Pepper the Bottle Show Dog

Pepper the Bottle Show Dog

By Bill Baab

RAYMORE, Mo. – “Pepper,” the 13-year-old Pomeranian (AKC registered name Sultan Pepper) owned by Wayne and June Lowry, of Raymore, died Sunday night, Feb. 24, following a short illness.

The orange-furred sable dog, who never had a bad hair day in his life, was a fixture at many bottle shows attended by the Lowrys throughout the United States. “We were so lucky with Pepper because he traveled so well and never caused problems at shows or anywhere,” June said. “Since he wasn’t yappy, people didn’t even know he was there unless they saw him, or knew us. People loved him. “We hope Pepper will be remembered by many in the bottle hobby as the little bottle mascot,” she said. “He loved the trips and the shows and all the people and the attention – he would take all that he could get. He had attended over 100 shows and had been in all the lower 48 states plus Canada. He had even boated in the Gulf of Mexico!
“Everyone was his friend and there were so many times that people didn’t know he was at a show because he was so quiet, well-mannered and unassuming. Many over the years have never heard him bark – but he could. We can’t count the number of times when people would ask “Where is Pepper?” before even saying hello to us. It showed us just how much he was loved.

“You know it is like losing a member of your family,” she added. “We’ve lost pets before, but never had to put one down. We had to put Pepper to sleep. He just couldn’t breathe. He was on all the medications he could be on for pulmonary hypertension including, of all things, Viagra. He couldn’t stand oxygen 24/7 and had quit eating and drinking.”

Several days earlier, Pepper had accompanied the Lowrys to the writer’s home in Augusta, Georgia where they visited before and after the South Carolina Bottle Club show in Columbia. He seemed nearly normal although his owners said he had fainting fits earlier. On their visit to collector Mike Newman’s home in Martinez, Georgia following the show, Pepper even ran up the stairs when his owners checked out the Newmans’ bottle room. He seemed in good health and spirits on the day of their departure for home.

The Lowrys may not get another dog, mostly because of the stress on owners when a beloved pet passes away. “This one is much harder than any of the others. . .a part of me is missing,” June said.

Many collectors responded with e-mailed sympathy notes after June notified the bottle world of her pet’s passing.

Bill & Bea Baab: “Bea and I feel your pain,” the writer said. ”We loved that dog, too. We had five dogs in 47 years of marriage and loved all of them. It got more stressful each time we lost one so we understand how you’re feeling.”

Dave Maryo: “June and Wayne, I am sorry to hear about your loss. I am sure our dog Morgan will miss seeing him. Morgan has her own health issues. She is now almost completely blind and has heart problems. You will be in my thoughts and prayers.”

Steve Ketcham: “The entire bottle community has lost a favorite friend and mascot. We share your loss and grieve together with you. Pepper brought a special happiness to every show he attended and we will miss him. You are, as always, in our thoughts and prayers.”

Boyd Becue: “June and Wayne, so sorry to hear this sad news. He was such a nice and well-behaved dog and it will be sad not to see him at shows. As hard as it was, you surely did the right thing to help him. Having my own little guy snuffling around my feet as I type this makes me realize how much this must hurt.”

Mike Newman: “June and Wayne, Julie and I are so sorry to hear the news about Pepper. There is no doubt that he had a life of knowing he was well loved. Julie and I will say a special prayer for the two of you tonight.”

Dar Furda: “My dear and late friend, Ken Lawler, had two nicknames for Pepper – Pepperoni and Pepper Pot. On one occasion when Ken was riding in the passenger seat of Wayne’s van, Pepper got kidnapped from Wayne’s lap to Ken’s. Pepper took the kidnapping in stride and sat staring out the window. We noticed that Pepper was a favorite at many shows. June and Wayne, I am sure that you realized that Pepper formed his own fan club. Your knowing that Pepper had many human friends who will now share your grief, will hopefully help you get through this most difficult time.”

Dr. Cecil Munsey (One of Pepper’s many best friends): “Pepper” (Lowry) is the name of bottle collecting’s unofficial “show” dog. Anyone who has attended a bottle show in the past decade or so undoubtedly has come across a small round, fuzzy, seemingly a ball of hair sitting on or near or even under the sales table of the Jar Doctor Wayne and June Lowry. He never broke a bottle on his show table and, according to most of those who knew him, he never barked – he could bark, but never bothered because he trained himself to be a table ornament, not an irritating noise-maker.”

Of bottles, pets — and people who own them

by Ralph Finch

As I have often written, the hobby is so much more than bits of soul-less glass — it’s people. Occasionally, their pets, too.

Over the past 45 years I’ve gotten to know a lot about people’s animals. In fact, I once got a kitten at the Mansfield, Ohio bottle show — and cleverly named “Mansfield.” We were always relieved that we had not gotten him at the Steubenville show. It turned out to be a cat from hell. It acquired other names as it attacked people — grown men were afraid of it. A neighbor, John, about 6’4” , referred to Mansfield as that “@#$%^& cat.” Kids would not near to our door. He terrorized us for about 10 years. (Mansfield, not John.) But some pets are affectionately well-known in the hobby. And some have been to more bottle shows than the average collector, such as Pepper, the “child” of Missouri’s June and Wayne Lowry.

With tears, June wrote:

“We hope Pepper will be remembered by many in the bottle hobby as the little bottle mascot. He loved the trips and the shows and all the people and attention — he would take all that he could get. He had attended over 100 shows and had been in all of the lower 48 states plus Canada. He had even boated in the Gulf of Mexico.

“Everyone was his friend and there were so many times that people didn’t even know he was at a show because he was so quiet. Many of you over the years have never heard him bark — but he could.

“We can’t count the number of times when people would ask ‘Where is Pepper?’ before even saying hello to us — just showed us how much he was loved. I can’t remember ever meeting anyone that didn’t fall in love with him. We also can’t count the number of show reports that his picture has been in. I remember at one show, Stephanie, our daughter walked around with Pepper and she came back and said that more people knew Pepper than knew her — she was a little shocked. This was after she had graduated from high school and college.

“He was on every medication to combat pulmonary hypertension including one medication that will shock people — VIAGRA — it was invented to combat pulmonary hypertension which what he ultimately died from; that and heart failure. We learned about these diseases very fast. His disease progressed very rapidly – from fainting periodically starting Dec. 12 to death 2 1/2 months later. Cherish yours!

“It was hard to say goodbye and there won’t be another like him — a great traveling companion and child.

“Again, we hope you all remember him lovingly.

“His birthday was Oct. 25, 1999 and he died Feb. 24, 2013.”

“We had to put Pepper to sleep … He just couldn’t breathe. He was trying to gulp air like a fish. Had him on oxygen for about two hours today and every time we took him off it, he couldn’t breathe. He was on all the medications he could be on for pulmonary hypertension. He couldn’t stand oxygen 24/7 and had quit eating and drinking. — June”