Leading the way to Chinook magic!
Bowerbank JAKE
5/16/2000 - 5/16/2013
It is with happy memories and a heavy heart that I wished Bowerbank Jake Godspeed on his 13th birthday. Jake was a well-traveled Chinook- born at Bowerbank Chinooks in Maine, moving to Tullibardine Chinooks in Maine as an adolescent, and then with Susan Bragg to Manitoba, Canada as a mature gentleman. A few years ago, Jake was on the road again, to South Carolina with Joyce Maley to Hurricane Chinooks. When Joyce fell ill last year, Jake made his final road trip to New Jersey, and he spent the last 10 months of his life here with the Bashaba pack. Jake was a wise, gentle, and patient soul, with a spark of good-humored mischief lurking in the depths of his eyes. He LOVED the girls, and spent a good part of his last few days flirting genteelly with my young females. He LOVED people, and would greet all visitors with a woof gone a bit querulous with age, and a wagging tail.
While Jake spent his first few weeks here recovering, he spent a wonderful fall and winter, with the dignified grace of an older gentleman. The vet was astounded at his constitution. Jake slowed down, and then had a bad day with weakness and mobility issues that came out of nowhere. With some medication, he rallied for a few days. When he started to feel badly again, we ran out of non-invasive options, and Jake was clear in his desire to avoid more aggressive treatment. On his last day, Jake went for a few strolls around the yard in the sun and ate a meal of ground beef, his favorite. As night descended, he laid down on his bed and we spent some time together. He went to sleep and did not wake up in the morning.
Like his forefather Chinook, Jake left us for the next phase of his journey on the day of his birth, although while Chinook was only here for twelve years, Jake stayed for an extra year, departing on the morning of his thirteenth birthday. I like to think that Jake knew he had a job here at Bashaba Chinooks, imparting his wisdom and teaching lessons to me and the rest of the pack before he was ready to leave. I am grateful to Susan Bragg for letting Jake come here, and treasure the 10 months Jake spent with me, and the lessons he taught me about kindness and patience, endurance and gentleness, and maybe most importantly about acceptance. Godspeed, Jake, and thank you.
While Jake spent his first few weeks here recovering, he spent a wonderful fall and winter, with the dignified grace of an older gentleman. The vet was astounded at his constitution. Jake slowed down, and then had a bad day with weakness and mobility issues that came out of nowhere. With some medication, he rallied for a few days. When he started to feel badly again, we ran out of non-invasive options, and Jake was clear in his desire to avoid more aggressive treatment. On his last day, Jake went for a few strolls around the yard in the sun and ate a meal of ground beef, his favorite. As night descended, he laid down on his bed and we spent some time together. He went to sleep and did not wake up in the morning.
Like his forefather Chinook, Jake left us for the next phase of his journey on the day of his birth, although while Chinook was only here for twelve years, Jake stayed for an extra year, departing on the morning of his thirteenth birthday. I like to think that Jake knew he had a job here at Bashaba Chinooks, imparting his wisdom and teaching lessons to me and the rest of the pack before he was ready to leave. I am grateful to Susan Bragg for letting Jake come here, and treasure the 10 months Jake spent with me, and the lessons he taught me about kindness and patience, endurance and gentleness, and maybe most importantly about acceptance. Godspeed, Jake, and thank you.
