R.I.P Jay

Told you he wasn't one for cuddles!

Jay, the best dog in the world, had to be put to sleep yesterday. He hadn't been well for a good few weeks now with trips back and forth to the vet every few days. They'd initially thought he had bronchitis but he'd get better on the antibiotics for a few days and then he'd dip back down again. They had thought they would X-Ray him yesterday to investigate his liver and lungs but it was decided that it wouldn't be kind to put him through all that, especially if there was nothing they could do.

I was at work when my mum phoned me to tell me and my lovely manager was kind enough to let me leave so I hopped a taxi to the vet and was so glad that he wasn't gone when I arrived, they'd waited for me to get there. I got to say goodbye to him and we were all there when the time came, talking to him, stroking him and he went peacefully. The staff at the Ark Veterinary Centre were amazing and so kind, they let us spend as much time with him as we wanted, both before and after. It was so hard to leave him and come home without him; the house just isn't the same.

We have had Jay since he was 7 weeks old - we got him from Freshfield Animal Rescue in August 1999 and we gave him his birthday as 29th June. Along with his brothers and sisters, he had been abandoned outside the rescue centre at 3 and a half weeks old. The day we went to visit the Centre, looking for a puppy, they were all in a big cage, tiny little things, all making pathetic whimpering noises. Although it took me a long time to actually decide which puppy to have, I think I wanted Jay from the moment I saw him, stuck behind the litter tray where he couldn't get out. As soon as I'd decided on Jay, he gave me a kiss under my chin, further clinching the deal.

I'm bored of all these photo's now!

Jay loved his dad and would follow him everywhere - at least until he took him to the park, and once there he loved nothing more than playing with his frisbee. Everyone knew him in the park because of this. He was very good at jumping and catching it in mid air. Everyone thought he was a beautiful dog, and he was - he was a lovely black and tan colour and looked much like a german shepherd, which we are convinced he was, at least in part.

However, Jay wasn't the most affectionate of dogs and I don't believe he really thought he was a dog. In most households with a dog, I'm sure common phrases heard are 'get off the couch', 'get off the bed' etc etc, well Jay wanted to be different and despite numerous attempts to get him to jump on the couch or bed for cuddles, he refused to, the only exception being when there were fireworks and we were trying to get him to go outside before bed.

Jay was a very intelligent dog and in addition to learning sit and lie down etc, we taught him to close the door. but Jay being the contrary dog he was, he would often just look at you as if to say 'do it yourself'. I always found the fact that he knew exactly what you were saying and what you wanted him to do, yet chose not to do it, quite amusing at times and frustrating at others, but I loved this quirk in his character.

Jay would bark at everyone who came to the door, postman, milkman, hairdresser, friends and family, and continued to do so despite the fact that they came to the house everyday or every week. He was a good protector in the case of making a deterrent noise but I reckon if someone retalliated, he'd run the other way, he was such a scaredy cat! He hated the wind and the thunder and didn't like being laughed at :-) As I said, Jay would bark at everyone and it took him a while to make friends with you, but once he did, he'd love you forever and you'd get big hugs and kisses whenever you came to visit and he'd never forget you. It was a nice welcome home after a long day at work.

Until the last few months Jay had been a boisterous ball of fun, always wanting to play, he loved the pudding ball and the Santa ball, and it's been so sad to see the decline in him.

Jay was 11 years and 9 months old when he died. I'm sure he's now somewhere in doggie heaven, barking at everyone, telling them what's what. And although I know it was the best thing for him, as he was in a lot of pain, I still wish he was here with me.