience and agility training. Ruby would reluctantly participate in the obedience class, but once the agility class started, she would lay down and refuse to move, much to the amusment of the more talented canines and more dedicated dog owners.

She loved laying in the sun, cold weather, playing in the snow, and sitting on the front porch watching the “doggie channel.”

In her final six months, Ruby slowed down quite a bit. She had arthritis all down her legs and in her lower back, and she had a cancerous growth in her snout that made it increasingly difficult for her to eat and breathe. Although she began slipping on the stairs, she stubbornly kept trying to climb them anyway; Wendy installed stair treads. Walks became shorter, naps became longer. Still, she migrated to where her people were located in the house. She served faithfully as the senior member of the canine staff during the longs months of working from home. When the vet came for a final visit, Ruby walked right up to her for some last loving and petting, ready to make yet another friend.

Special thanks to all those who have been part of Ruby’s extended family: the staff at Troy Veterinary Hospital, especially Dr. John; Dawn and the Creekside Kennel family — Ruby’s favorite vacation spot; and most gratefully to Dr. Carlin at “In the Comfort of Home” for making her last hour so peaceful.

Ruby leaves behind her loving family: Charles, Wendy, Greg, Marguerite, and Lola, and a neighborhood full of human and canine friends. She was the very best of all the good girls, and our hearts will forever have a Lab-sized hole.