YOU WATCH OVER US NOW FRECKLES

They count on us to do what’s best for them.

• We bought Freckles for Jessy in December of 1994.
• Freckles was at a pet store in a box of “Mixed Puppies $99.00″ . I remember that it seamed that every child must have been getting a dog for Christmas that year. The search for a dog through shelters and stores was exhaustive.
• I wasn’t looking for a particular breed of dog but I felt that Stacey should give the final O.K. on this ‘mixed’ puppy. So I returned with Stacey to the location and she picked the one that looked placid  as the siblings of Freckles tried eating Stacey’s purse. The receipt said Springer Spaniel /Lab mix and that was acceptable although we never really knew for sure.
• Jessy was seven at the time and chose the name Freckles for obvious reasons.
• Freckles had lived with us for a week or so before he developed some breathing difficulties. Uh-Oh! Stacey also waited on a customer who also once worked for a vet and gave Stacey the news that it probably had the Parvo virus and would not make it.
• I called the veterinary emergency line on Christmas Eve. He gave some instructions over the phone and said he would meet me at the clinic on Christmas. Whatever those pills he gave were, Freckles thrived after that day on!
• We tried keeping Freckie in the kitchen as a pup and in a few days he was pulling himself up and over the baby gate with ease. He defied every barrier we put against him. 
• Now he did have his destructive faze and I got to learn drywall repair. That was when Freckles got his final warning because Monday he was going to the pound. Funny – he never destroyed anything after that day.
• Freckles was a summer dog. We played frisbee at the park til my arm fell off or he just shredded up the frisbee.
• Every summer we bought Freckles a plastic kiddy pool that just made him so happy. He would put his toys in the pool and dig in the water splashing up a storm!

Over fourteen and a half years with our family Freckles gave us all the unconditional love you would ever want from a pet. He went through many up and down moments in our family seemingly unfazed. He just knew to love us and work us over for an extra treat (usually from mom). When Adrian came into our family three years ago they became inseparable. He stuck to Adrian like glue.

The past year or so Freckles began going downhill. His hearing loss was such that he no longer would greet us at the door because he was sleeping. We would have to check his breathing cause greeting you home was something Freckles used to be so good at. I used to have to take him in the backyard to play before I got out of my work clothes. The years of non-competitive frisbee catching also took its toll on Freckles hips. He would have difficulty getting comfortable as his displasia became worse. Although he would never rest in the evening, instead he paced between Stacey and I until we went to bed most nights. 

On Wednesday March 4th I called the vet to make THE appointment for the next morning. I told Stacey what I had done when she came home from work wednesday night. It was a restless night for the both of us. Stacey awoke before 6:00 am and I listened to her turn on the TV and open the back door to let Freckles out. I too got out of bed and directed Stacey to get dressed and let’s take Freckles to the park since his appointment was for eight and we had some time. I didn’t want to sit home and just watch the clock. Now we took the early morning drive to his park by our old house. It’s been designated as an official dog park now but when Freckles was younger their were no restrictive fences. We took off his leash and let him run and smell the smells as he wished. Where once he could be like a kid that ran out the door in the morning and come home just in time for dinner. Freckles tired pretty quickly and looked at us as if O.K. I’m done now. I drove Stacey back because she had to get ready for work. Oh she went to work but like ‘as if’ she could make it through the shift. I continued on with Freckles to the Vet appointment. Freckles was never keen with rides in the car but either he was tired from his morning romp but he looked to enjoy this ride. I opened the window and he put his whole head out and took the wind in his face – expected behavior from most other dogs but not a common action from him. Freckles and I were a bit early so we just stayed in the car and enjoyed our time together to reminisce if you will. Basically thanking for a job over and above what was expected of him. Like most people let alone pets, Freckles HATED going to the Doctor or even the groomer. He would cling to me as we would enter and dig his nails into my soft belly almost pushing me back out to the car! Thursday was so different. Freckles was relatively calm, perhaps at peace. I’ve dreaded this day, playing it out in my head many times, Thank you Freckles for letting me know I was doing the right thing. I put Freckie on the table to receive his shot and gently go to sleep. He was so ready, far more ready than I or the rest of his family. Love you good boy!