The Tale of our new puppy - or should that be "tail" - LOL

We have a new puppy.

My cousin's girlfriend found a dead momma dog on the side of the road on Saturady morning, December 27th, 2008. She was on her way out to the flea market to see us when she saw it. She pulled over to see how bad she was hurt and she was dead. Then she saw a little bundle of joy crawling around and picked it up. She looked all over the area and there were no other pups. They either left or there was only the one.

This poor little pup was born with a cleft palate and only one eye, but otherwise is fat and happy. We think it may have been an older mom because of the birth defects and only one pup. I do not think it was hit by the car, but you never know.

My 22 year old has taken it in and several folks at the flea market fell in love with the pup. They kept coming over to see it all day. My daughter takes it with us wherever we go. The pup look to be about 6 weeks old.

My cousin's girlfriend who found it said the mom was pretty run over, but looked to be a golden retriever mix.

The pup looks like it has some German Shepard in it.

We bought baby formula and puppy food and are waiting for a friend of ours to get it a vet appointment. Being it is a rescue dog and it has problems - and that our almost retired vet doesn't do anything major anymore - we need another one at least for the first visit to give it a good checkup. Our friend said she should be able to get the dog warden to find a vet to give it a discounted first visit because of the circumstances - she is hoping for free, but we'll see. That would be wonderful because we are already stretched too thin with our other 2 dogs (Beagles), our cats (inside and outside) and our birds.

And with hubby probably losing his job this Spring, we will need the break.

We just couldn't abandon this little pup - and it is just so sweet.

I am setting up this Squidoo page for it with a donation link to help cover food, vet bills... as this poor little thing will need a lot of special care I think.

My Daughter named the pup Jack.

Jack had his first shots, was weighed (he is 5 pounds) and got his dog license today.

My two Beagles get along with him okay and the cats put up with him just fine. A few of the cats at my house and at my daughters house really like him, but most just tolerate him.
At least there is no fighting which is a big relief for me.

Jack is growing so fast and is very active !

He loves to run and play - we just have to watch him because he can't see on the one side and will bang into things if we do not stop him.
I think he will learn to compensate for only having one eye, but for now we try to slow him down until he learns how.

He has a few favorite toys and he loves to chew and shake them. He is learning how to growl and it is adorable - LOL

Jack has been sitting on command for a few days now and he thinks that EVERY time he sits down he should have a biscuit - LOL

He just learned to lie down today.

This is one smart puppy !

Jack is now jumping up on command too.
He still can't get the roll over command, but he is doing just amazing so far.

I was remembering back about two weeks or so ago when my daughter and I were talking to a lady - and we were telling her all about him and how happy he is all the time and how much he is attached to us and she said "Of course he is - he knows you guys saved his life !"

I think in some way he does have a little understanding of that.
Who knows how many days he was alone just sitting by his dead momma before he was rescued ?

The more we look, the more we can see some Husky in this pup.

Jack loves to pull and has the curled up tail and he is getting some BIG feet - LOL

Jack went to theVet for his second visit and more shots.
He also now has HeartGuard that he has to take every month.

I am going to give my daughter a bar of my "Pet Lovers" soap to use when she bathes him.

The puppy will be in the Youngstown Vindicator !
On January 7, 2009 - John Goodwin from the Youngstown Vindicator stopped by the Hubbard Flea market to interview the vendors about the puppy.

He especially wanted to talk to the rescuer and my daughter who is adopting him.

He will be sending a photographer in the next week or so to get the pup's photo and then they write up the article and publish it.

He thought the little pup was so cute and wanted to tell the story of the rescue and the rescuers.

The story came out on Friday, Janury 16th in the Youngstown Vinditcator.
Jack made the front page !
There was a little photo and a blurb about him on the front page, a big section on the front of the local section, AND the story and photos continued onto the second page of the local section.

We have had many people coming to the Hubbard Flea Market to see our local celebrity.

They didn't get quite all of the details correct, but Mr. Goodwin wrote a beautiful story and the photographer took several photos - 3 were in the newspaper story.
Here's the link to the Youngstown Vindicator story :
http://www.vindy.com/news/2009/jan/16/puppy-finds-home-at-flea-market/

Jack had his first taste of ice cream this past Saturday (May 23rd. 2009).
We stopped at our favorite homemade ice cream place called Webb's and each got a cone.
My daughter (Jack's Mommy) saved her last little bit of her butter pecan cone for him and he loved it !
I told her that she really started something now as I told her about my dog growing up - Toby.
He loved getting his bite of an ice cream cone and he got it everytime we went as my Dad would save the last bite of his cone for Toby and he would sit there waiting patiently.
One day, my Dad forgot to save the last bite for him - you should have seen the look on Toby's face !
And, he pouted a little doggy pout all the way home - LOL

Jack has had his treat once in June and once in July - it looks like this is going to be a monthly "thing" until Fall gets here and the ice cream places close - he is a happy puppy !

Jack's only good eye is going blind now.
It is getting cloudy and he can't see much of anything at all now.
He still wants to run and play, but we have to be so careful that he doesn't get hurt.

He is just a big sweetheart and we love him anyway !

July, 2009 - Jack still has a little vision in his one eye, but it is not good.
He can see shadows, but can't tell what they are so he barks at people until he is close to smell them and give them a doggy kiss.
I hope it doesn't get any worse - the little guy has been through enough already.

The little stinker chewed through his harness so now he cannot go out for walks or sit outside in the sunshine like he loves to do.

At least my daughter has a fenced in yard so Jack can go outside for a little while.
He can't stay outside very long though because she has things to do in the house and with him being almost blind we're afraid he will get into something dangerous without being tied up safely.
She is trying to save up for a new harness now, but they cost a small fortune !

To all of Jack's friends and supporters,

Our sweet Jack died in his bed Saturday night - November 20th, 2009, his Momma found him when she went in to feed him. He did not come running when she called him so she went to see what he was doing and she saw him 'sleeping' in his bed.

He was still young, so we think he must have had some other birth defects - internal ones - that killed him.
He had a short, but a good life.

He was THE celebrity at the Hubbard Flea Market - people came from all over the area just to see him !

Jack, your Momma loved you and you were truly her baby.

We love you and will miss you Jack - Your Momma and the rest of us are broken-hearted.

Please add your thoughts about Jack and/or your condolences in the comment section here on this page.

I emailed family and friends including the reporter who wrote about Jack when we first got him - he writes for the Youngstown Vindicator, one of our local newspapers.

I had to give them the sad news about our Jack.

So many folks have sent emails and have signed his page here and it is so appreciated.

They all just loved Jack too and are so sad about him being gone.

Mr Goodwin, the reporter, wants my daughter to call him so he can write one last story about Jack to let his fans know what happened.

Boy, I tell you - this puppy sure touched a LOT of hearts in his short life !

Gypsy Queen Media

Here are just a few that she has:

The Strange World of Animals and Pets
by: Vincent and Margaret Gaddis

Littlest Pet Shop - Do Not Solve Until Christmas [VHS]

MADELINE and the DOG SHOW

Dogs of the World
by: Walter R. Fletcher

Extraordinary Dogs [VHS]