A Spunky Tripawd Dog Blog

Whoever said a girls best friend were diamonds, never owned a dog. I’m not quite sure how I ended up with two of the greatest dogs on earth….maybe part of it is that all dogs are great really. Not only are they great, but they can teach us so many life lessons if we care to listen:

1.  Looks can be deceiving.

2.  Allow fresh air and wind in your face whenever possible.

3.  Be loyal.

4.  Never pretend to be something you‘re not.

5. You are never too old to play.

6. When loved ones come home, always greet them.

7. Stretch before rising.

8.  Avoid biting when growling will do.

9.  Forgive.

10.  Show compassion.

11.  Trust your instincts.

12.  Things don‘t matter.

13.  Go for walks every day.

14.  Love unconditionally.

15. Get lots of rest. 

I spent the last year of Jake’s life scared to death. I was scared of what losing a leg would in turn cause him to lose. Would he run, play, feel pain, be depressed? I was scared of not being sure whether I was making the right decision. I was scared of the tests, the chemo….oh my was I scared of giving him chemo. I was scared he would die, like somehow I thought living forever was ever an option. Do you know what Jake did the entire time I spent being scared? He wagged his tail, he requested belly rubs, he played tug-a-war, he slept in his spot on the bed, he begged for pizza crust and he growled at my BF every time he would play tackle me. I was scared to death and he was just living his life without a care in the world. Jake lost nothing in losing a leg (if you don’t count the leg itself). He ran, he played, we kept him pain free and if he was depressed I sure couldn’t tell! I learned that the right decisions are the ones made using a combination of your heart and head; and, the chemo turned out to be fine. Yes, he passed away eventually…..but we ALL will pass away eventually. The greatest life lesson Jake taught me was to stop worrying, everything will be fine, and yes we will all die but the most important thing is the way in which we live.

My Jake brought Tanner to me, there is not a doubt in my mind. Tanner (like Jake) gets stopped everywhere we go. For 12 years Jake was stopped because of his gorgeous blue eyes. Yes, people saw he was a tripawd but no one even noticed after they saw those eyes!! Tanner gets stopped for being a tripawd everywhere we go. People always comment that they would have never thought a dog with three legs could run so fast. Animal Control is near the dog park, and three employees walked over to the park just to see him today. “We can’t believe a dog can do so well on 3 legs” they said. Perhaps, those people too learned a life lesson today. Perhaps another dog will be saved because they realize three legs isn’t a disability at all.

One thing I know is that we will all worry, question our decisions and be scared to death…but in the midst of all of it, please evaluate how you spend your time living. Life will end, no matter what eventually, and when that time comes, the greatest gift you will ever hold are the memories of a life well lived. A life you can look back on and say, yeah we were battling this/that disease or this/that injury, but OH BOY did we have a GREAT TIME! That’s what my Jake taught me.

~ by elizabeth on June 17, 2014 .