Jake the Wonder Dawg, my running partner, is dying

For those of you who run with dogs, I thought I'd share this from my blog.....

Jake would not take his pills this morning. He usually chews them up and likes them….but he would not chew….would not swallow….just looked at me with big, sad eyes. I let him spit them out. He had been laying here beside me by the computer and then got up and walked to the utility room. I thought he wanted to go outside so I opened the door…but he just stood there. He is obviously uncomfortable but just doesn't know what to do. I left the door open and went to get his pills. He came back into the LR so that is when I tried to give him his meds. After he spit them out he went into the kitchen. He is so weak/tired he can barely walk. Every breath is labored. I sat back at the computer and heard what sounded like him falling….or collapsing. I went into the kitchen and he was laying down. I laid with him on the kitchen floor and petted his head for a long time and just cried. He has been such a good dog. I love him so much. It just breaks my heart to see him like this.

I remember when we got Jake about 8 years ago and he was just a little puppy….big ole feet that were too big for his body….we knew he'd be a big boy. He went through that puppy stage chewing up everything…including the seat on our John Deere lawn tractor. He used to chase the horses around the pasture like he was herding them up or something. It wasn't long before he got too close and one of the horses kicked him and knocked out one of his molars. That didn't stop him from herding horses.

We always said Jake was the "head of ranch security" and he kept an eye on the place. We could always tell by the sound of his bark if he was just playing with Joanie or the horses of if he was sounding and alarm that thee were intruders on or near the estate ground. He could tell from the sound of a car's engine if it belonged here and never barked at the sounds of any of our cars. Once I came home in a rental car and he came running and barking till he saw me get out.

I'm not sure when it was that I started running with Jake but those runs are my favorite memories of Jake. He loved to run! He would see me putting on my running shoes and just dance around so excited he didn't know what to do. When I was training for marathons I'd often go as long as 18 miles. If it wasn't too hot, Jake could easily run 13 miles or so but when it was hot, I'd arrange for Casey to come pick him up at about 9 or 10 miles. Casey would park a few hundred yards ahead of us and get out of the car. Jake's ears would perk up as we looked ahead at this stopped car. And then he's see Casey! I'd drop the leash and he would sprint ahead to meet Casey. I remember one run where Jake kept stopping and walking and we were only about 4 miles out. Finally he went to the bathroom and I noticed a big ball of tinfoil in his stool. The previous day there had been a land auction near our property and they had free hamburger. Evidently Jake had stolen a hamburger and ate the thing - tinfoil and all!

Jake was the perfect running companion and coach. He would usually try to start out too fast but I'd tug a little on his leash and say "Slow down a little Jake!" and he'd slow his pace. Most of the time we ran in silence but I would occasionally asked him "How ya doin' buddy?" and Jake would look up at me and seem to say "Feelin' good! How you doing?" I could always tell when Jake was getting tired. Most of the time he'd run out in front of me just a little. As he got tired, he drift back to run beside me and when he'd get really tired, he run slightly behind. When he got really tired or had to pee, he'd stop and we'd walk. If I needed a walk break, he'd walk with me and would keep looking back/up at me as if to say "C'mon, let's go!!" He was my coach and challenged me.

We went hiking a couple of times to the Walls of Jericho. Jake and Joanie had a wonderful time running and exploring. The Walls is way down in the bottom of a deep ravine. Coming back up out of the ravine Jake worked like a sled dog pulling us up the trail. He was so strong and powerful with big muscles on his chest and shoulders!

Jake loved the pool and, up until this season, thought his job was the official "pool greeter". If someone went off the diving board or off the deep end, Jake would run around to the shallow end, jump in the water and swim out to meet them. He loved the water and would follow me around in the pool. He taught himself how to use the ladder to get out of the pool in the deep end. Pretty neat trick for a dog to climb a ladder. When it was hot outside, Jake's favorite place to relax as on the first step in the shallow end of the pool.

Jake went out every morning with Casey to feed the horses. Casey always took the dogs with her when she rode horses around here. Jake was a scout and loved to run ahead and check things out.

I've had at least one dog almost all my life and have good memories of each one. But Jake is one of those once-in-a-lifetime dogs. He is so special to me. We have a bond forged with literally hundred of miles of running together. As I looked over the numerous pictures we have of Jake I see how young the kids were when we first got Jake and realize that Jake grew up with the kids. He is truly part of our family. I know that may sound strange or cliché to non-dog lovers but dog lovers know what it means to give y our heart to a dog. I gave my heart to Jake…and he gave me his.

~Mike

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