Zephyr means "gentle breeze" and she was that and much more. The first time we saw her, Zephyr was engaged in a no-holds-barred wrestling match with a cat that outweighed her. She soon graduated to wrestling with our 90-pound male Golden, Gonzo. When her puppy antics got out of hand, I would hold Zephyr upside down in my lap to calm her down. She was so trusting that she would stay perfectly still if we stood in chest-deep water and gently supported her spine so she could float on her back.

On a camping trip, Zephyr discovered her love of retrieving tennis balls and we learned what it means to have a ball-crazy dog. From then on, we were obliged to keep a fresh stock of tennis balls, because Queen Zephyrtiti would turn up her nose at a dead ball. Every evening, Zephyr would grab a tennis ball and woo at us, in her bark that was a cross between a yodel and a bugle, to let us know that she wanted to go outside and "bowl". It was amazing to watch her intense focus and intricate footwork as she chased the bouncing ball and leaped to a certain catch. Then she’d trot back with happy ears for another round.

Most of all, Zephyr was a gentle soul. When she wagged her abundantly feathered tail, her whole body wagged with it, and she was known for giving lots of kisses. She made friends wherever she went, with her calm demeanor and loving gaze. It was no surprise when she aced the test to become a certified therapy dog.

Like too many Golden Retrievers, Zephyr had arthritis and hip dysplasia. We knew her hips were worsening when she stopped climbing the stairs, but she continued bowling and still loved her daily walks. The morning she went in for hip replacement surgery, she insisted that we run up and down the sidewalk in front of the NCSU Vet School, as if she knew she’d be on restricted activity for the next four months and wanted to stretch her legs one last time. A week or so after surgery, we spied her contentedly sleeping upside down in her crate. She was courageous and cooperative throughout her rehabilitation, and looked forward to visits with her friends at Steele Creek Animal Hospital. Soon she was able to run, climb stairs and bowl once again.

Zephyr enjoyed her bionic hip for a year and a half, and then it was her time to go to the Rainbow Bridge. On her last day with us, she slowly led me toward her favorite trail through the woods and we walked it one last time.

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