Karen, Jasper and Jackdoodle's Blog (20)

Eight years ago this week, the person who bought JD from a pet store as a puppy left him at a shelter and never came back.

The reasons he was relinquished were vague. Something about a job change, I was told. 

I was also told that the man carried JD (who was 14 months old and weighed 69 lbs) into the shelter in his arms, and that he seemed emotional about what he was doing. 

Perhaps the reason he carried him is that JD had no collar or leash when he was relinquished. No…

Hi, my friends, JD here. My birthday fell on Thanksgiving this year! I turned 9 years old yesterday, so we had a double celebration at my house. My human brother and his friend spent the day here, and they played ball with me a lot !!! I have a bunch of new balls that my Aunt Jane sent me for my birthday, and we played with all of them! Even the Happy Birthday tennis balls that are only supposed to be for outside! I had a really good time!

My mom got me a new antler for my…

Dear Laurie,

Apparently you ordered a gift for me from a place called Harry Barker, which was very nice of you, but I'm sorry to tell you that they sent the wrong thing by mistake!

The box was addressed to me, and there was a card addressed to me, too, but guess what? Inside the box was a terry cloth apron for my mom instead!

As you can…

Six years ago tonight, my mom adopted me! She came to the shelter where I was staying and took me home with her, and I've been here ever since!

It took her three days to decide to adopt me. The first day she met me, she wasn't sure she could take care of a big guy like me. She went home without me, to think it over. She needed some time to be sure we would be compatible, so neither one of us would have to have another heartbreak.

That was the longest three days of my life. Mom…

Hey, guys, it's November, my favorite month of the year! Let me tell you why!

I was not having the best summer to begin with.  First, my mom signed me up for some kind of crazy classes where I had to keep walking around a big room in circles making turns for no reason, and stand still while a strange lady threw things on the floor or looked at my teeth and my feet. It made no sense, but I guess I did a good job, because my mom got a paper saying that I am a good citizen (like she…

Jackdoodle's been a little neglected lately. It's been raining a lot, so our walks are shorter, and many days we can't play ball in the yard. I've been spending a lot of time on the phone and computer, too; lots of rescue doodles in need of homes, and well, Jackdoodle has a home. So he doesn't get much attention some days. But he never acts out, or gets destructive. He just waits until I have a little time to play with…

My daughter had Jackdoodle in the car this morning when she decided to go through the McDonald's drive-through and get some coffee. Jack was in the seat behind her with his head out the window when she got to the cashier.

The young lady looked at Jack and said "Hi, Puppy!"

Then she looked at my daughter and said "He is a dog, right?"

I have not stopped laughing about this! Many people have asked what kind of dog Jack is, but…

Dear Guinness,

I was wondering if I could borrow your baby brother for a few days. I know it will be hard for you to part with him for even that long, but we have a problem at our house and I need Murphy to help us fix it.

Guinness, we have bugs!!!!! Lots of these shiny buzzy bugs that fly all over the place- they're even called "flies" 'cause they fly around so much, and they land everywhere! Mom says they are filthy and she is going crazy trying to get rid of…

Jackdoodle and I attended the Paw Pad romp in the forest preserves this morning; we had a wonderful time. Jack is the only honorary Paw Pad labradoodle in existence. (I have no photos, as I forgot my camera. I had all I could do to remember Jack and all his assorted paraphernalia, including but not limited to many bottles of water, many tennis balls, his boots, poop bags, etc.)

It was great to see Leslie & Halas again, and Penny with Comiskey and of course little Beemer! Beemer…

I'm shaking. But I'm typing. This is that important.

I took Jack for a walk this afternoon, and we were walking past a yard when some dogs came rushing the fence barking ferociously. Suddenly, I had a leash in my hand, and Jack was at the fence barking back at them. Loose. Loose, in somebody's sideyard, with the street and the coming-home-after-work traffic about 100 feet away.

The snap pulled away from his leash. It was still attached to his harness.

I yelled…