Last day with JJ

This morning Asher and I waved Jonah (JJ) and Murray goodbye  as they walked off down the road like we have done on a hundred similar occasions. This time was the last time we would do so.  Murray walked JJ to the local vet who, with absolute compassion and understanding, put our loyal friend of 10 years to sleep.

 

It has taken us a year to make the decision implemented today. We’ve had countless emotion filled conversations, debated the negatives of putting JJ down, and tried to think of elaborate ways to make it work. The reality is that a small block, minimal grass space, an 18 month old boy and an aging rottweiler/kelpie dog do not belong in the same sentence.

 

It only made it harder that Asher adores Jonah. How will he understand that his best mate is gone? And for us, what will the silence feel like? Will we regret it?

 

It has been a very sad morning but we know it was a good decision.

 

The vet was impressed to see a dog of JJ’s years still on his feet. JJ’s knees and hips went a while back but he still gets around (or he did). She said that it’s a wonder he can still walk, and that his mobility would decline over the next few months. He would then have been sustained on medication and only to pass away within  2 years. While incapacitated he could have changed temperament and become more risky around children. He would be unpredictable in his pain and old age, unable to assert his authority as head of his pack of one.
 
Jonah, ever man’s best (though slightly overenthusiastic) friend was as always the gentlemen with the vet.  He happily submitted to being prodded and weighed then given a sedative needle. The vet said that JJ was in the top 10%  in terms of behaviour, temperament, manners and obedience that she had seen for his breed. She said she can see he’s had a good life and this is the right time to say goodbye in the right way. That helped.

 

So we are proud of JJ and the life he has been and proud of us for doing the mature thing – for once – for Asher and our family. Maybe this is growing up.

 

Hopefully pretty soon we’ll stop feeling so miserable about it.

(Pic of JJ and I sharing my midday God chat - a regular thing while Asher sleeps - sneakily snapped by Muz attempting to catch me napping.)

 

Comments

[kathryn]

ohh..... sad.
Tis ok to be miserable for a while.

And Micah will gladly crawl over Asher as a surrogate boofy dog/mate if that helps.

[Alison Diamond]

Oh darl, thinking and praying for you.. x x

[York G'ma]

He was my first grandpuppy! He will be missed - but not by my/your Marmion garden!

[John'n'Rose]

I know what it is like. We were absolutly gutted when Mishka was taken. At least you had some time to make the decision. We only had a couple of hours, but needless to say, the pain is great and we feel for you.
Graves are cheaper in York. If you want to lay him/her to rest in a paddock, feel free to come and do the deed.
In the meantime, enjoy the memories.
John

[katie]

Thanks everyone, it's great to feel the love across the airwaves. The first week felt ominiously silent and lick free on the verandah but since then I have enjoyed the reduction in angst associated with letting Asher outside, getting in and out etc and being in the yard. Muz has done a load of gardening, we have resumed the ritual of cups of tea in the sunshine.. So there are pros. Still miss him. Would love to have had his final home on the Harris homestead but not sure you folks would have appreciated the weekly 'weekend-stay' pilgrimmages to visit the grave!!

[reg]

only just seen this. how desperately sad. who can forget the crazy puppy with the crazy bladder that gave way whenever he got excited.. usually all over the person patting him. i don't think i ever saw him angry, even when terrorising our dogs. i'll miss the big boofhead.

fave JJ moments:
* not even pausing after cracking his head into a treated pine log in doubleview
* catching and eating a bird in the girrawheen garage
* every overjoyed welcome he's given me

[York G'ma]

To Reg
Good to know someone has fond memories of "wet" shoes, slobbery welcomes and being whipped around the bare legs by a whipping tail which left welt marks and bruises for weeks.

[katie]

He wet right up until the end...having visitors never ceased to be some kind of Nirvana for our pooch. I can still see every one of his 'cracked head' and 'what bird, no I don't see any feathers sticking out of my snout' expressions - like the look of dumbfounded confusion when he got up to much speed on the Doubleview porch and did a 'slippery doo' off the edge which sent him literally flying across the grass into a face plant skid several metres away. Took a good few minutes to recover that time. Playing hide-and-seek under the doona on the king bed when muz was out will forever be my fav JJ moments. Only got caught one time by a HIGHLY unimpressed Muz =] He forgave...how could you not?!

[the fat one]

*hug* sorry to hear about JJ :(
at least you didn't let him suffer...i see too much of that!
cx