Jack
On March 3rd, we unexpectedly and very suddenly lost our handsome man, Jack. Great Danes have a life expectancy of 7-9 years, and though Jack, who was a pure-bred European Great Dane, was almost seven years old, with a myriad of health issues (he was allergic to everything, had some arthritis, and few other minor issues), he was in good health overall with his mobility improving thanks to a new drug. Thus, I’ve been struggling to understand how he was taken from us so suddenly.
Jack was our “Lemon”. If he could find his way to the vet, he would, though he hated the visits. Except for the treats, of course. Jack was also a dominating presence in my partner’s and my life. Indeed, he made an impact on anyone or any other dog that met him. We got him in June of 2017, at the beginning of our relationship and he went where we went. He travelled across the country multiple times with us. Always so chill; so cool about everything. If there was a soft, cushy bed and blanket, Jack was content. He was a gentle soul with soft chestnut brown eyes and slobber that would coat a wall like silicone adhesive mixed with cement. He drank from our kitchen tap and loved his cheese. He really loved food, especially pizza. Most times, you would need to bring the treats to him, but when Pizza was on the menu, that big brute would get up so fast and look deep into your soul, wondering why you haven’t given him a nibble yet. “C’mon, Dad. Just a bite. or two. Maybe three because the second was too small.” (Also, those who knew Jack knew his “Jack” voice and probably read that like him.) Jack went from puppy to old soul at the age of two. He loved his comforts and his sleep. He loved his sister, Nevi (our American Great Dane), though he didn’t necessarily show it. But she protected him from other dogs that would bother him during his nap time at doggy daycare. DON’T DISTURB JACK’S NAPTIME! Except for Tess (our Border collie/Pyranese cross), who would dash upstairs to let him know I was getting food ready. She loved waking him up for breakfast and dinner.
Jack made an ever-lasting impact on our lives and will be missed every day. We are grateful he was around for the birth of our son and we were blessed to have such an incredible dog in our life. Jack was family. He was our boy. From his donkey kicks into the walls when dreaming (they were loud and did damage…to the walls), his low, raspy, old-man bark when he had the energy to get up from his 18hr slumber to bark at a dog, his four distinct pees from his four bladders during walkies (I am not kidding. It was the ongoing joke, that turned into a serious inquiry and debate. This dog has to have four bladders. It’s so much pee at various times during the same walk), his swims in the Bow river, fetching sticks, eating sticks, choking on sticks, to his washing the house down with his slobber, and lastly but not least, the honour of the occasional Jack snuggle when he would climb into our king size bed, made it feel like a twin bed and laid his 3000 lb melon on top of us. Oh, Bean head — his nickname from pappy.
In honour of our handsome man, Daddy’s boy, I am going to leave the blog at that and post a lot of photos of him below for those of you who knew him (or didn’t).
Jack (2017-2024)
