AB&TC HAPPY ENDINGS - JR JOHNSON


It has been some time since I have sent an update on Jack aka Spot aka J.R. Johnson. He is spoiled and the same goofy Jack that we love! Jack just passed his 3rd year with us and he keeps Louie on her feet and as you can see they are best of buds and have been since day one! Louie just kind of takes it in and I am sure Jack the goofball has added years to her life as she is a very healthy 10! She and Jack have created many games and Jack does not let Louie get old, he harangues her all the time!

Jack's life for 2010 has not been easy. Last year he had a bowl obstruction and I took him to our vet who was off for the weekend with a fill-in taking my vet's position for the weekend. It's sad when you drop your dog off with a sinking feeling something was not right. Then several hours later I got a call from the vet on duty that Jack was going through a barium test and she had filled his lungs with it!

I called my vet at home and she met me at the hospital, super-apologetic for the accident and told me they were having the Christmas party at the vet hospital and would monitor Jack's bowel situation. At 2200 hours she called me and said Jack needed to go into surgery as his bowel condition was getting worse and he was in grave condition with the barium in his lungs. Prognosis not good!

We paced the floor till wee hours of the morning when the vet called and told us that Jack made it through but was still in danger and she needed to transfer him to a critical care 24 hour vet hospital. We went to see Jack knowing he is a survivor and talked to him in his little ICU chamber and held a tight vigil for him for 2 days till he was brought out of his induced unconscious state. Well, after $ 7500 bucks for critical care and 4 days Jack came home to be monitored and cared for. We gave Jack all we could with meds and lots of love that this dear guy has brought to us in the past 3 years. Needless to say, as you can see he is as goofy as ever and he loves his family.

When we first thought of adopting Jack you had mentioned his foster dad had said he is going to be a good dog. Well someday maybe he can pick a watermelon for me as he knows how to call it! Jack has been a wonderful guy. He is fun loving! Loyal to his family and loves to give love and be loved! He is fearful of gunshots in the distance on New Years and July 4th so we have created Jack's room, a quiet large closet with has a bed, he seems to find solace in there and he can live with through celebrations. He and Louie are the 2 biggest goofballs I know, but as you know they are our little family and the reward is coming home to the big brown eyes and droopy eyes and love of a Coonie!

Thanks again!
Mark, Marsha, Louie and Jack, too!

27 October 2010

We just celebrated Jack's 2 year arrival day!...A-Day instead of B-Day. He is doing PHENOMENAL! We love him; as you can see he is spoiled to the Teeeeeeeeeee! He gets to go in for check-ups every 6 months, needed or not, and sometime every 3 months. He has fit into our home like he was raised here! And of course Louie and he are inseparable! Nothing gets by the 2 of them and they play for hours on end! Louie has lost 12 pounds since Jack has been here and we swear Jack has added years to Louie's life! She is 8 and always acts like she is 5! We figure Jack in maybe in real years about 3 1/2 now.

He is scared to death of gun or fireworks whenever some idiot in the city limits decides to set something off! But we have a retreat for him that we make up and he is pretty happy with a lot of comforting and reassuring. So needless to say he is doing great and we love him and he is always grateful as we and he loves us in return!

Take care for now,
Mark

Mark

31 August 2008

We have had more fun with Jack this past year! He is spoiled to the " T. " He and Louie wrestle all the time and have invented some great games! King or Queen of the ottoman, Tag, Hide and Seek and many other little games, not to mention they are mad about one another. Jack is a total neat-nick and he is always grooming Louie and of course she just takes it all in!

I wanted to send you some pics of times when Jack is just being the cuddler he is! He sits whenever we tell him. He and Louie just sit while their food is being scooped out until that command of " Mangia " is given. He sits with a treat held out till you tell him okay. When told to " get out of the kitchen" which means go away while we eat, he does without missing a beat.

He is just a really great guy who we love and he shows his appreciation of a GREAT life daily! We cannot help but think that " Sam " our 10 year old in her passing had something to do with us hooking up and getting " Jack " He is Loved very much and we are tickled to this day with him!

