The Studio

Twelve years ago today my friend, Carol and her granddaughter, Kayla (now my dog-sitter), went down to another friend, Sally’s, house in Raleigh to pick up the newest member of our family. Sally works with a rescue group called Second Chance, and we went down to possibly adopt a cute little girl dog, Fiona that I was hoping would get along with Truman, the basset hound that I had adopted about ten weeks earlier.

When we arrived a little black lab mix puppy, named Black Bart, attached himself to Truman and nothing we could do would separate them.  So instead of getting a little girl I adopted another boy whose name we changed from Bart to Jefferson.

Truman and Jeffie were only about 6 weeks apart in age and from the minute they met they were best friends and brothers.  And being part lab, (Jeffie was a bassador-basset/lab mix) he was a typical chewer.  He ate a wing chair, an ottoman, two rugs, a brand new sofa, and multiple shoes, etc. during the first four years of his life.  Then it was like a switch was thrown and he became the perfect dog.

I always say that everyone who has dogs gets to enjoy one or two really special “soul” puppies in their lifetime.  Jeffie was mine.  We learned that he could predict the migraine headaches that I suffered and let me know when to take my meds.  And he was just especially sweet. 

When we adopted an adorable little Cairn Terrier, Eleanor Roosevelt, better know as Rosie, she was scared of everything as she had been in a puppymill for the first seven years of her life.  It was Jeffie that began teaching her how to play.  He really rehabilitated her and helped her learn to enjoy life and her humans.

Jeffie was special that way.

Jeffie was an extra special boy; one that I will always love.  We lost him when he was just seven years old to cancer.  It happened very fast and we mourned for a long time. 

You may notice that my current Jed looks very much like Jeffie.  It’s the reason we have Jed.  I saw Jed’s photo on Petfinder and a day or two later I was driving to Ohio in a snow storm to pick him up.  And while I try not to compare the two, after several years Jed is turning out to be just as sweet as Jeffie was.  We miss you Jeffie….and thanks readers for allowing me to reminisce about my sweet boy.