MY JEWEL
January 6, 1993 - September 13, 2002
For almost ten years I shared my life with the dearest and most precious friend I will ever have. Her unconditional love is a gift I will cherish forever. She came into my life at a time when I really wasn't prepared to offer my time raising another dog, particularly since it had not been very long since I said good-bye to another beloved pet. After some very careful thought, I decided I would bring her into my home since, as the runt of a litter of ten pups, my daughter was unable to place her with anyone else. Weighing in at a little over two pounds, she lay in my hands and within a few minutes I fell in love. Her big brown eyes looked up at me and I knew she was mine.
She was a strong willed, independent little one and it wasn't long before I realized what a handful she would be. An extremely intelligent pup, it took her no time at all to let me know, in no uncertain terms, how she wanted me to see to her needs. If things didn't go the way she thought they should, she would chew the carpets, the wallpaper, chair legs and even a wall. I soon realized she wanted free run of the house and did not like being left alone. It took me a few months before I got everything right, according to Jewel's rules! Daddy would leave two milk bones at the top of the stairs every morning. If he forgot she soon let him know. You could set your watch by her, her routine down pat. Once she realized that things were as they should be as far as she was concerned, she began to relax her rules a little and I was able to leave her alone for a few hours and return home to find everything in order. She would bound to the door when I arrived home and, with her now 90 pounds, would almost knock me off my feet and slather me with kisses.
She loved to have a bath and a couple of times I found myself sharing the tub with her when she managed to push the bathroom door open and jump in! She also loved to drink the water at the sink when I was brushing my teeth and so I bought her a toothbrush and she had her teeth brushed too!
When I was relaxing in my lazy boy chair she would leap up and send the chair back a few inches as she settled in on top of me -- some lap dog! She loved to take me for a walk and would take hold of her leash and pull if I wasn't moving fast enough. God help me if she spotted a squirrel! I fell a few times before I built up enough muscle to restrain her. Funny thing was, she would chase a squirrel but always stop short of reaching it; I guess she only wanted to play. After a couple of years she decided to walk beside me and our walks became longer as we routinely visited the parks. She loved to chase the ball. I would throw it, she would run to get it, pick it up in her mouth then promptly drop it, waiting for me to come and get it! She never did learn to bring the ball to me.
She loved to dance with me and we did quite well as long as she took the lead. Two steps sideways and then she would step back, bark and lunge forward. I spent a lot of time on the floor laughing. I liked to do my exercises in the evening and it was a good time for her to play with her toys - on top of me of course! As you can see, she loved life.
She also loved people (with the exception of the mail man -- doesn't every dog?) and she would run to greet anyone that came to the house, jumping up on them of course! I think she was beginning to get the fact that she wasn't supposed to do that but she never quite managed to stop it all together. What can I say!
We soon learned to communicate with each other when no words were spoken, although I'm sure she understood everything I said! She was also very sensitive to my feelings. When I was upset or sad she would put her head on my lap. When I laughed she barked and barked and slathered me with kisses. When I was sick she never left the side of my bed. When I scolded her she would hide her face from me and wait a few minutes before she came to me and put her paws on my knees or she would put her paws around my neck and hug me -- her way of saying I'm sorry. She became my shadow.
Our favourite time together was late in the evening when the house was quiet. I would brush her coat, which she loved, and we would speak softly to each other, her with her soft yips and, with her head cocked to listen, I would whisper in her ear, "I love you, Jewel. You're Mommy's baby. What a good girl you are."
Jewel became ill in the Spring. Many visits to the vet didn't seem to help. Although she was sick she never failed to greet each day with a loving nudge on my face and we continued our daily walks, even playing ball occasionally.
I felt her love for me so deeply and I know she knew I loved her with all my heart.
Good-bye Mommy's baby. I will never forget you.