Mark

29 July 2008

As you can see Jack is doing absolutely wonderful! He has become such a great member of the family! He is very spoiled, sits with just pointing at him, he will sit and wait for his food all day next to Louie until I tell him " Mangia " then he eats and he sometimes even shares with Louie. They are inseparable!!! Louie has even lost 18lbs! from all the playing! The play king of the hill on the living room ottoman, they wrestle in the living room all the time and chase one another as fast as the can sliding around the corners of the hard wood floors! It is too funny! I figure the people that move into my home after I am gone can re-do the floors (Ha)!

It does our hearts well when we see these two playing and look at Jack, he has the happiest eyes I have ever seen in a dog! We know he is greatful daily for his life, you can see it in him and there is not a day that goes by that he thanks us in someway! He is just a great guy and has added years to Louie's life by keeping her engaged in just ole puppy fun!

Thanks for everything once again and hope you, the family and the foster pups are all doing well!

Mark

8 March 2008

This little guy is really something. For the first week he spent most his time in deep kimshe. The poor little guy was just a bit out of sorts. So the people at the Almond Board of California where Marsha is communications coordinator threw a "New Doggy " shower for her. She came home with 2 grocery bags full of new Jack toys! Needless to say Jack was in doggy heaven!

So here is where we are with this little guy. He and Louie have become pretty good friends. She has become the dignified lady and he, of course, is the goofy pre-teen. We have to disagree with his age; we are thinking this little guy is maybe 18 mos. tops.

He is very smart and learns very quickly! He sleeps on the bed (ours); he is spoiled! He sits next to Louie at meal time until he is given permission to eat with the word "Mangia." He sits and stays pretty well on command without a collar or leash. He is starting to down/stay and he loves to play ball! He has learned to sit and stay until given permission to " Get it. " We are still working on the release of the ball... He seems hard of hearing at times as he is not sure he wants to hear. But that's okay; I do that with Marsha! He sleeps through the night just fine. He is pretty much a good boy and getting better daily. We are really enjoying him and he is a great addition to the family. Of course, we are coonie fans and we just love them to pieces!

Thanks again for everything,
Mark

24 August 2007

Dear Rescue,

I want to let you know that I made it okay. I had no idea where I was and I was concerned I have to tell ya. Well they took me out of this crate for a little while, but I kept trying to drive for my California Dad. You know the traffic was terrible and I thought he needed some help! Well, that landed me back in the crate. Wow, I was bummed and they had food right next to the crate and I wanted it! I was hungry! I was starved! You know, they do not serve meals on cross-country hops any more! I was bummed!

So anyway we took this exit off the freeway and I was not sure where we were going! I was a bit worried, but I knew you had trust in my California Mom and Dad so I knew they were not taking me too far away. Well, we showed up at this really cool park and there were about 6 furry friends; one was small and I thought that he was a rodent. Soon as I touched his nose with mine, I knew he was ok. So I ran around a little bit and had fun and drank some water and then we were off to some town called Modesto.

Wow, the traffic was terrible! My California Dad told me it would be a while so I went to sleep. I awoke when we got to this pretty white house and California Mom kept me in the car while Dad went in and got this other spotted dog that looks just like me. Well sort of. She is really a big girl! She is really nice though and I like her. She is a bit older and plays. Her name is Louie, she watches me and even shared a spoon of peanut butter with me!! So as you can see by the pictures I was all over California Mom and she was just loving it! Then as you can see, Louie went over to California Dad to ask who this new guy was!

Then this older guy with this goofy hat came over and California Mom and Dad and Louie told me that this was Doggy Grandpa. So he was really happy to see me too and Louie helped support me as I was really pooped out.

Anyway, I like my new place. It is going to take some time to get use to, I miss all of you in Georgia, but I have to say I don't miss the humidity! I think we are going to go shopping for sunglasses tomorrow and some other California things. So Mom it was a good trip. I love all you guys and I will stay in touch

Spot aka JR. Johnson
P.S. Oh yea...They are calling me something like Jack...???? Weird out here in California but they are nice!

11 August 2007