Black Jack's Journey

We had promised to post Black Jack's story before Christmas. Then we decided to delay posting so that you did not end up crying on Christmas day. I hope you have a handkerchief handy before you read Black Jack's story. The names of the individuals have been changed to keep us from looking for them.

A foreign couple had brought Jack in for treatment several times to a Vet clinic. They had multiple complaints including saying that he was incontinent. Mostly they did not understand dogs and a large one was especially a challenge to them. Let the dog go out more than twice a day, duh! Male dogs always pee more than once when they are outside.

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When they moved back to their home land, they left Jack behind and had someone else bring Jack in to have him euthanized. The Vet staff did not want to put down such a nice boy, they asked if the owners would surrender Jack instead. An overseas telephone call was necessary to obtain the permission necessary to surrender Jack. That day was the beginning of a new journey for Black Jack. That night he went home with his new best friend, a Vet Tech who was also a rescue volunteer. Jack was sent on to Golden Retriever Rescue of the Rockies (GRRR) as he was a Golden in everything but color.

The owners had voiced many complaints in attempting to justify putting Black Jack down. At first the rescue did not know what was fact and what was fiction. It was necessary to spend some time evaluating him, after which the true dog emerged. It turned out that Jack did not wet in the house, he did not do inappropriate things, he did not chew cushions or chase cats, he did not bark unnecessarily. What emerged was a very mellow, gentle and well housebroken canine. He spent two weeks with a temporary foster home, not a single wet spot in the house. He just needed to be let outside more than once a day. He was a male dog and when he did go out it was normal for him to wet in several places, that did not make him incontinent. It's being a dog, that is what they do!

Since Jack has been with us, he has regularly asked to be let out, he loves the back yard and if there is no excitement in the house he will go outside looking for it, then ask to be let back in after five minutes. He has learned how to use the dog doors, but he likes the attention of asking for someone to open the door for him. He sleeps all night in the bedroom, right beside Bella and I. He eats his food politely, not wolfing it down. He is quiet, not barking all night. He is very polite, never jumps up on people to welcome them. He even co-exists with the cats.

We were told he was 10 years old, we think that was another attempt to justify euthanasia. He is not a puppy anymore, but he is closer to 7-8 than to 10 years old. He is pretty slender, under all of that thick beautiful coat, he gets extra food at dinner time. When he was in the kennels, they groomed him several times because he was such a delight to work with. When he trots across the lawn with his shiny coat bouncing in the sun, he is a thing of beauty.

Black Jack is a dangerous dog, you could kill yourself tripping over him, he is always either under your feet, by your feet, or nuzzling your hand or knee. He is a real lover dog. We think his breed is most likely "Attention Hound". He has a very mellow disposition, knows his basic commands and is sociable with others, even tolerating the cats. Perhaps the best of Jack is his attention to commands. If you tell him "no", he freezes in his tracks, he wants to please and he trys so hard to obey whatever you ask of him.

We are delighted that a Veterinarian's Staff would help this wonderful boy walk out to begin a new journey, to live his life out with a loving family and a warm home. Now it is our task to find Black Jack a new Forever Home, one that will understand him, care for him, and see him for the wonderful dog he is.

We posted a wonderful write up on Black Jack on our web site. Jack is on his way to finding his new Forever Home. We think the rescue had better hurry and find his new home, Jack is settling in a little too much, he could be difficult to give up.

Mogley G. Retriever