Happy Tails

  Jake adapted pretty well out here -- we'd let him out the front door in the mornings so he could chase some of the deer off our lawn and into the woods next door, and when he returned to the front stoop, he'd patiently sit there waiting to be let back in if we were busy taking a shower or fixing breakfast.  He loved the New Jersey shore and spent happy summer weekends jumping off the docks to chase after ducks in the back bay.  (From fresh water Idaho lakes to salt water NJ seashore ... no problem!)    The fenced back yard had plenty of interesting critters that either came in (squirrels and occasional bunnies) or sniffed around the perimeter -- so that kept him "busy" guarding "his territory" of course.   Thanks to Jake impressing us with the intelligenceof labrador retrievers, our younger daughter got a yellow Lab after college as her own dog. And Jake had a "companion" for 2 years as the younger daughter took off for Peace Corps and we became the yellow lab's "temporary guardians" ...   

 As Jake got older, the games of Fetch were less frequent, and the brisk jogs around the neighborhood became "strolls" instead, but his affectionate behavior and tremendous heart and spirit never faded.   He'd been battling Cushing's disease for the last couple years, and managing well with medicine and regular tests at the vet.  But on Friday, old age got the best of him, it appeared he might have had a stroke, and the animal hospital's vets said it was time for us to let him go.   Our family life was enriched for having him the past 7 1/2 years ...he gave us the second half of his life and we're convinced it was the "best" half.   This is to pass along the thanks of a grateful family.