Posted on by Doyce

Saying goodbye to my best buddy

#wp

Jake – doyce testerman
I’m going to tell you about a life. Somewhere in the middle of July, 2000, a puppy was born. I didn’t know about him at the time. I wasn’t even thinking about puppies. I had no plans to get a puppy. That’s just as well as, due to a few complications, this particular puppy – who luckily came into …


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112 Replies to “Saying goodbye to my best buddy”

  4. Harley knows every command we ever tried to teach her…but being a Chow she decides when and if its worth her time to obey.

    She's never destroyed anything, but if she thinks we aren't paying her enough attention, she'll grab something she knows she's not supposed to have (including socks right off your feet) and run away with them to get you to chase her…she loves chase. Whatever the item was she'll happily give back when she's done…somewhat damp but otherwise unmarred.

    Her recent thing is to refuse to walk or get in the car. But I figured out what she wants. She wants me to sit down next to her and give her pets while she gives me a kiss or two…then she's ready to go.

    Its ridiculous how smart she is.

  5. We trained Jake to ring a little sleigh bell that hung on the front door at the town house before I moved to a proper house – to say when he wanted to go outside.

    When I moved to the house, he just started tapping his leash (hanging from the coat rack instead), so I stored them elsewhere.

    When we got a new puppy about four months ago, we found a new bell and hung it on the patio door to help with toilet training. There hadn't been a bell or a thing to 'hit' to go out in the house for something like eleven years.

    The second day it was up, Jake walked over, smacked the bell with his nose, and looked at me.

    So smart.

  6. We did jingle bells for the same thing.

    she'll ring it…and wait patiently…and then she'll let us know when she's tired of waiting by ringing it loudly until it falls off the door.

    What's funny is, I was NEVER a dog person. I had cats. Dogs were too sloppy and messy and demanded too much attention.

    Ruth wanted a dog…but now she loves me better. Ruth she respects…but its me she begs belly rubs from.

  10. sorry for your loss, I have 2 pekenease that are 15 and 17   I can really tell my bugers, showing his age,      I hope you have another pet to help ease the pain some,,,

  11. Oh Doyce, I'm so sorry for your loss.  The good ones always leave the biggest hole in our hearts.  Our Charlie went the same way your Jake did.  Makes it even harder to say goodbye.

  12. Great article! Now Jake is in dog heaven, running pain free, playing with all our dogs we had to let go :( But he will be with you in your memories forever :)

  14. I'm so sorry for your loss, I was crying at the end. It sounds like Jake was a great dog, he loved and was loved in the end I believe is all that matters.

  19. Awesome -Love your real life story with Jake!!
    We lost our Labrador 3 yrs ago!   She was a great dog , very smart-loving and very very protective of us!     I miss her still so much!!   Thanks for sharing your story!!    :O)  :O)

  22. I have a Siberian Husky named Timber. I never had a dog growing up, so I was an adult when I got him at 9 weeks old. He's 17 now and I know about the good days and bad days. My friends call him"Old man" as well. Your story touched me deeply. There are too many similarities to mention, but I think I came across your story for a reason. My heart goes out to you and to Jake. And as much as we love em, I absolutely believe, with my soul, that they will be waiting for us on the other side.

  24. I'm sorry. I feel your pain. Very similar story to my Sheltie, Jayce, who I bought a station wagon for because my tiny car made him carsick, and who learned 250 words. He was so surprised when at 15 his old arthritic back legs just slid under him and refused to work anymore 7 months ago. The doctor said we had done everything. I still miss him every day and still occasionally cry. Blessings to you.

  25. My dog died in 2009, she had a growth on her spine and we had to have her put down. She was 15. She'd had a good loving life. And in the end I sat with her, her head in my lap. It's odd because I think she knew what was going to happen. She always hated going to the vet, but that day she was quite and even let the vet handle her.

  28. Well, I'm crying. Crying because I'm thinking of all the great dogs I've had in my life. How much I miss them. Each time i finally open my heart for another, I forget how much it hurts when they have to go. I'm just going to cuddle up with my 5 month old lab/pit mix, Juno.

