I FOUND HIM!

The Power of the Paw must really be something, because after spending all day searching, I found Jack.

I posted ads on probably 20 or so "lost dog" websites, scanning the Found ads on each one. I emailed a description and pictures to all of the local shelters and rescues. I submitted classifieds to the local newspapers. I posted on my MySpace. I called a police officer who's a friend of mine and asked him to keep an eye out while patrolling. I made up flyers that I was planning on taking to all the vets, groomers, pet stores, super markets, gas stations, and anywhere else that would let me post them. My ex-husband may have seemed to give up on finding Jack, but I wasn't going to.

I finally came to Petfinder.com at nearly 7pm - to be honest, I never realized before today that they had a lost and found classified section, I always just thought it was for searching for adoptable dogs, but luckily one of the local rescue sites recommended it in their "what to do if your dog is lost" section.

I scanned the found ads, and sure enough, an ad was posted (on JUNE 28th) that a large male Golden Retriever who was "a very sweet boy" had been found wandering on HWY 65. I couldn't help but think that their description of him was exactly Jack. I called and left a message, in tears... hoping that I had found him. About 30 minutes later, the husband called me back and when I described Jack, he said "Yup, I think we've got your dog!"

I just got back from picking him up. He nearly tackled me when he saw me, he was so happy. Apparently Jack did not go missing on the 4th of July, but had been missing even longer than I was told, so he was gone for more like two weeks instead of one. I have to say, this made me even more upset at my ex-husband for not telling me sooner.

I brought Jack home so he could visit with his sisters, and called Robert to tell him the good news. He just came and picked him up. I have to admit, I was so tempted to keep Jack... I don't want this to happen again and I've been having other issues about the care he's been getting... but I made Robert promise never to leave him outside unsupervised and to get him a new tag with his name and phone number. Even better news is that Robert is not getting deployed on Monday afterall, so now I don't have to worry about Jack being left with Robert's family or friends that might take even less care of him.

I'm just so relieved that someone found Jack and was kind enough to take him into their home instead of just leaving him there on the highway. And I'm so glad that they were nice enough to keep him in their home for so long instead of just dropping him off at a shelter, where he could have possibly been put to sleep before I'd even been told that he was lost. I couldn't thank them enough.

I feel kind of stupid for making all these posts all over Dogster only to find him the same day... so I apologize if I've over-reacted. But I'm sure that I'm not alone in being so attached to my dogs... having them go missing for any amount of time is heart-wrenching, so hopefully you will all understand and forgive me.

Jack is missing - Greenbrier, AR

Jack's mom here...
It is with much sadness that I post this, but Jack has gone missing.

I saw my ex-husband Robert today, and he offhandedly mentioned that Jack has been missing since around the 4th of July weekend (he couldn't remember exactly which day..). Jack is terrified of thunderstorms and fireworks, and can jump the fence in the backyard. Robert had left him outside unsupervised, and of course Jack got scared from the storm and the holiday fireworks and ran off. He has gotten out of the yard before, but he has never been gone this long and would usually come home on his own, according to Robert.

I have to say I'm devastated... sad, and worried, and angry... Jack may not be my dog anymore technically, but I love that big goofball and since I took care of him for a year and a half, he is still like my dog in my heart. I just want him to come home safely, even if it's back home to Robert (or Robert's family, since Robert is deploying for Iraq next week).

Jack is very large for a Golden Retriever, approximately 100lbs and very tall. He wears a blue collar, although I don't know if his tags were on the collar or not... He went missing from the northern part Greenbrier, Arkansas near HWY 65 (close to HWY 225 and HWY 287). He is a big sweetheart and loves people, but sometimes likes to play hard-to-catch.

If anyone has seen Jack, for better or for worse... or has him or knows his whereabouts, please let me know (via pawmail).

Feel free to forward this with a link to Jack's Dogster profile and pictures.

Thank you,
Janna

Visit!

Yesterday Mom came over to the house to visit me and Dad! It was great seeing her again! When she first got there, I could hear her and Dad talking in the kitchen while I was napping in my kennel. Normally I'm a good, quiet boy, but when I heard her voice I started whining until she and Dad came into the room. I wagged my tail so hard I shook the whole kennel. Mom let me out and gave me a big hug. She sat down on the floor with me and petted me, and Dad did too. I tried to crawl into her lap, but I'm too big. Dad told Mom that I've been doing pretty well but am still kind of reluctant about eating my kibble. They talked about switching me to a new brand again - maybe I'll like something else better. Mom and Dad were actually getting along great, even laughing and joking with each other. They told me that they are getting a divorce but are remaining friends, and I think they are both relieved. Dad told Mom that she can still visit with me, and Mom told Dad that he and I can visit all my sisters too! I'm so happy we can all stay in touch and be friends through all of this.

Time to Say Goodbye

Mom packed up all of my toys, food, medications, leashes, bowls, and treats and put all of it in Dad's Jeep this morning. Then she put me in the Jeep too and we went for a ride back to the old house. Mom is here saying goodbye to me now. She says she'll have to go soon and Dad will be home to stay with me soon. I know she is sad, and I'm sad too, but I hate seeing Mom cry... I wish she wouldn't cry...

