FREDDIE JO



We remember the day Freddie Jo joined our family and the day we said goodbye. It was just a short 10 years between those two days ... from puppyhood to her final illness. We learned to enjoy life through her. She loved playing soccer ball, playing in her wading pool, long walks in the park, camping and hiking. She had baskets of toys, but her most favorite was her hedgehog. She was a special dog at Tails-A-Wagging doggie day care, where she was selected Pet of the Month for April 2006. Freddie Jo shared her home with Roger, her "Dad" and pack leader; Theresa, her "Mom;" Ebony, her cat sister; and Shadow, her cat brother. There are many pictures of the three "children" asleep together on the bed.



Freddie Jo went everywhere with us. She ran errands around town, for walks in parks and the neighborhood, went on trips in our RV, (where she had her own bed, of course), and actually knew how to read the signs that marked trails in all the campgrounds. She loved snow, and truly enjoyed her trips to Mt. Baker. While we were at work she either hung out in the house, or in her doghouse/kennel, which was described by many people as "plush."



Freddie Jo loved to eat, and even taught her "siblings" how to beg for treats. She especially loved the treats at the vet, and if it wasn't for her weight, you would have thought we never fed her at home.



Freddie Jo had her share of medical experiences ... from a broken foot as a puppy, to two knee reconstructions by the specialists in Vancouver, BC, to various visits to the Emergency Vet Clinic in Bellingham, to her final illness of congestive heart failure. Freddie Jo's vet, Dr. Trimble, worked tirelessly to improve Freddie Jo's condition, but it was not to be. We can't thank the vets and staff at Village Veterinary Hospital enough for all the care they gave Freddie Jo throughout her life ... we know they miss her as much as we do.



We said goodbye to Ebony in 2004, so we know Freddie Jo and Ebony are playing and sleeping together and waiting until we join them (along with Critter, who we said goodbye to in 1993).



Freddie Jo - we love you and miss you so much, but we know you are happy now, and waiting and watching for your pack leader, Roger, as you would do whenever he was away.



An addendum: We welcomed an adorable lab mix puppy to our family in October of 2007. Her name is Zoe, and she and Shadow are working very hard to help fill the hole that grows bigger in our hearts each time we have to say goodbye to one of our "children."

Addendum 2: Zoe, the adorable princess, developed kidney failure due to a genetic defect and we said goodbye in April 2011. She was just 3 ½ years old. We did so much together in that short time… she had even earned her Caine Good Citizen designation. We adopted Aly, a golden lab mix in August 2010 to be Zoe’s playmate. They loved each other so much and she is going to be missing her big sister and mentor as much as we are. Unfortunately we also had to say goodbye to Shadow a couple of weeks after Zoe left us. Shadow was 18 years old and we think the stress of losing Zoe was just too much for his fragile condition. Aly went from being the youngest of three to being an only child. We will probably adopt another pet, just not yet. ..especially since we can’t decide if it should be a dog or a cat…or maybe one of each!! We know Aly will be a wonderful big sister.

October 2013: We adopted a puppy in August of 2013. Her dad is a blue heeler and her mom is a pit bull terrier and Pepper is adorable. She was 11 weeks when she came to live with us. Aly has been showing her the ropes just like Zoe did for Aly when Aly was a puppy. They are so much fun to watch play and nap together. Pepper and Mocha are becoming buddies too.. especially since they are about the same size (at the moment)

We love our "children" so much-- the ones that we have had to say goodbye to and the ones who are sharing our lives now.

Roger and Theresa G.