    Thanks for sharing your life experience. It's always a nice reminder that we need to always cherish or time with our loved ones. Our furry friends are a part of the family. It's a terrible pain when they leave, but nothing can take away from the wonderful joys shared with them.

  34. +Indika Udagedara We had a vet come in who specializes in this sort of visit. I would guess he's been retired from his normal vet practice for at least a decade, but he continues to offer this service for families. 

    He was very kind. Left us with some literature on grieving (both for ourselves and our other two dogs) and reassured us that we were doing the right thing, given Jake's condition (which he was familiar with). It's hard, because there is no sudden illness that takes the decision away; Jake had a progressive, degenerative nerve disorder that had slowly robbed him of the ability to control, basically, the back half of his body. It was diagnosed by our normal vet about six months ago, maybe less, and in the last week it had finally, inevitably, got to the point where Jake simply couldn't get around on his own, safely, despite all the extra steps we'd taken around the house and back yard.

    And he was so tired from trying.

    We all went out to the backyard, to his favorite spot to hang out in the shade, and spent about twenty minutes together. The vet did what he needed to do, gave us some time alone, and when we were ready, he and I took the body out to his vehicle on a stretcher. They take care of the remains (cremation), and at my daughter's request, we will store the ashes in a stone (with a small plaque) that will sit in that same shady spot.

  35. RIP Jake. Our pets bring so much to our lives. They are there for us no matter what. Our "old" girl a terrier mix is 13 now and sleeps a lot more but still has more good days than bad. She groans when she gets up from the floor and can't jump up on the bed as easily. But that little nub of a tail is always wagging. Seems there's never enough time with them…. Thanks for sharing.

  40. My heart goes out to you, I must do the same today. My best girl is tired, the cancer is taking over, and I can't let her hurt.

  44. So sad to hear about your loss-my Mitzi is 14yrs in the summer&Blind now with cataracts I will be devasted when she goes-I always had&loved cats before Mitzi&she absolutely stole my heart&it the times,moments&memories that will never leave me when she goes-Mitzi was born in 1999&as a puppy escaped when we were at a new year party for Millenium-She partied in the Village Square in Cyprus where we were living!I am going to try the jingle Bells by door&all our pets can have a go!Our pets give so much undemanding love-Mine will send hugs to yu all x

  46. I am so sorry for your loss.  They take a piece of us with them when they go.  Some are even more special than others, my Harley has been gone over 9 years now and it still is sometimes hard to think about him because I don't think I will ever stop missing him.  Of all the dogs I have owned until now he was the one that hurt the most.  May your pain lessen with each day and the memories come with fondness rather than grief, good luck.

  47. Holy crap you need a disclaimer for this sweet/sad story!  Sitting at work trying not to shed tears thinking about the 2 pugs that we've lost over the past 2 years.  Or for Homer, who at 14 is blind and deaf and has SUPER weak back legs.  I know like Jake, his time is coming.

    I'm sure you're familiar with the Rainbow Bridge poem (http://www.petloss.com/rainbowbridge.htm).  The kennel that we used to leave the pugs at sent us a nice placard with this poem, picture of the pug and messages of condolences for each of the pugs that we've lost so far.  They're both hanging on our fridge, and I still get teary-eyed when I read it.

    It's funny.  We have an 11-month old girl.  Her first word was "Momo" (what she calls Homer).  He's blind and deaf, and god bless him for putting up with her poking and prodding him. (especially now that she's crawling and can hunt him down).  What a sport though.  Just trying to make his remaining time here as pleasant as possible…  Thanks for the read though!

  50. Seriously +Daniel Campbell.  I read this thinking, "man, it's like he knows me and my relationship with Homer".  

    Also, just need to also say, "F U cancer!"  You robbed me of my two black pug girls Xiumei and Kaya.  We were completely blindsided by it.  Homer's been blind and deaf and getting slower for the past 3-4 years, so in the back of my mind, I've been preparing myself for losing him.  Then BAM!  Out of nowhere cancer came and took our other two, seemingly very healthy, pugs away.

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