Why is it that bad news always arrives when I get home after a period of absence? I arrived home today I did not notice anything unusual as I went about my business preparing for the arrival of a few house guests.
When my father got home he told me the bad news, Jack Jack had passed away while I was gone. At first I said, “What?” because I was sure that I had misheard him or simply misunderstood. He told me again and then it started to sink in. I cried for a good long while and my dad just told me that no one meant for it to happen, but it did. He was sorry and he was already trying to find another beagle puppy to replace the one lost. I cried and cried as he told me that there was no need to cry.
For me, it’s always tough losing a pet. It’s especially hard when they are so young, so full of life and so innocent. I’ve apologized to Jack Jack for not being there to take care of him. I feel so guilt that he spent only a short time on Earth. His death was so unexpected, an accident, a tragedy and my only condolence is that he had a happy existence. This I know for sure: he followed me everywhere around the house, we took him on weekend outings and to outdoor markets, he went to the Dog Expo and he was the center of my life for over too months. He was only sad when I crated him and he had to be separated from his human family. This was the only time we ever heard his soulful beagle voice.
Even on my short three days from home, I was already missing Jack Jack, not knowing that he was already gone. Now that I’ll never see him again, I really miss the tricolor ball of energy that he was. I miss the way he pranced when he got excited. I miss the way he ran full speed to me if I called him from the other end of the house. But, he’s gone now and no other dog, beagle or not, can ever replace him. My dad said that Jack Jack was only meant to play with us for awhile before leaving us again. Jack Jack will forever be that adorable beagle puppy that caused such chaos in my life for two months and then left me forever.
I’ve told Tiger that her little friend is gone. They were just getting to know each other. She knows to keep watch over his grave in our garden. She will keep him company when he visits us and let him know that we miss him.
It’s hard taking photos of an active puppy, especially if it’s a 3 month old Beagle puppy. Jack Jack is hardly still unless he’s sleeping, so the best I can do is to take pictures while he’s being his puppy self.
While attending the Dog Show with Jack Jack, we came across a booth of veterinary products from France called Virbac. While I was investigating the canine toothpaste and toothbrush, the sales ladies lured my puppy away from me. Her secret weapon was a tube of yummy doggie vitamins called Nutri-plus gel. Jack Jack was going crazy over the stuff. He would have a lick off the tube, run around happily, wagging his tail and then jump back on the sales lady, begging for more.
Embarrassed as I was at my dog’s behavior, he really liked the stuff. After seeing a reaction to a nutritional supplement as enthusiastic as that one, I bought one tube for 190 baht. I’ve been giving a 1-2 teaspoons of Nutri-plus gel to Jack Jack a few times a week. Every time he attacks the tube and wants more. It sure beats forcing a vitamin pill down his throat.
