Saying Good Bye to Jack, Our Sheltie

On Wednesday, May 19, 2010, we said Good Bye to our dear friend Jack. He had been battling a back injury (possibly a slipped or bulging disc) and then he had additional organ problems that overwhelmed his ability to recover. He was with us for 12 years and 3 months, but it wasn't nearly long enough. We miss him so very much.

Jack was a rascal and a lover and a sweet, gentle spirit. He was barky and bratty sometimes. He ate cat poop out of the litter box and junk out of the garbage can. He herded the cats, much to their consternation. He never did quite earn his "Canine Good Citizen Award" and wasn't a very good host when company came over. 

Jack's favorite word was "GO" and he was up for anything. He went on cross country road trips with us, stayed in hotels and rode in elevators. He loved running on the ocean beaches.

Sunriver was a favorite place and he liked playing on the early morning golf course and sitting in the grass smelling the pine air. He learned how to camp.

He shopped at Pet Smart and Home Depot. He loved going to the dog park. He barked at the same noisy crow every morning.

Jack's favorite toys were tennis balls, a ratty stuffed frog, and a rolled up newspaper. He loved going on walks with Rick. He took great pride in learning tricks - he could balance a biscuit on his nose, toss it in the air and catch it in his mouth.

Throughout his life, Jack suffered from ligament and tendon problems.  He recovered from knee surgeries, endured acupuncture on a front leg, and was brave at the vet. In recent months, we noticed that he was sleeping more, hearing less, and moving more slowly. He didn't go flying off the sofa in full bark at every sound.

Jack was a great friend, a wonderful companion, a noble soul, a happy camper, the very best dog. We love him with all our hearts and our home is much quieter and way too empty without him (though we suspect the cats may be secretly pleased).

This is a recent picture of Jack after getting into blue paint while foraging in a bag of trash.