Goodbye Jakey Boy

Happiness is a warm puppy.  -Charles M. Schulz

If there are no dogs in Heaven, then when I die I want to go where they went.  -Will Rogers

In times of joy, all of us wished we possessed a tail we could wag.  -W.H. Auden

It's just the most amazing thing to love a dog, isn't it?  It makes our relationships with people seem as boring as a bowl of oatmeal.  -John Grogan

Until one has loved an animal, a part of one's soul remains unawakened.  -Anatole France

 

Dogs' lives are too short.  Their only fault, really.  -Agnes Sligh Turnbull

Jake came to live with us about 6 years ago in November of 2007.  A girl whose parents gave him to her as a gift to help her heal after she was in a horrific accident went off to school back East and they decided to find him a new home.  So, we agreed to take him for a weekend just to test him out around our 2 other dogs and small kids.  He did great and they all got along famously so we decided to bring him into our family.  Oliver was only 12 weeks old and Berkeley had just turned 2.  He was a massive, attention starved dog with stinky farts and horrible table manners.  We thought he'd be a good friend and distraction for Sterling who had recently lost her best dog friend and cousin, Payton.  They became fast friends.  They laid on the couch together, went to the park together and of course went to the office together where everyone promptly fell in love with him.

On Jake’s AKC papers, his official name was Jake Pierce II.  His dad was Buckingham Blaze and his mom was Zeiger Von Blum.  We decided to call him Jake Winslow instead.  It just fit.  We had tons of nick names for him though.  Some of which include:  Mr. Jake, Big Jake, Jakers, Jakey Boy, Jakey Baby, Gertie (short for Galloping Gertie cause when he used to be able to run he would thunder past us), and, one of my favorites, Walter.

Jake was a total love and would have been a lap dog had he managed to get away with it.  He was the kindest, sweetest dog I think I have ever known.  He eventually went to live full time with Jerry when we had our 3^rd baby and began building our house.  We sold the house we were in at the time and lived someplace where 2 big dogs and 3 kids wouldn’t really fit.  So, he went to live at “The Ritz” with Jerry.  And, boy, what a life he had.  He had his own Restoration Hardware chaise that he slumbered on every night.  Each evening around 8 pm he’d begin bark to let Jerry know he was ready for his “cuddle time”.  Jer would sit on the couch to accommodate him and Jake would rest his massive head on Jer’s lap and cover Jer’s hand with his enormous paw.  He was so cuddly and warm and he was a great dog to curl up with on a cold winter night.

On Monday, July 22, 2013, we had to say goodbye to our beloved boy.  He got extremely sick the previous Friday and wouldn’t eat or drink the whole weekend.  Anybody who knows Jake knows that he lives for food so we knew something was seriously wrong.  He was on medication for arthritis and we think his liver failed.  He was so weak by Monday, that he could barely even stand long enough to go to the bathroom.  He just laid shaking in his bed with the saddest eyes.  So, we made the heart wrenching decision to say good bye.  He was letting us know it was time.  He was ready.

I took the kids over to him that morning to say goodbye.  I didn’t want to tell them we were having him “put to sleep” because they have no concept of what that means.  I got them in the car and told them that Jake was really sick and probably not going to make it much longer, so we were going over to Jerry’s house to give him hugs and kisses and loves.  We talked to him and loved on him for a while and then they went to their Grandma’s house right before his appointment.  We took him in at 10:30 with tears streaming down our faces.  We got him comfortable on the floor, gave him tons of kisses and whispered how much we loved him and how great of a dog he was.  He laid his head down for the last time in Jerry’s lap, I wrapped my arms around his body and Tom laid his hand on his chest and we let him go.  It was the hardest thing I’ve ever done.  He was gone in about 20 seconds and he finally looked so peaceful and free of pain.  I felt relieved for him, but heartsick for us.

Jake, you have no idea how much we miss you buddy.  Although we are relieved for you that you are free of pain, there is a huge hole in our family.  The grief is raw.  The kids were so sad when we told them you died.  Telling them was horrendous.  Oliver immediately started to sob.  He loved you so much.  You were his favorite out of all the dogs.  He used to love sitting next to you on the couch with his arm around your neck while he watched TV.  Berkeley just stood there silently trying not to cry and looking like she was in shock.  Finley cried, not because she really understood that she'd never see her "Jatey (Jakey) Baby", but because Oliver was crying and so upset.  We all knew it was coming and that it was inevitable, but that doesn’t make saying goodbye any less painful.  This fall when school starts, it’s going to be really strange when you are not out at the bus stop like you’ve been every morning for the past 2 years.  That is going to take some getting used to.  Bed time prayers are especially hard.  We still pray for you every night that you’re happy in heaven and enjoying your new legs.  We ask Jesus to give you big hugs and kisses for us and to let you know that we miss you and love you.  We keep talking about how you must be having so much fun running on strong, healthy legs, eating huge steak dinners and then taking long, lazy naps in the warm sun up there.  Only to get up and do it all again the next day! Somehow that thought makes the ache of missing you lessen just a bit.

Sterling misses you too.  So much.  She is 10 and slowing down as well.  She has lost 2 best friends now and I hurt for her.  She seems pretty sad and lost without you puppy.  I can’t even fathom having to say goodbye to her too someday.  But, at least she’ll have 2 great buddies to meet up with in heaven.  You were a wonderful companion to her.  Watching the two of you sleep on the couch was so comforting.  Our two sweet weims cuddled up together, snoring.  You not only helped heal the girl who originally had you, you healed Sterling after the loss of her first best friend.  Thank you for that Jake.

So sweet Jakers, thank you for all the love and cuddles over the years.  Thank you for all the special memories and funny stories we have of you.  Thank you for clearing the table and the floor and even for the bad breath and stinky farts.  Thank you for all the joy and pure sweetness that was your life.  We love you big guy.

Jake Winslow Potts-Sailer
July 1, 2001-July 22, 2013