Life with Adie & Emmy!: Our Dogs... (part one)

Jake & Barker in the back of Dad's Tahoe

It's funny how our animals become such an immediate part of our family. That we consider our pets to be like our children. But some how they make their way into our hearts and forever leave a mark. They are always happy to see you and excited about anything you have to tell them. Some of us treat our pets like children more than others, letting them eat off your plate or sleep in your bed. And it seems that if you don't have actual children in your home that these pets take on that role even more.

When I was a junior in college I got my first pet. Not a family pet, but my own Dog. I answered an ad in the newspaper for a black lab pup. I was eager to go pick him out and when Jeremy and I arrived at the house the pups were not labs. But that didn't matter I had already fallen in love with their over sized paws. I paid $25 for him and took him home. He had been named long before I got him, however the name "Barker" turned out to be very fitting. The following year my brother moved out of the dorms at Texas Tech and into my house and Barker quickly became our dog. Scott was probably the better parent to Barker taking him out to the fields so he could chase him on his motorcycle.

My Dad lives on 12 acres in the Ft. Worth area and thought Barker really needed to come live with him, but I was not giving up my dog. Scott kept him well exercised and he was fine living in our small college house. That Easter Scott and I decided that we were going to get my Dad a dog of his own. He had not had a dog since Scott and I were in high school and it was time he had one again. And maybe this would take care of him wanting Barker so bad. I again pulled out the newspaper and answered an ad for a lab pup. Upon arriving at the house we realized that it was the same home where Barker had come from. What a coincidence! We picked a pup for Dad and that weekend took him to Ft. Worth as an Easter surprise. I don't remember Dad's exact reaction or really even delivering the dog but I am positive he was happy about it. For that matter I may have told him on the phone that we got him a dog... who knows I am terrible at keeping secrets, especially exciting ones. Dad named him "Jake". I believe after the song "If I die before I wake, feed Jake... he's my best friend..."

So fast forward a few years... I graduate college and move to Colorado taking with me Barker (now close to 100 lbs) , Jed, Jeremy's St. Bernard (weighing in at 130 lbs) and our newest addition (long story) Cooper (weighing in at a mere 50 lbs). The car trip there is quite a site! I will have to find those pics and post them, they are before the days of me owning a digital camera so I will have to work on that. Anyway back to the story... Scott also left Lubbock when I graduated and transferred to North Texas to finish his degree. He moved in with Dad and Jake.

Some time in the next year Jeremy and I decided it would be best for Barker go back to Texas with Scott and Dad. He was miserably bored in the back yard and way to smart to just lay around all day. And 250 pounds of dog was a little much for us to handle. We met Scott in Lubbock one weekend and I sadly let Barker go home with him. But as we all knew it would, Dads house "the ranch" was a great home for Barker. And to make it even better for him he was now home with his "little brother" Jake (weighing in somewhere about the 100 lb mark as well). What a life these 2 dogs lived! Sleeping in the bed, eating off plates, swimming in the pool (not kidding about that) and going just about everywhere Dad went.

The time has gone by really fast and occasionally Dad and I will figure out just exactly how old they are. Barker we decided had a birthday sometime in September or October of 2000 making him about 8 and Jake was somewhere around February or March of 2001, so he would be about 7. They were definitely getting older with their gray muzzles and achy hips but there was still a lot of energy left in them.

Unfortunately, I got a phone call from Dad this weekend that both of the dogs were shot by the neighbors grandsons. There had been some problems of wild pitt bulls running around killing some of the livestock and it seems for whatever reason these boys did not distinguish the difference between Jake and Barker and these wild dogs. Barker is going to be OK but sweet Jake didn't make it. I only see the dogs a few times a year but they do hold a special place in my heart. They are such big personalities and I looked forward to driving up Dad's drive way and seeing their tails wagging to meet you. For me it's part of going home. Even bigger I know how much Dad enjoyed their company. The dogs were absolutely his second set of children. I know they are as spoiled as Scott and I were, if not more so. It's really sad that this is how we lost Jake. I don't think we would have ever guessed it would turn out like this. I think the worst part though is having to hear my Dad's sadness as he morns the loss of his " best friend" and knowing there is nothing you can do or say to make it better, that only time heals the pain and that time can't pass quickly enough.

So below are some family pictures of the dogs. The one's I could find quickly. I'm going to do some more digging to see what else I can come up with. Also, I know I have a video of the dogs "singing" that I'm going to find. This was hysterical! Dad would get them started barking and the dogs would turn it into a howl, it made me cry with laughter every time! So more to come on our dogs.

Labor Day weekend 2006