Jack's Story
by his mom, Karen Lively
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On September 6, 2000, I offered to go with Suzanne to Caryville, TN to pick up a puppy just coming into rescue that she was going to foster. This puppy had been "dumped" near the home of a woman who was known to rescue dogs, and she had found her way to our rescue group to see if we could help with this pup. I had had spinal surgery about a month before, had been home recovering, and was eager to get out of the house and to have Suzanne's company on the drive to pick up the pup. |
When Beverly, who fostered for our rescue and who was bringing him to us, drove up, and we got out to see little puppy Jack, I immediately said, "I'll foster him!" I admit I was really surprised to hear myself saying that! Suzanne asked if I was sure I felt up to it, and I told her that I did, that taking care of Jack would be something for me to do, since I was really bored and a bit depressed at having to stay home so much.
At that time, fostering really was all I planned to do for this pup, even though Jack was the cutest thing I think I had ever seen. I took Jack home with me, he began to settle in, and he immediately impressed me as to what a good puppy he was. And our bonding began! He was easily house- and crate-trained, and got on very well with my other dogs, especially my 2-year-old Miet, who loves to run and play and who definitely met her match in Jack! |
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Within a few days, I posted Jack on our web site as "adoptable" and started getting quite a few emails about him, some from as far as Seattle, WA. My emails in response to the interest in him were hard for me to write. I was having trouble imagining Jack leaving and going to a new home, no matter how appropriate. I had grieved quite a bit when my last foster girl, Lucy, went to her (wonderful) forever home, and I thought I was just going through the same thing again and that I would just need to deal with it. But Lucy had been with me for several months and I had had quite a bit of time to get attached to her. Jack had only been with me a couple of days!
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I found myself wanting to write back to those who were interested in him that Jack was a "problem" puppy, wanting to highlight any little faults he had, such as a tendency to be protective of his food. Subconsciously, I guess I wanted to discourage interest in him. But I didn't want to mislead anyone about his availability, and I was really feeling conflicted. |
I talked it over with Suzanne, and we decided that it was only fair that I take his information off the web page for awhile. We agreed that I would foster him until he was six or seven months old, to take plenty of time to carefully evaluate him and his developing personality so we could better determine the kind of adult dog he would be and the type of permanent home he would need. Then later, I could put him back on the web site. But I think I knew then that Jack wasn't going anywhere, although having a total of four dogs was not in my immediate plan! |
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About a year and a half ago, when I first started helping Suzanne with Border Collie Rescue, I told her that I wanted a Border Collie to do agility and/or herding with one of these days, but that I wasn't going to buy one. I believed the right dog for me would eventually come through Rescue. I was patient, in no hurry to add a new dog to my three-dog little family. I knew I would know when the right dog came along, but I didn't expect it so soon. I suppose timing is not always up to us. Jack is "that" dog, though I had certainly never imagined my perfect Border Collie to come to me as a puppy. I had always thought it would be an older dog, and for some reason, I expected my perfect dog would be a female.
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Jack is a complete delight. Every day I celebrate the fact that this wonder puppy has come into my life; that I am his mom. I talk about him to everybody (probably too often and too much!), and his grandparents (who thought I already had too many dogs) are simply smitten with him. He is a healthy, happy, exuberant little boy, always wagging his tail, wiggling his whole back end, smiling up at me, ready to go every time I jingle the car keys or just put on my shoes to go to the mail box. Jack showed interest in Carolyn's agility equipment, but alas, he's afraid of big, scary, smelly sheep. I'm hoping that will change as he gets older. But if it doesn't, that's okay, too. |
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We are attending puppy class and Jack is learning new things
very quickly and easily. I think he is the best puppy in the world.
And while I enjoy every puppy moment with him, I am also curious about the big dog he will become. I look forward to many, many years of being Jack's mom and sharing in all the adventures and fun that it will bring us. |
