In loving memory of Spike

This weekend, our smallest packmate took his final steps.

Little Spike, the orange-collared male from the Happy Days Litter, passed away peacefully in my arms after a short life filled with warmth, care, and quiet courage.

He was just a tiny flame in this world, but oh, how brightly he burned in our hearts!

Despite every effort, administering subcutaneous fluids, round-the-clock monitoring, burping his milk-swollen tummy, and gently cradling him in my robe to keep him warm, his little body gave out.

He began to convulse, his appetite faded, and he let us know in the softest, most humble way that he was ready to go.

Spike was not one to complain, though.

He never cried loudly or begged for attention.

He simply waited.

With quiet, patient acceptance.

When he needed me, he gave the faintest whimper.

And when I answered, he would nestle in, coo softly, and drift back to sleep.

Even in his final hours, he showed nothing but peace and trust.

Dr. Dale Carnegie, DVM witnessed the seizure that ultimately signaled the end.

He confirmed what my heart already knew: Spike had given us all he could.

And so, wrapped in love and warmth, Spike passed sweetly from this world, as I held him close, and cherished his precious life to the very end.

Some may wonder why we share such sorrow.

Why grieve over a pup who barely had a chance to live?

But those of you in our Inner Circle know.

This is not just about dogs.

This is not just breeding.

This is legacy.

That experiences all of life.

The Dire Wolf Project was never meant to be easy.

We are not average your breeders.

We do not simply count puppies.

We fight for them.

We monitor their every weight shift.

We listen to their breathing in the night.

We hold them through their fears.

And we honor them, every tiny soul, as a piece of the story we’re writing together.

Spike may have only been with us a short while, but he reminds us why we do this.

His passing is a solemn howl carried on the wind, reminding us that this work is both wild and sacred.

And so we do not linger in the darkness.

We carry his memory forward by giving even more love to the living.

The rest of the Happy Days Litter continues to grow, thrive, and explore their snowy white nursery with boundless curiosity.

They need us now.

And we need you.

Thank you for being part of this journey… the joyful parts and the hard ones.

Your support means more than words can say.

Because just like Spike,

we know we are not alone.

We feel your warmth, your strength, and your belief in what we are building together.

If you haven’t yet met the rest of the Happy Days Litter, I invite you to spend a moment with them today.

In their playful wiggles and tiny howls, you’ll find the future of our work—and perhaps, a little piece of Spike’s spirit too.

I’ve updated the Happy Days Litter page with new information (including the second temperament testing results) and new pictures for half of the puppies.

Here’s the link to see them:

https://direwolfdogs.com/litters/68/
(Click on each puppy to get the updates.)

Jennifer Stoeckl is the co-founder of the Dire Wolf Project, founder of the DireWolf Guardians American Dirus Dog Training Program, and owner/operator of DireWolf Dogs of Vallecito. She lives in the beautiful inland northwest among the Ponderosa pine forests with her pack of American Dirus dogs.