All For Me

This is my mug shot from the shelter. They took it right after I was arrested in September 2009. I was kinda skinny, had pussy eyes and lots of fleas.

Here’s another picture of me taken in the summer of 2010. I’m standing in my front yard at Asherpark.

You can see my eyes are clear, my fur shines and my ribs don’t show. I think I’ll always have that watery look around my eyes. People say it makes me look sad. I think it’s kinda weird that my “dry eye” condition makes my eyes water.

Lately I’ve been having a few health problems. My bad ear is infected and I’ve got an allergy going. I scratch all the time. I worry I’m causing a lot of trouble. Every night I get eye drops, ear drops and a pill for scratching.

Yesterday I went to a groomer for the first time in my life. She brushed out my loose undercoat and scrubbed me with sea salt to get rid of my dandruff. Then I got washed with some fancy shampoo. The lady used a blow dryer to make me look sleek.

I couldn’t believe all the fuss people made over me. They knew I was deaf but they kept talking to me anyway. Good thing I can read lips. The groomer told me I was wonderful and brave and looked very handsome after my spa treatment.

In the afternoon I went to see Dr. Brad. He said my bad ear still wasn’t healed up so I have to continue with my ear drops. I got more allergy pills and some lotion to help me stop scratching.

When I got home from the vet I was so tired I fell asleep and started dreaming. I dreamed I had a forever home. In my dream people fussed over me and made me feel important. I knew someone truly cared about me. Despite my old dog problems, I was still a valued member of the pack.

I awoke to Tess smelling my bad ear. Ash barked at me to get up for dinner. My people rubbed my head and told me they loved me. That’s when I realized I wasn’t just dreaming. I was living my dream. The trip to the groomer and the vet were all for me. Me, Jack, a worn out old mutt. A happy mutt. I’m barking thank you to the universe.