My Life With Jax

When people say our pets are like our family, they were telling the 100%, absolute truth! Growing up, we had a dog when I was a toddler. His name was Brownie, but I don't really remember much about him. My daddy also had a horse, Ringo when I was 5 or 6, but I think he sold him. Through the years, we would fed and nurtured a kitten, but he got ran over by a car. So, I really never had a pet. Mama despised cats, and it was just never something we thought was a good idea.

When Bobby and I got married, we talked about getting a dog. A friend of ours had a shih tzu, Roxie. She was the funniest dog, running wild and crazy. So, in 2006, a couple of months shy of our second anniversary, we decided to just do it. We went to a place in Newton Grove that bred shih tzus, not knowing at the time that the place was a puppy mill (more on that later...). I called the lady and we scheduled a time to go see the litter. When we got there, she told us that only one puppy had survived the mama's litter, and she showed us a male shih tzu born on Groundhog Day (02-02-2006). He was the cutest, silver puppy I'd ever seen. We didn't think anything of it at the time, but we did not see the mom and dad of this puppy. We really had never done this before, so I guess we didn't know to ask to see the parents. Anyway, we paid $425.00 and agreed to pick him up in a couple of weeks, once he turned 6 weeks old. 

A word about the coloring.... shih tzus often come in 7 different colors as recognized by the American Kennel Club. This puppy was classified as silver. He had the prettiest shine to his coat with accents of white fur around his eyes, nose, and paws. He looked like he was dipped in glitter. When he was a puppy, the silver color was darker, but as he grew older, the color started to lighten. 

Back to the puppy...

As we waited for our pickup date, Bobby and I began preparing, from buy a crate to buying toys and clothes and shampoo and all the things a dog would need. We also started talking names and we agreed on Jackson Cooper, but he would be called Jax. I am an avid General Hospital fan and one of my favorite characters was named Jax, so it seemed like the perfect name for this pretty boy. While we would call him Jax, he acquired many nicknames over the years...Doodle, Jack-Jack, Doodle Bug, Rufus. 

We picked Jax up mid-March and had not told anyone what we were up to. So, on the way home (we were living in Clinton at the time), we stopped by mama and daddy's in Newton Grove. My daddy was on the phone with my grandma when we walked into the house. He said, "Bridget's got a dog and it ain't a stuffed one." This would begin the 16 years and 16 days of the life with our Jax. I could go on and on about this fluffy bundle of pure sugar, but it would be pages and pages of stories, memories, scares, and heartbreak. 

What I will say is that Jax loved to run. He got himself into trouble a couple of times when he ran from home to the "bird pen" that papa kept quail in. He loved to ride and loved being outside. His favorite thing was his "pupcorn" treats, and he knew if saw Grandma Susie or my daddy, he was sure to get a treat or two. My grandma would slip him a piece of biscuit from the table because he would just sit and stare. Everyone gave in to him. He once ate a bologna wrapper, the red thing that goes around each slice. He also ate a corn cob! Lord, the things this dog did. His favorite toy was a snake that would make a sound when it was shaken. He also had a duck he loved. Both of these toys his Grandma Susie got for him. 

Over time, as he got older, Jax developed cataracts, his right eye being worse than the left. For several years, we fought and wrestled twice a day to put eye drops in his eyes! He hated for his face to be touched. So, you can imagine what a disaster grooming was for him. He also developed a thyroid issue and had to take a thyroid medication. In the last couple of years of his life, he went nearly blind and really could only see a shadow out of his peripheral vision and he lost his hearing. But he never acted like he felt bad. He slept a lot. Bobby and I had always said when it was time, we would do the right thing by him. 

On February 18, 2022, that time came. He developed an infection in his eye, to the point that he could not open them that morning. We knew it was time. Bobby and I took him to Dunn Animal Hospital and Dr. Brewer, who had been so good to us over the years, looked at me and said, "you know what you have to do." And I did, but my heart hurt. Bobby went to the car. He could not stay in there while they put the IV in and gave him the medication. I stayed with him every second. I was not leaving my sweet baby during the last moment of his life. I just wasn't. His mama was going to hold him until the very end. When Dr. Brewer got ready to give him the medication, I held him snuggled so tightly and told him he was my precious Jax and I would always love him, would never forget him. It only took a second for me to feel the life leave him. It was the most peaceful thing I have ever experienced. I thought, why couldn't it be this easy for humans when it is our time. 

What I learned from having Jax is one, he will never be replaced, and two, he was our family. For most of his life, he greeted us at the door when we came home and hated for us to leave. I loved this dog more than words can say. And he loved us. He loved us unconditionally. He knew when he was in trouble and was going to get a spanking. But he didn't hold a grudge and was in our laps in no time licking and licking. He gave the best kisses and snuggles. He slept in the bed with us every single night, right in the middle! The day he crossed the rainbow bridge was one of the hardest days I had faced up until that point. I didn't know how we would ever adjust to this bundle of fur not being with us. He was home. He was everything we ever hoped for in a pet. He didn't chew up furniture or clothes or shoes. He loved his toys, and they were HIS toys. He made my heart happy. I'll never love another animal like I loved Jax. I'd like to share a few pictures of Jax and a poem my mama wrote after we lost Jax. She never told me she could write poetry-never knew it! But she surprised me with this poem a few weeks after Jax died on my birthday. It's framed and hanging in our house. My husband, to this day, has not read it. There isn't a day that goes by that I don't think of Jax. He sits on the table in his urn keeping watch over us. I know he's in heaven, because all dogs do go to heaven! He's with Grandma Susie whose feeding him treats until his heart is content. He is running wild and free. He can see clearly again and he can hear every voice of those who know and love him. I hope he's found a four-legged friend or two! 

Memories

(A Poem for Jax)

Remember the day you brought me home.

Wow, I thought, a good place to roam.

Food in my bowl and water in my dish,

This is the home of every dog’s wish.

Remember pitter patter across the floor,

And the times I waited at the door.

I followed you throughout the day,

Wagging my tail along the way.

Remember across the field I ran fast and free,

The birds in the pen I just wanted to see.

I think I got a spanking that day,

But it didn’t stop me from wanting to run and play.

I loved my treats, rides, and toys,

Especially the snake that made a noise.

To Grandma Susie’s we would go.

She would slip me food; she loved me so!

I ate a sock and bologna wrapper, too

But try and take it, and I would bite you.

I loved to lick and irritate dad,

But he still gave me all the love he had.

Sometimes across the yard I would go,

And wait at the steps for the treats I loved so.

Papa would come out the back door,

In his hands were the treats; who could ask for more!

I’m grateful for your loving care.

To the vet when sick or for grooming my hair.

And for all the times I slept in your bed,

Sweet dreams of a good life forever in my head!

And, Mom, I’m so glad you worked from home.

That way I was rarely alone.

I’ll always hold our precious times near;

You did so much for me in my time here.

Your laps I loved, and kisses too.

You all spoiled me through and through.

Your hands I loved that stroked my fur.

Wish we could go back to the way we were.

But I have lived such happy years.

Please don’t shed a lot of tears.

And although we are apart,

Remember the paw prints in your heart!

In animal heaven is where I’ll be,

And one day each other we will see.

I loved you. Oh, I loved you so,

But you did it right to let me go.

Written by Mama and given to me on my 41^st birthday (03/08/2022)

Jackson "JAX" Cooper Rackley

02/02/2006-02/18/2022

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