We once had a Dog Named Jettsie: Learning to Love Dogs

by Teresa Ortiz
Freelance writer/Speaker

Seven years ago this month, we had to lay our precious Black Lab to rest. She was a part of our family for 13 years – our first child – our dog-ter as my husband always called her.

She came to us through a friend who was a little sneaky. He couldn't have animals at his place, but knowing my husband was a dog lover to the inth –degree, he brought this abandoned puppy to work.

I happened to be outside that day when my husband pulled up. I could read his lips-he mouthed the four-letter word that starts with an S and ends with a T. Right then, I knew he was up to something. Sure enough, he opened his door, and out jumps this little black puppy. I was not a happy girl…

This is probably not the time or the place to tell you that I absolutely hated animals and before this day, my husband and I would have disagreements regarding animals. Don't hate me, let me get through this little pet tale of mine before you judge me.

This little puppy came up to me and I melted. Although it took me a long time to get comfortable with the idea of a dog in the house, I did find myself falling in love more and more – until she bit me, but this is another story.

Anyway – we named her Jettsie because she was Jet black, but since she was a girl, we had to make it girlie sounding. She was easily trained and became my husband's right hand gal. She would go to work with him everyday. All the guys on the construction site loved her as she would listen to them. She walked the job site with Art each morning and he would tell her where she could walk and where she could not go. Amazingly, it only took once.

One of the places she was not allowed to go was in the pile of bricks set up for the masons. One particular day, however, she would walk near the pile of brick with my husband and bark. He brushed it off and continued to pick through the brick. After a few times, she ignored the orders and jumped on the pile of brick and would not allow any of the guys to go near it. She began to dig through, moving brick with her paws and her mouth. It didn't take but a few to expose the rattle snake that was in the pile. What a great dog-ter!

She had a whole steak for dinner that night. Then there was another time when I was home alone and the doorbell rang. Jettsie loved company; she welcomed new guests all the time, but not this time. She stood in the doorway, separating the "visitor" and me. He was selling candy for the local mission. I turned my back to get my purse and Jettsie let out one deep bark. I turned around to see this visitor very close to the inside of my house – much closer than when I was facing him. Obviously, I told him I had no cash and was not interested.

One week later, there was a man arrested for molesting children in the area – his guise was selling candy for the local mission and he fit the description of my visitor. What a great dog-ter!

I won't take you through all 13-years of her time with us, but she was great when our daughter came along and later our son. They have so many wonderful memories with her. It was hard to say goodbye, but she was one of a kind. In all those years, I learned to live dogs, but because she was so big, I didn't bond with her as well as the kids who would lay all over her as they grew up.

Today we have two Jack Russell Terriers and oh my gosh! They are a handful. Such brats. In fact, my husband calls them maggots because all they ever want to do is be all over us. He says he hates them, but I know different. He spoils them and this is why they are brats. I happen to love the fact that I have bonded with them because they constantly cuddle on my lap.

Trust me, I have to hear it all the time from the entire family, "you love these maggots more than you did Jettsie".

My husband remains convinced that Roxie and Spooner will never meet Jettsie because Jettsie is in doggie heaven and these terrors are so bad, they are going to doggie H-E-double hockey sticks!

After Jets and our current maggots, I can't imagine living without animals.

I am a dog lover through and through. What a great gift! Oh, we also have a rabbit, but this too is another story.

© Teresa Ortiz

Article submitted Wednesday, April 22, 2009 & read 142 times.

Leave your comments through My Pet Tale:

» left by Lorrie Davids⁽⁶⁹⁰⁾ (3 years 26 days ago.)

Aw...Jettsie sounds like a great pet. I love that she was everything a Lab is supposed to be. And your little brats sound pretty sweet too. Thanks, Teresa, for writing your pet tale!
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» left by Teresa (3 years 26 days ago.)

Hi Lorrie!

Thanks so much. I am glad you enjoyed it. I didn't realize how much I would enjoy reading and writing about animals :-)

I'll be back!

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» left by Ronyae (3 years 26 days ago.)

Teresa,

You are definitely a dog lover, and it shows. I admire that, because they are people too, to me. :)

And I applaud your husband for this: "our dog-ter"; just too cute.
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» left by Anonymous (3 years 25 days ago.)

Hi Ronyae, Thanks, they are now people to me too. I will tell Art you liked his dog-ter thing :-)

Hugs,Teresa

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» left by Marijo Phelps from mountain meadow CO (2 years 254 days ago.)

What a hoot! You have obviously never had a cat.... they, too are wonderful - we now have 4 and one acts like a dog (chews, rubs his paws on your leg when he wants a treat - he is the fodder for many or my kid's stories. had to dig to find this one of yours! Glad I did! marijo
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