Friday, October 03, 2008
All she did was love...
6 years ago, I met the love of my life, and I think she knew that I was the one when her dogs, Jade and Cinnamon took a shine to me right away. It wasn’t an easy road for a while when I moved in with Bouby, the “girls” as they were referred to had to learn that there was a new Alpha in the house and that some things were going to change.
The first thing was where they slept. We moved them into the kitchen where we could better control their shedding. It was a good move especially after we made the decision to replace the carpet with hard wood. Jade the Rottweiler and I had some memorable run ins during this transition period, like for instance she is the lover, she needs to be petted at all times and likes nothing more to be rubbed on. Cinnamon, not so much. Jade likes to sit on your feet, and roll her butt in a way that allows her to look up at you and lean on your leg. It was this action that caused me much pain on at least two occasions, when she did this and hyper extended my knee, causing me to cry and my leg to swell.
Bouby got Jade when she was 6 weeks old from a puppy mill, not a groovy puppy farm like my Dad owns but your run of the mill, crappy, puppy mill that sold diseased and undernourished pups of indistinguishable breeding. Jade was so little back then she fit on Bouby’s forearm, slept, and ate, did all of the regular baby stuff, then a week later she was 140 pounds and thought she could still fit on the forearm.
I met Jade at the great age of 4 and she was a runner, used to chase all of the squirrels, bunnies, birds and any other animal that would wander into the yard. She had a plastic dinosaur that she chewed the shit out of. Bouby never taught her how to fetch or any of the regular tricks and by the time I was in the picture I think all of the learning was chased out of her head by worms or something, she just wasn’t very smart, or at least she didn’t act very smart. So we just had fun doing things she liked, like brushing her, and scratching her ass, and, well most of the same stuff woman like, paying the tiniest bit of attention to her and she was like putty in your hand. She gets so excited when we break out the leash she doesn’t even care if all she is doing is going to the vet. One time she got so excited she gave me a ride down the stairs like a pony! Jerked the leash right in between my legs and down the basement stairs we went I felt like a rodeo clown.
All she did was love.
She knows now hate, nor anger, and she has one of the best personalities I have ever had in a dog.
I know other people can talk about the unconditional love that their dog has for them, but Jade has unconditional love for everyone. When you first meet her she will bark and wag her little stubby tail, and then she will expect you to be just as happy to see her as she is to see you, so scratching is a must and then some petting. However she knows that if you have something else to do that is ok too, as long as you acknowledge that she is there and happy, a couple of ear rubs is all she needs.
Which is why doing what needs to be done today so hard.
A couple of months ago we took her in for a checkup because she wasn’t using her front leg, and we were told that her arthritis is causing this and that she will be on meds until she dies. Last week we took her in because she stopped eating and had lost a lot of weight in a week. Now the Dr thinks cancer, and so we had blood work done and the next morning we came back and the blood work is inconclusive, however it shows an infection, possible dehydration , and the kidneys may be shutting down. The prognosis is Cancer. With the kidney problem we can’t even do a biopsy the anesthesia would kill her on the table. So we have been giving her antibiotics and trying to get her to eat. Wednesday was the last day we gave her the pills, she hasn’t ate anything for 4 days, and in one hour we will be taking her to the vet for the permanent drop off.
Bouby and I are sick with grief.
Good bye Jade you were one of the best.
