Saying Goodbye to Jive
3:00pm Thursday July 2nd, 2020
Every dog that I have shared my life with owns a piece of my heart. But there are always a few special dogs, the ones whose loss doesn't just take a piece of your heart, but rips your heart apart.
Jive is one of these and today my heart has been ripped apart.
Jive has been a part of my life for 15 1/2 years, longer than any other dog, and during those years has been my constant companion and best friend. She was the first dog I kept from combining my show and working line dogs and she guided me through those nerve racking first few years proving both on the trail and in the ring that I was firmly on the right track with my breeding program. Her accomplishments include:
Every dog that I have shared my life with owns a piece of my heart. But there are always a few special dogs, the ones whose loss doesn't just take a piece of your heart, but rips your heart apart.
Jive is one of these and today my heart has been ripped apart.
Jive has been a part of my life for 15 1/2 years, longer than any other dog, and during those years has been my constant companion and best friend. She was the first dog I kept from combining my show and working line dogs and she guided me through those nerve racking first few years proving both on the trail and in the ring that I was firmly on the right track with my breeding program. Her accomplishments include:
|
|
|
But Jive was so, so much more. She was MY girl whose sound temperament, polite manners (including around cats) and totally reliable recalled allowed me to take her anywhere and do anything with her. She was great with everyone and everything and there was just something about her that gained her so many admirers over the years, including my vet, Dr. Eric Carnegy. She was his favourite.
|
|
However, Jive was too dignified to be a big cuddlier. She reserved that kind of affection for a very few special people and I was blessed to be one of those chosen few. She was my "end of the bed" girl for most
of her life and before settling for the night she loved to get some snuggles. When she couldn't get up on the bed anymore and switched to her bed in the living room, I'd get her up on the couch and we would have a snuggle time there. I also loved our early morning, off leash walks along the shore at Point Pleasant Park. During the last couple years we switched from the park to walking the hills of Fairview every morning to keep up the strength in her rear but I still loved my |
quiet time of contemplation with this special friend and her "side-kick", grand daughter, Ali. And there was our work together visiting the seniors at Maplestone Enhanced Care. Jive would break the ice for me and then lay quietly while I had a lovely chat with the senior but after a while would remind me that we had others to visit.
There was another special person in Jive's life and that was my mom. Until her passing in 2014, Jive loved going to my Mom's for supper. She would lay beside my Mom and politely help her with her supper and usually got a bag of homemade biscuits to take home with her. I still have all the emails from my Mom, that read "Hi Jive - Can Mommy bring you down for supper tomorrow night? Love Nan". There was a special bond between Jive and my Mom as I think they were kindred spirits, both strong personalities who made a difference in the lives of so many people.
Jive was maybe best described by her beloved vet, Nina, who kept Jive comfortable and mobile in the last few years of her life with acupuncture and laser treatments. Nina would say "Jive is a force!" And that, Jive was. I just called her "The Queen" because I knew what Jive wanted, Jive got. Jive had such incredible determination, always insisting on doing things her way and hated getting any help. Even during the last weeks of her life, any help was considered "manhandling" and the Queen was not amused! There were not many battles I won on that front. Beyond the heartache of losing someone that has been such an important part of one's life for so long, this fact made it all the more difficult to know when it was time to let her go. Every time I started to think it was time, my Energizer Bunny would pick up and keep going and make me question my decision. This was made even more complicated due to the COVID 19 pandemic as Eric, who had always helped with these decisions and come to the house for me for the final goodbyes, was not working. But there comes a time for all things to pass and I knew I owned it to Jive to let that passing be with the dignity that was always present in her life. Thankfully, Nina, put me in touch with Forever Loved Vet, Emily and arrangements were made for a home visit.
So, tonight Jive will be sharing supper with my Mom once again. I know my Mom will be so happy to see her and will have some homemade biscuits waiting for her. And even though I could not personally take her to Mom for supper this time, I know Jive will be in the very best of loving hands until we can all be together again.
Love you with all my heart Jivie.
Jive was maybe best described by her beloved vet, Nina, who kept Jive comfortable and mobile in the last few years of her life with acupuncture and laser treatments. Nina would say "Jive is a force!" And that, Jive was. I just called her "The Queen" because I knew what Jive wanted, Jive got. Jive had such incredible determination, always insisting on doing things her way and hated getting any help. Even during the last weeks of her life, any help was considered "manhandling" and the Queen was not amused! There were not many battles I won on that front. Beyond the heartache of losing someone that has been such an important part of one's life for so long, this fact made it all the more difficult to know when it was time to let her go. Every time I started to think it was time, my Energizer Bunny would pick up and keep going and make me question my decision. This was made even more complicated due to the COVID 19 pandemic as Eric, who had always helped with these decisions and come to the house for me for the final goodbyes, was not working. But there comes a time for all things to pass and I knew I owned it to Jive to let that passing be with the dignity that was always present in her life. Thankfully, Nina, put me in touch with Forever Loved Vet, Emily and arrangements were made for a home visit.
So, tonight Jive will be sharing supper with my Mom once again. I know my Mom will be so happy to see her and will have some homemade biscuits waiting for her. And even though I could not personally take her to Mom for supper this time, I know Jive will be in the very best of loving hands until we can all be together again.
Love you with all my heart Jivie.
