Farewell Jake

As a pet sitter, when some of your senior guests start to weaken with time and reach ages that most dogs don’t come close to seeing, it’s those email headings with their name that make your heart skip a beat. Hoping for a booking and praying it’s not sad news. As you stare at the words, your eyes begin to fill with tears, the text blurs, your throat tightens, your heart sinks, it is with great sadness to learn they have passed.

This afternoon I received that news about Jake, he passed away at home before his family had to make that very difficult decision. Myself I can find some peace that Jake decided he was ready on his own, but most times our dear friends put that trust into us, and Jake would have been no different, he trusted and loved his family immensely.

Jake wasn’t exactly young when we started caring for him, he was about 13, and that was a few years ago. His last visit with us was in July and I could see him slowing. He couldn’t hear very well, but would still get excited and run so quickly that his floppy ears would bounce! I loved seeing his bursts of energy and often saw an extra spring in step and knew he was still enjoying life a great deal! I always tried to make Jake feel loved and comfortable, but most times he would pass on the cozy beds I would make for him and would prefer to lay on the hardwood or the tile. I can’t blame him with all that hair! Jake was a calm beautiful dog, he loved to roam around the property but was most content next to you. He lived a long happy life, this I know, but we always wish for more.

Today indeed is a sad day, I will dearly miss Jake.