The running joke was that Ludo was 8 years old when we got him, and 8 years old every year after.  That was his age when you asked the shelter or a vet or even a dog person to "age" him.   Possibly he was born in a 1988 litter.

Ludo was a precision thief, he would unzip a bag to get to the contents and zip it back up.  For a lark, he would swing an interior door almost shut with his nose, then swing it open again, back and forth.  creeek, crook, creeek, crook.  And when you got up to check on the noise, he had run back to his chair and was looking innocent.

When an intruder walked into our house in the wee hours, Ludo, who was on the couch by the door, barked (maybe more in shock than defense!) and the intruder exited quickly, slamming the door behind him.  Ludo acted quite proud for several days!

A trick of his, upon finding his favorite chair filled with another dog, was to bark as if something was there---the occupant would leap up and away, while Ludo with a slightly sheepish look would take the coveted spot.

Ludo was awesome- a real, solid dog.

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