A very sad day.

Today was a very sad day. Our sweet dog Jake, whom we've had longer than any of our children, whom we took home as my first "big dog" puppy, was put down today after a rather unexpected turn of events late this afternoon. I wanted so bad to post pictures of the big galoot, but alas, puter won't let me. It was SOoooo hard to put him down. Paul always said when the time came, he'd man up and take ole Jake in the woods, but none of us could handle the thought of our loyal best friend since 1995 could die that way, so the vet bill we paid. I am glad we did, and so is Paul.

Me, Jessica, Jacob and Daniel, puffy eyed and sobbing took him to Kulshan Vet and sat with our sweet guy as the doctor gave him some happy juice. For a few minutes there on the tailgate of the pickup we had a great time with our pal as he was like a puppy again, pain all forgotten, fed him a pocket full of treats that the doctor gave us, it was so nice! Then, with the children's permission, he stopped his heart. Jake wagged his tail to the very end and every eye is red and swollen tonight.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~Obituary~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Jake the Dog(as opposed to Jake the Kid) Born the middle of December sometime 1995. 14 yrs 9 months. He leaves behind a family of humans and Sasha his kitten, whom he licked, cleaned and slept with every night. He was a 73lb yellow lab / golden retriever mix. Ate rat poison 4 times, had his stomach pumped once, hydrogen peroxide three times. Hit and dragged by a sports car at our old home on the East Badger, got up and walked away with only a few stitches, Hit by the UPS truck once(he deserved it) and bounced off the bumper of the UPS truck on another occasion(you'd think he'd learn) Chased many a coyote off our property with NEVER one poultry casualty under his watch. Met all 7 of our newborns, gone on many a camping trip, outlived his whole litter of 8. Met many a skunk and was banished to the garage many a time, loved balls, loved chicken food & chicken poop, loved garbage, His little kitten friend will miss the nightly back rubs she gave him...they were best friends.

We'll miss you Jake the Dog.

12/1995 - 9/2010