Born January 15, 1996, Maple Valley, Washington;

Mom a beautiful German shepherd; Dad the next door neighbor black lab

Joined the Ballinger family March, 10, 1996 as Trouser Grover Ballinger

Died June 24, 2006, Fort Wayne, Indiana

Trouser Facts:

1. When you were mowing the lawn, Trouser would drop his tug toy right in the path of the mower so you would have to stop and throw it out of the way so he could chase it.

2. Trouser was in love with a stuffed animal named Lambie, who he would insist on kissing at night before going to bed.

3. Trouser watched every episode of The Rockford Files with his head on his daddy's tummy.

4. Trouser loved to drop his toys that would not float into any pool or lake so that he could go bobbing for them.

5. One of Trouser and Merrill's favorite games was to walk around and around and around in big circles playing Trouser Train.

6. Trouser would rather play than eat. This was put to the test when Bryan offered him the choice of a piece of steak, or chasing his tug toy. Trouser chose the tug toy.

7. Trouser learned the names of new toys after being told what they were just once.

8. Trouser would not come downstairs to eat or go out in the morning until his daddy woke up. Even when his daddy slept in very late.

9. Trouser was terrified of thunderstorms. When you found Trouser wedged underneath your desk, or in the bath tub, you knew a storm was coming.

10. Trouser loved to find things. One of his favorite games was to have you roll his toy up in a big blanket and then tie it in knots, and then he would untie it. Another was to have you take a toy, leave the room and hide it, then he'd go find it. He had a world class sniffer and could sniff out anything.

1996

Our first picture of Trouser at 8 weeks old.

Trouser puppy with mommy.

Trouser, caught with "Lambie" a stuffed animal he was not supposed to have.

1999

Trouser, waiting for a ball to be thrown at a park in Winfield, Illinois.

2000

Trouser wins Best Mixed Breed, and 2nd best catcher at a local dog show.

Trouser lying down, impervious to the snow.

2001

Trouser loved the leaves. One of his favorite games was to have you bury his toy somewhere in the leaves so he could try and find it.

2002

The patented "Trouser look".

Trouser and his slobbery basketball, at a park in Winfield, Illinois.

2003

Trouser recovering his sunken tennis ball from Lake Superior in Washburn, Wisconsin.

2004

Trouser waiting for someone to scratch behind his ears.

2005

Trouser and Merrill, right after we moved to Indiana. Trouser loved it here in Indiana, mostly because we live near some fields and woods where he could run and chase his tug toy.

2006

As Merrill got older, she and Trouser became quite the pair.

The last picture we took of Trouser, shortly before he died unexpectedly. I noticed these two just hanging out outside, enjoying the day, and took this through the dining room window.

Trouser died very suddenly on June 24th while he was still apparently in great shape. We had just run him around the fields the night before.  He was the smartest, best dog and friend one could ask for.