Goodbye Mom. I love you and will miss you.

:(

My days with Mom are numbered...

Mom sat down and had a talk just with me the other day. Apparently Mom and Dad are separating, and may possibly be getting a divorce if things don't work out and Dad won't go through Anger Management Therapy. Mom explained that she loves me very much and will miss me a lot. Even though I've lived with her for this past year or so, since I was originally Dad's dog, I will stay with him when they separate. Dad is back from Iraq now but is at Fort Sill in Oklahoma going through the de-mob process. He will be home on Tuesday, at which point Mom will drop me off at the house in Greenbrier with him. Mom and my sisters will still be staying with Mom's friend in Conway.

I don't really understand all of this since I'm just a dog. I just hate seeing Mom cry. I'm glad that I'll be with Dad again, but I'm going to miss Mom very much now. I'm going to miss my sisters too. :(

Mom is worried that Dad won't go to all the trouble to take care of me like she does. Before I came to live with Mom, Dad and his family just fed me Ol' Roy and never took me to the vet for check-ups or anything, and they didn't even give me flea/tick or heartworm prevention. They also didn't brush me or take me to a groomer, so my fur was matted and nasty. Mom says she will try to explain to Dad about how important it is for him to continue with my trips to the vet and pursuing finding a specialist to get to the bottom of what's wrong with me. She says she'll also have to teach him how to give me my medicines, what to feed me, and all about my supplements and such.

I'm worried about how all this will turn out. :(

Financial Woes...

Mom is very upset right now. She wants to take me back to the vet to discuss more tests and options as well as probably take me to see a specialist. But she got a letter in the mail from the bank saying that her and Dad's bank account had overdrawn when she tried to pay the Entergy bill. So she looked at the bank account, and sure enough Dad had made a bunch of purchases at the PX in the last few days and now the bank account is empty. She would normally pull money out of savings to put in the checking account, but she says it looks like Dad has already drawn a lot out of savings, so the rest of the savings is going to have to be transferred just to cover the mortgage and other bills. Mom is very angry at Dad and herself because now she can't afford to take me to the vet. She has always been so careful about spending money and always having plenty of money in her savings account in case there was ever an emergency with us pets. I wish she wouldn't beat herself up over this. It's not her fault. She has been crying all day and I'm worried about her. I'm worried about her and Dad's marriage too... :(

Hopefully Bubbi will help Mom out with my vet bills. She doubts that Grandma will help even though I was originally Dad and Grandma's dog. If not, Mom says she will go apply for a credit card just for me! Hopefully that will cover all of my vet expenses.

Please keep us in your thoughts and prayers.

Vet Update

The vet still doesn't really know what is going on with me. I'm back up to 98lbs which is good, but the weight doesn't look as good on me as it should. I still have hollows above my eyes and my hindquarters and shoulders are still too skinny. I'm just gaining all the weight around my middle which isn't good. So Mom says she's going to try exercising me more too so that I can be toned and get into good shape.

They took another sample of my urine. I was a good boy and went potty for them on the leash so they could just grab some of my pee in a cup. (Mom warned me what they sometimes have to do to get urine samples... no thanks, I'll pass on the catheter! ) My pee was a funny color though, kinda greenish. No one knew what that was all about. :/

There is still protein in my urine. The last time it was tested, it was +4, and this time it was only +3 which still isn't good but is better than last time. The vet switched me to a different antibiotic that he says is stronger, and said to come back in another month for another test.

Today I wouldn't eat any breakfast, so Mom force-fed me half of it. She said I had to have something on my stomach to take my meds.

I'm feeling ok though. I went outside today after it stopped raining and had a great time running around and jumping over puddles (and sometimes through the puddles... but Mom told me to stop getting muddy cause she doesn't want me tracking it all through the house).

Progress?

I ate about half of my breakfast this morning. This afternoon I have an appointment at the vet for another round of tests and to refill my antibiotic prescription. Wish me luck.

The Eating Dilema continues

I'm still not eating my kibble. It's been two days. Mom is getting frustrated with me. Everyone keeps saying that I'm just being stubborn and if I get hungry enough, I'll eat. So she puts down my bowl in the morning, and I don't touch it. When my sisters are all done eating, she takes my bowl away. She does the same thing at night. She had bought me some chicken and rice to cook me something that maybe I'd eat, but then everyone told her not to spoil me for being stubborn and I just have to learn that I need to eat my dog food. My sisters don't think it's fair that I get so many yummy treats and that Mom bought me chicken and rice. They say that they should get to eat the chicken instead because they've been good about eating their kibble and deserve a treat.

Mom doesn't know what to do anymore. I won't eat any dog food or dog treats anymore at all. Mom worries that if I never eat dog food again she won't be able to afford to keep feeding me cooked chicken and rice for the rest of my life.

Wow!

Wow, I'm honored! I was selected as a Daily Diary Pick today! Thanks Dogster!