December 15, 2008

 

In January of 1993, to the great surprise of friends and family, I decided I was going to take one of the Jack Russell Terrier puppies that a co-worker was expecting her dog to deliver in March. I was not allowed to have a dog as a kid, and when I graduated from Nursing School and got my own apartment, only cats, no dogs were allowed. I had been 'a cat person' for years.

When the puppies were four weeks old, I got to meet them, and pick which one would be mine. I chose a friendly, alert but not overly pushy little guy. At seven weeks, Theodore Jackson Sanders - Teddy - came home with me. That's early by today's standards but all went well. That little pup was the start of a whole new chapter in my life. At first it was like having a new baby in the house, and there was no totally positive/clicker training/ Ali around here in those days. I knew so little about the right way to raise a puppy. He was smart and eager to learn. He spent a lot of time visiting and even staying overnight at friends' homes, so he was well socialized from the beginning. He idolized the two older dogs he spent the most time with, following them around as we walked on this friend's large country property. He was always the first to come back and check on us. As the years went by, we settled into a lovely routine of walks and car rides and Teddy was always with me. I could take him anywhere. He loved to go along on errands, and any drive-thru window was a favorite of his!

I was never a fan of using a choke chain and leash corrections on him. The first class we ever took was when he was 10! A friend told me about 'clicker training' and was taking some classes. I decided to try it just for something fun we could do together. He loved it and caught on so fast. I finally had a way to tell him effectively what I wanted from him. We took some private lessons too, and my dream of him becoming a certified Therapy Dog came true. What I never dreamed was how far all this would take us. We went on to compete in Rally Obedience, earning four titles along the way. Teddy and I had become a real team, with a bond stronger than I could have imagined possible. Because of that little terrier I dared to try new things and take some chances. I even went on to become a Certified Pet Dog Trainer myself.

He was an easy going guy for a Jack Russell, although he sometimes reminded me of his independent spirit in the Rally ring. The kids he visited as a Therapy Dog would call out his name like he was a rock star as he went through his repertoire of tricks. He always made me smile if not outright laugh.

His last year was difficult, as we battled liver failure and Cushing's Disease. Even as he got thinner and weaker, he never gave up trying to follow me around and do the things he always liked to do - play with his brother Tony, walk, ride in the car, eat. He never gave up and neither did I, until he let me know he just couldn't do it anymore. The end came gently, in my arms, with a friend at our side.

I put a lot on that little dog's shoulders. He was my best friend, my family, my constant companion, the one I cried to, the one I told everything. As long as he was with me, I never felt alone. It's taken me over a month to be able to write this. The loss is enormous and painful, my heart so heavy, broken. He was unique, not just in that he was my first dog, but he had a way of winning everyone over, people, cats and other dogs alike. I will have another dog some day, Tony will have a new buddy, but there will never be another like Teddy. I will love and miss him forever. He is truly my 'heart dog'.

Teddy, CGC, TDIA, R1CL, R2CL, RL3, RN
Jan. 13, 1993 - Nov. 6, 2008

To read more about Teddy, see Ted's Excellent Training Adventure and About the Trainers--Sue Sanders

Teddy's Tribute