I first met Gozer in Apopka Florida (just outside of Orlando). It was mid December 2012. A friend of my shop supervisor was going through a divorce and had asked if he could leave Gozer at our shop for a couple of weeks while he was finding a new place. Gozer is a purebred red nose pit bull. In Florida No one will rent a place to you if you have any type of pit bull. So, i was initially unaware that we had an addition to our shop dogs when I went into work that Monday evening (I was working nights then). I had been working out of town for the last three months. I came into the shop area, parked my truck and left the door open so i could come back and grab my lunch box after changing. i unlocked the tool room and opened the door and my phone started ringing; it was my supervisor calling to inform me that there was a pit bull in the tool room and that he was friendly, just introduce yourself and told me his name. I hung up my phone and turned on the lights and looked around… No dog! I looked everywhere in that room and around the shop, NO DOG! i got into the golf cart and drove around the whole yard, roughly 8 acres. the other two shop dogs came up to greet me but no pit bull. I was mildly concerned yet not too alarmed as the property is fenced all around. i went back to the shop and went to my truck to get my lunch and park my truck. Guess what I found!? Yep a red nose Pit curled up in the driver’s seat! He refused to get out of the truck, instead he got into the passengers seat, pushing my lunch box into the floorboard! I drove to our parking area, convinced him to get out of the truck and got him to follow me across the grounds to the shop and back into the tool room. After that anywhere I went at work he was there. He would climb into whatever I was working on and curl up to sleep. I am a heavy equipment mechanic. Moving forward to mid January, our company’s insurance agent came by for our annual inspection and saw Gozer, this was on a Tuesday. Wednesday morning the owner came over to the shop and gave us the news Gozer had to go or we would lose our insurance. He had until Friday and then he was to be taken to the local humane society. As much as I enjoyed having him at work, I was not wanting a dog full time. I had a lot of personal issues at that time and was constantly on the go. We tried everyone within the company and some friends, etc. trying to find him a home. No luck. Friday comes and no one would take him. I called the humane society and queried about what would become of him if he was dropped off. the outcome was bleak due to his breed and that he had a bad hind leg. He had been hit by a car as a pup and it crushed his left hind leg. My supervisor called me into his office and said “Take the dog home with you today. obviously you two click. If it doesn’t work out over the weekend, bring him to my place Monday after work. My wife is out of town til Friday.” That’s all it took, we spent the next six years together. I did speak with his original human and found out he was five years old when I took him in. Kenny, his first human, had done a wonderful job training and socializing Gozer. He cried when he called a year later and asked if I would give him back, Gozer was happy to see him yet refused to get in Kenny’s truck. the dog walked over and asked to go back into my little house. Gozer was an awesome member of my life. He loved playing fetch the anything, swimming at the beach or lake, any kind of food and just hanging out on the couch. Gozer was the strong quiet presence in my life. He rarely barked. always wanted to play. In the time I had Gozer, we traveled a lot. He had never been out of Florida. Anywhere I went, he went. We went to Texas multiple times, moved to Mobile, Alabama, traveled to New Orleans many times, and moved to Cedar Rapids in May of 2016. June first of 2016 was the first visit to Frey Pet Hospital. He actually enjoyed coming to see the staff here. He met many new people here and our travels continued. We went to Nebraska, Missouri, Illinois, Michigan, Indiana, and Wisconsin. Everywhere we visited people loved him. I know everyone says that, yet with Gozer it is true. I still have people sending me messages about him from as far away as Canada, Texas, and California and Washington. In September of 2017 Lynn and her son moved into Gozer’s home. He took it well and soon he had two more humans as a constant in his life that he had wrapped around his paw. He even had Lynn making him a small dinner plate every night! I am a motorcycle enthusiast AKA biker. Gozer always tried getting onto my bike with me. I did try once to take him on a ride. Unfortunately he was too large to fit safely without a side car. He’d give me “puppy” eyes anytime he couldn’t go and would pout when I returned! Unfortunately, age, time, and old injuries caught up with him just as they do with everyone. In August 2018, he was diagnosed with bone cancer. He did well all things considered. He only complained maybe three times. He would still want to play fetch on good days as well as tug of war. he kept his appetite until the very last day and he faced his last day with excitement and enthusiasm. Ask the staff there that day. Gozer was not just a companion, he was my friend, my brother, and in some ways a mentor. His quiet demeanor and always alert attitude on top of his enthusiasm for anything new made him the best friend anyone could ask for. As much as it pains me he is gone I am twice as much blessed that he became a part of my life and for some unknown reason chose to stay with me that day! I will always remember him !
