Puppy Love

My Aunt Sharyl said it best last night: "they give so much and ask for so little." It's true.  All a dog ever wants is to be pet, scratched, fed, played with, tickled, walked, and cuddled.  They have little concept of time, so every experience of you entering the house after school or work is an excitement for them.  They love unconditionally.

Jake: 1999-2012

Nicky Sue 1993-2009

In the last three years I have lost my two childhood dogs.  When I was seven I got my first dog: Nicky Sue.  She was a coyote mix that we bought from a pure-bred Cockapoo breeder (we totally got had! But, I loved that dog so she's the one we bought).  I tormented and chased her all around the house and the back yard until she just layed down and tried to ignore me so I would stop.  She was my true first dog.  I even wrote a song about her when I was about 9:

Puppy Pest

My puuuuuppy is a peeeeeest

she ate my mother's vest

She swallowed up my brother's guitar

and now she is a biiiiiiiig retard 

(I guess I couldn't think of something to rhyme with guitar.)

She can be very nice

She likes to eat rice

Staring at birds makes her eat the ferns

Oh what will I do with such a puppy pest?

Once Nicky Sue outgrew her puppy pest-ness, my mom fell in love with pugs.  So, when I was 12, we went to a pure-bred pug breeder and Jake was the last one of the litter who hadn't been given a new home.  We picked him up, brought him home, I don't even think we told my dad we bought a dog until we got him in the house.

Jake always had health problems, as most pugs do.  He had cataracts, an extremely upturned nose, and he never really did figure out where his back legs were.  But that was part of his charm.  He would just kinda wander around following my mom wherever she went, lay on our feet when we were watching TV in the living room, and when it was time for a walk he would hide from us.

Jake's health had been declining pretty severely in the last couple of months and last night at about 4:30 I got a call from my mom to meet her at the Animal Hospital after work because she didn't want to be there alone.  

By 6:00, Jake was gone.  He is probably with Nicky Sue right now.  He can finally see again.  His arthritis is gone.  He can breathe easily.  Who knows, maybe he even found his back legs?  

Part of growing up is realizing that your puppy has grown up and is now a doggie elder.  Growing up means having to make the decision to end suffering. Growing up is being there for your mom when she needs a hand to hold or a shoulder to cry on.

Rest in Peace Jake.  You were a good dog.