Jake

You know that scene in I Am Legen where Will Smith's character is grieving the death of Sam, the dog? I can wholly relate to that emotion. In fact, I am quite certain that when the dog pictured above, Jake, goes to heaven, I will grieve for ages. I will break in to a thousand little pieces. You see Jake, is the four-legged-love-of-my-life.

When I was a kid, I had the pleasure of being introduced to a family that would forever change my life. I met that family because they had a dog that I believed was a wolf. His name was Buck and he was an Alaskan Malamute (wolf-looking to pretty much any kiddo). Buck introduced me to the wonderful world of loving a dog. I remember laying all over this dog when he would take a nap by the window of the entry way. I remember the giant hole that he dug underneath his doghouse. I remember the comfort that he gave when you needed it. He simply was, the greatest dog.

Buck showed me that an animal can massively impact your life. I honestly believed that it was a one of a kind experience. I never thought I'd love another dog like I loved Buck. And then I met Jake.

We met Jake when we went to the pound to rescue a dog. There had been a lot of break-ins in our neighborhood and since we rented our home, we could not install an alarm system. When we walked in, we went right to a beautiful German Shepherd. Lolli was immediately interested in that dog. We never even saw Jake. The staff said the GS was off limits (apparently there was a dispute over the dog in a divorce, so the court ordered him to dog-prison while it got sorted out), but suggested we look at this chocolate lab. Jake didn't even budge an inch when we walked up to his cage (maybe that's why we didn't notice him). I think he was incredibly depressed (who wouldn't be?) and had maybe given up hope. You see his friend (that came in with him) was put down because he was a pitbull. Jake lost his friend and his family all in one day.

We asked to take Jake out to the yard to see how he connected with us. The second he was off the leash and in the yard, he. went. wild. He was running around like a mad man. You could hardly get him to respond in any way to anything you said. He was SO happy to be free! How could a person who just gave birth to triplets, who had been caged to a couch for seven months, not relate to this? I called him over and did the standard if-I-torture-you-like-a-kid-might-what-are-you-going-to-do test and he passed with flying colors. He didn't even bat an eye when I pulled his ears! Home with us, he came.

He loved me immediately. He would listen to me, was stuck to my side almost constantly, and would destroy all of my items (clothes mostly) when he was left alone. He hated when I left him. He chewed through countless pairs of my underwear, pants, shorts, socks, shirts, and on and on. Basically if it smelled like me, he would ruin it. But, he never once stepped foot in the triplets or Lolli's rooms, never chewed on their toys, and listen incredibly well. He was smart, eager, and loving.

When we moved from our last duty station, we kenneled him for one night so that the movers wouldn't have him underfoot. When I dropped him off, they almost had to sedate him. He was panicking with his whole life to get to me. It broke my heart. Then when I went to pick him up, he was so mad at me for two days. He wouldn't greet me, and he intentionally ignored me. He. was. pissed!

Over the years, he has maintained his steadfast devotion to me. When I've gone out of town, Chief says he's inconsolable, wandering around the house like he's lost. He is always at my feet. He could be immersed in play or any other activity, but the second I call his name, he's right up to me, or half in my lap (he won't ever climb all the way in to my lap. I believe it's because he doesn't want to hurt me). Even if he's eating his food, he'll stop eating if I call him.

This dog knows when I'm sad, and does everything he can to comfort me. He knows when I'm sick and he'll put his whole body against me to make me feel warm. He is completely self sacrificing when others are suffering. There was one night when he and Flawful outside to go to the bathroom and it was really cold. Jake wrapped his body around her to keep her warm, while he was freezing. He came in the house and bolted toward me. He was so cold he was shaking. I of course, wrapped my comforter and my whole body around him until he was warm (and then proceeded to get upset that somehow we didn't notice how cold it was). Flawful was completely warm.

This dog gets me. He's never been afraid of me, or intimidated by me. He loves me wholly and completely.

So I tell you, when he goes away to heaven I will be a complete basket case. I will probably wander around the house like I'm lost. He is the four-legged-love-of-my-life. He is my furry soul mate.