Jack

A beautiful Saturday plus the annual Micro Chip day equals an extremely bustling day at the Shelter.  Surprise, surprise at 12:30 none of the category dogs I walk had yet been out with volunteers.  I just went for who I thought looked the neediest - Jack.  He is a very big beautiful lab, who looked  more cramped in his normal size kennel than  the other dogs looked in theirs . He was very excited but after a few firm "sit" commands, he backed up and sat so that I could enter and get him harnessed.  Down the hall and out the door we went. Though he was  good on the leash, I could  feel his high energy level so I was very disappointed to see that both exercise yards were being used.  As we went around behind one of the yards and came out on the other side, Jack grabbed his leash and started pulling on it.  At first I thought he was initiating a tug of war game, a no no with any dog in my book, but out of the question with an 80 pounder. I got very quiet, held him firmly and  refused to interact with him.

Sometimes  we humans take awhile to get it, but I slowly began to move in the direction he wanted; he lowered his head, leash firmly in his teeth and  led me toward the now vacated exercise yard.    As soon as we arrived, he let go of his leash and happily bounded in.  When Willow wants me to do something for her and I just don't get, she will often gently take my hand and try to tell me what she wants.  I'm sure Jack, as a shelter dog, knows that taking someone's hand is NOT OK.  To Jack, the leash was an extension of my hand and he knew that the exercise yard was the right place at the right time for us.

Jack is the best fetcher I've encountered; he never tires, of all the balls in the yard he retrieves the specific one you have most recently thrown, and..... he does not drop the ball in front of you, he puts in your hand! On one of my throws the ball went over the fence, I had a moment of panic as I pictured Jack flying right over after it.  I immediately called him to me to distract him with other commands. He is also good at the basics, sit, down and come, plus being good on the leash.  According to his profile he is also good with young children and other dogs. 

At the start of our walk in the open area, Jack dove into a big bush and began scrambling around.  Before I could drag him out; he emerged and triumphantly placed the errant tennis ball in my hand.  What a dog!   The rest of our walk was pleasant and uneventful.  We returned and Jack was easy to get unharnessed and re kenneled.

Being big, black and nine years old, Jack is likely not at the top of most people's "must have" lists; but in my opinion, his nine years is a typical dog's six.  I think he is just a bit beyond his middle age, good news for some adopters and a word of caution for others.  He does NOT act like a senior dog.  Let's hope this very special dog connects with the right family soon.