Meet Jack

Here is Grandpa picking up his new dog from Dogs Without Parents Shelter.




Jack playing the 'clown' at the shelter before he was adopted by us.



In his new home; in the kitchen.



And, the front yard.

Several months ago, we lost Sparkles to a spinal injury. I would put it mildly if I said that Grandpa was upset. She would follow him all over outside in the yard and keep him company wherever he went. She even went on several trips to the dump with Grandpa. When he would walk out the door, Sparkles would whine and cry if left behind.

 

We hadn't thought about getting a new dog since we still had Snickers.....but then again, Snickers just was not Sparkles. One day not too long ago, Grandpa came in from working outside in his garden and sadly said, "I miss Sparkles when I'm outside." It was then that I realized that it would not be long before we ended up with a new puppy. Grandpa had been sick for a while and he needed something to cheer him up.

 

One day we were out running some errands and I suggested that we should go to a shelter I heard about called Pets Without Parents. I think he was a little surprised at my suggestion but I think he was also happy with the idea even though he wouldn't admit it. When we got to the shelter, Jack was in the office with the helpers with a cone on his head; he had just been neutered. We told them that we were looking for a new puppy and wanted something small. As we were talking about what we wanted and what they had, I kept looking at Jack who just seemed so friendly and just the right size. Somehow I knew....."What about that one?", I asked. Grandpa bent down to check Jack out and the rest is history.

 

Jack (part Chi and part Boston Terrier, 11 lbs. and one year old) is so good natured and gets along so well with the kids. Even little 2 year-old Lexi can bend down and give him a hug and kiss and Jack will lick her face. So, he gets along great with the kids. As for getting along with Snickers; well, Jack keeps trying to play with her but she just snarls back at him. But, it doesn't bother Jack. This week we are having an invisible fence installed so Jack can run and follow Grandpa around the yard but stay within the boundaries. Sparkles never wandered so that was never a worry for us. Also, we lived with a chain link fence for such a long time in Milwaukee, we just did not want to be fenced-in again. Several neighbors have dogs with the invisible fencing and it seems to work really well.

We know that if we hadn't visited the shelter on that day, someone else would have snatched up Jack. He's just that kind of dog; he practically smiles when he looks at you. It was simply just meant to be that he should end up here.

 

So, that's the story of how we got Jack and Grandpa got a new 'buddy' to keep him company when he works the 'farm' as he likes to call it.