I got him when he was about two or so we guessed and he lived up to his name. My Mil had gotten him from some people who had to get rid of him because the neighbors complained that he was scary and he had a roaming bone and they just couldn't keep him in. She gave him to me a couple of weeks later since i lived in the country then with no neighbors. I had him ever since. My middle child was a toddler then and the last one wasn't even a thought. He killed more of my rabbits and chickens and guineas than he was ever worth no matter how hard i tried to outsmart him. But there was just something about the sad way he would look at me that would make me forgive him every time. He died today.
Beast was old and he had health problems. I knew it was coming, but it was still hard since I had him for so long. He was a very loving and loyal dog despite his issues with poultry and rabbits. He had had three owners that I know of before I got him. The people my MIL got him from were not his first owners. They got him as a skinny mangey stray. My mil actually finished the mange treatment when she got him. He was just a big baby who loved attention.
Beast was a lucky guy to have finally ended up with you to live out his years being so loved. I'm sorry for the loss of such a special part of your family.