Compassion - Integrity - Commitment
My Boys
Sam and Jake
Sam and Jake
Betty and I were very fortunate to share our lives with two handsome minature short-hair Dachshunds named Sam and Jake. Sam was black and tan and weighed around 12 lbs. and Jake, who was solid red and a very robust muscular guy, weighed around 18 lbs.
Sam was 1 1/2 years old when we got him, followed two years later by Jake at 3 months. Our life was complete. These boys were something else. Jake, being so muscular, would pull poor Sam around by his collar, but always very respectful of his "older brother". Betty and I took the boys almost everywhere we went. They were grand travelers......taking trips to Mackinaw Island, the Sand Dunes, Wisconsin Dells, Galveston, Texas and several lakes in Texas, all in typical Dachshund stride. Jake had the habit of sticking his head under the water and picking up shells to bring to shore. Those were the "good old days."
Oh, how I miss our walks in the neighborhood! If it was chilly, we'd dress the boys up in their little coats and off we'd go. Sam loved the walks but for Jake, well, they were just "okay". He had other things he'd rather do. On one walk, Sam was attacked by another dog, resulting in surgery to fix a 3-4 inch gash along his groin, but it never daunted his love for our walks!
As time went by, Sam had to have back surgery. Shortly after, I had to have surgery myself, so Sam and I were a pair, both laid up for a while. Needless to say, we both recovered. Poor Jake was the next one in line for surgery...little man ruptured a disc in his back and required surgery. He did very well. Even though both boys had back surgery, they never lost their zest for life nor their sense of humor!
The years pass as in the blink of an eye. Where has the time gone? We moved to another house. This one was set up for "the boys". We had floor to ceiling windows because they loved looking out. We added a ramp to the deck so they wouldn't have to deal with steps. We went through the usual teeth cleanings, a bout of pancreatitis with Jake but now the boys were 18 and 15 years. We tried to go for the record of the longest living Dachshund, but Jake lost his battle at 15 .
After we lost Jake, Sam knew something was wrong. He deteriorated very quickly, but he fought a gallant battle. Betty and I were up with him all night for three nights. We decided that he was suffering and that the time had come to say goodbye to our beloved Sam, as we had had to do just a short four months earlier with our beloved Jake. Even though our hearts were breaking, we took Sam for the final time to the Doctor who had cared for him so compassionately for oh so many years. We took him home and buried him beside our beloved Jake. They are together now, in their forever home.
The boys are at rest now. They are young and healthy, waiting for Betty and me. I picture them standing beside Jesus, one on each side looking down at us saying " Mom and Dad, we had a wonderful life! Thanks, we love you both."
Not a day goes by that I don't think of my boys. They are gone now, but they will never be forgotten. I loved my boys so much.....................
Sam was 1 1/2 years old when we got him, followed two years later by Jake at 3 months. Our life was complete. These boys were something else. Jake, being so muscular, would pull poor Sam around by his collar, but always very respectful of his "older brother". Betty and I took the boys almost everywhere we went. They were grand travelers......taking trips to Mackinaw Island, the Sand Dunes, Wisconsin Dells, Galveston, Texas and several lakes in Texas, all in typical Dachshund stride. Jake had the habit of sticking his head under the water and picking up shells to bring to shore. Those were the "good old days."
Oh, how I miss our walks in the neighborhood! If it was chilly, we'd dress the boys up in their little coats and off we'd go. Sam loved the walks but for Jake, well, they were just "okay". He had other things he'd rather do. On one walk, Sam was attacked by another dog, resulting in surgery to fix a 3-4 inch gash along his groin, but it never daunted his love for our walks!
As time went by, Sam had to have back surgery. Shortly after, I had to have surgery myself, so Sam and I were a pair, both laid up for a while. Needless to say, we both recovered. Poor Jake was the next one in line for surgery...little man ruptured a disc in his back and required surgery. He did very well. Even though both boys had back surgery, they never lost their zest for life nor their sense of humor!
The years pass as in the blink of an eye. Where has the time gone? We moved to another house. This one was set up for "the boys". We had floor to ceiling windows because they loved looking out. We added a ramp to the deck so they wouldn't have to deal with steps. We went through the usual teeth cleanings, a bout of pancreatitis with Jake but now the boys were 18 and 15 years. We tried to go for the record of the longest living Dachshund, but Jake lost his battle at 15 .
After we lost Jake, Sam knew something was wrong. He deteriorated very quickly, but he fought a gallant battle. Betty and I were up with him all night for three nights. We decided that he was suffering and that the time had come to say goodbye to our beloved Sam, as we had had to do just a short four months earlier with our beloved Jake. Even though our hearts were breaking, we took Sam for the final time to the Doctor who had cared for him so compassionately for oh so many years. We took him home and buried him beside our beloved Jake. They are together now, in their forever home.
The boys are at rest now. They are young and healthy, waiting for Betty and me. I picture them standing beside Jesus, one on each side looking down at us saying " Mom and Dad, we had a wonderful life! Thanks, we love you both."
Not a day goes by that I don't think of my boys. They are gone now, but they will never be forgotten. I loved my boys so much.....................
