Tuesday, November 11, 2008

Dog-gone gone dogs...



Well...today is a mini tribute to some special friends in our lives! Today is the anniversary of when our first dog died. Jake...oh Jake... died 4 years ago today. Jake was a Chocolate Lab German Shorthair and he was ALL dog. I find it hard to even try and describe him. He was so big and cuddly. My husband says he was his dog and was basically a hunting genius...but we both know that he was just as much my dog...he used to come stand between my legs whenever he was in trouble and about knock me over...and he never once had a dignified bath (duck ponds and the river only) but he just had a SMELL about him... I could lay with his fur in my face and breathe in his smell. I know that makes me sound strange but...okay, I AM strange! And writing this right now I'm bawling all over again... not just for missing Jake but for all the memories and all of the other losses that thinking about him bring to my mind. Because...never can you mention Jake without thinking about Dylan too...Now Dylan was our other lab that we got at the same time as Jake. We got them both as little tykes a week after we got married. Dylan was a black lab Australian Shepherd mix and was a feisty guy! He wasn't much for hunting but I think a big part of that was because he never had to because Jake was THE DOG if you know what I mean! Now Jake and D were are first kids...we spent hours playing together, hanging out, doing what you do with your dogs...and they were there for me during all those hard times like moving away from home, leaving friends and family, Dylan spent the final days of my dad's life with me (and him too) and they both were just amazing friends! Now as I remnisce about Dylan I must say that I didn't think he would live much longer than Jake...Jake's death hit us all pretty hard. But at that time we had also acquired another fine friend in our Chessie Q. Jake had the responsibility of training Q in the ways of the master hunter you see. So, with Jake gone we were left with two again...Dylan and Q...then along comes "Jakes's Muddy Swamp Buster" or Dreck. Dreck was born two days after Jake died and would become his replacement of sorts... Dreck is a pointing lab and now we had our two hunting dogs again and Dylan. Q was the waterfowl specialist and Dreck the upland game guy. Well, two years later Dreck becomes a father and we added a fourth to our pack...a beautiful white lab custom ordered by me named Bailey. Okay...so if you're still following we are now up to 4 dogs (add to that 5 chickens, 3 cats, 2 horses, 4 kids and some fish) and we very happy. I worked a lot with Bailey because she was MY girl and we spent A LOT of time together. Well...then comes THE MOVE. Now the move includes living in a subdivision so...what do we do?? Well, WE MOVE...without Q and Bailey (or the horses or chickens or 2 of the cats). We couldn't take all the dogs with us so we had to find some new homes for them. Not exactly sure how the decision was made but Q and Bailey both went to live with new families. We were blessed to find people that truly do love them and care for them...but the grieving goes on. So...I'm grieving over still missing Jake, Bailey and Q and Dylan too... Three weeks after the move...at the young age of 15 Dylan passed away as well. He seemed happier then ever and then just didn't wake up the next day. We took his remains to Ashton and buried him by the river with Jake... they were inseperable for so long...So...GOODBYE our friends...Jake, Dylan, Q and Bailey and now we are down to one dog...Dreck. Now I have been making a huge effort to get to know Dreck and actually like the dog. I have been spending a lot of time with him, I KNOW it's not his fault we left Q and Bailey, I know it's not his fault he will NEVER be Jake, so I'm trying. It's just so hard sometimes... but he is a good dog and hey...maybe I'll bring him in by the fire to lay with me and watch a movie for awhile...

3 comments:

mcojaadams said...

Oh girl, you know how to pull heart strings! I hope Dreck finds his way into your heart! I miss you!

Barbara Bunsold said...

Missing you too!
Had to take "Voodoo" the cat to the vet today. She got out of the house when the India Choir Children, Joseph and Malek came into the house. Voodoo stayed out too long and found out she couldn't ward off another cat as well as she could intimidate DOG.
Anyway, she ended up with a Delta Shaped gash which just wasn't healing up.
Voodoo was very offended to be forced into the box for the trip to the vet.
In the end all is well.
She doesn't quite dash out the door so fast now. Learning to trust the safe house.

Praying that Dreck will become a good friend soon.

Matt said...

Hey! Good to "see you"! Even though it's through online pictures. You should call me, or me you :)
I'm at work right now but i will shoot you an email later or tomorrow, this blog is a good idea for keeping up to date with people.
Matt