My incredible companion of 12 years, Juneau passed away last week, and I will miss her deeply.  I know everyone brags about their dog, and I'm thankful for that, as that means that there's a lot of doggies that are in loving homes. She was a very special animal.   A lot of people who never met Juneau posted it felt like they did, and that moved me.  My friend Katy from Chicago texted me saying, "Juneau was a legend"  which made me smile -  So I'm writing this.

I adopted her Christmas of 2011.  She was a scared, skinny 1 year old that was dumped by the train tracks of Berea / Olmsted Falls where 130 trains a day run on those 8 tracks. She was on her own for a month when workers at an industrial park caught her in a tool shed with a McDonald's burger.  They took her to a local non-kill shelter.  I adopted her, renamed her Juneau and I instantly loved that dog.  I had no idea, just how special she was and what she would mean to me, and I to her.  She had a rough start as a youngster with her split left ear, a missing canine tooth, and a real fear of having her sides or front paws touched. I had a rough start too, so we were instantly connected.

Skinny And Scared - Shelter

Juneau was more than a dog to me, she was the only other living, breathing thing in my old house with me for a good long while. Great company, that "talked" to me regular as huskies do.  She seldom barked, but "muttered and talked" a lot.  She was always near me and it was comforting when I was living alone.  I'm going to share some absolute truths about Juneau. These are not as I remember them, they are truths so you can see what she meant to me, and why it was so sad to see her go.

After Six Months At Home

Truths -

She never tore up the garbage in her entire life - not once.

She had no interest in getting up on any furniture, except an old bench that was in her room.

She NEVER chewed one thing  -  EVER.

She counter surfed one time about two months after I got her - (20 oz tuna draining sink surfed)

In the 12 years I owned her, she had about 6 accidents in the house, all my fault, by being gone too long.

She never hurt anyone  -  ever.

Juneau In Her Prime

She wanted to be friends with everyone, with her two different colored eyes, wet nose and vocal greeting every time someone walked in the door.  She was a very kind, and emotional soul, you knew exactly how she felt about things.  She made people laugh, she taught me patience, unconditional love, and trust. She had lots of dog friends, Luna, Midnight, and Nova here.  She had friends at Pay It Forward For Pets where I would board her   -   both dogs and people.  Her first friend was Kona (she was much older), my other dog I had for the first few years I had Juneau. She had friends here at the radio station as she came in with me a few times.  Sarah loved Juneau, as did Ryan, Jeff Kinzbach, Sandra Miller and Roy Horner too.

One of my best learning experiences with Juneau was this.  One night not long after I adopted her, I fell asleep watching a ball game. I had ordered a pizza, and ate some of it.  As I slept, Juneau got the pizza off the stove, and ate the rest, (It was pepperoni - her favorite)  I woke up and saw the empty box and I really chewed her out and she slinked off into a corner.  An hour later, she came into the TV room walking slowly.  She came up to me, put her paw on my knee with her head down.  She was asking me if I still liked her.  At that moment, I loved her way more. I was stunned.  Lesson learned by me, it mattered to her what I thought of her.

Friends At Boarding - LOL

But the hands of time keep turning.  About three years ago, she started having some neurological issues, but she always bounced back, and Windy and I were always amazed on her strength of body.  But lately, it's been different, some seizures, worsening dementia and being 92 in dog years.  Late Thursday, it was clear it was time.  Her brain would give her body no peace and it broke my heart, Windy's too.  I know in the deepest part of my heart, we didn't wait too long.  Her life was great till her last minutes and she was never in any pain.

With Her Friends At Home

With her dignity in tact, she entered a new world with Kona, and all the wonderful companions of all of my friends who have lost dog friends too.  I could tell you many more stories about her, and I will when I see you. I just hope right now, she's eating a whole lot of pepperoni and napping many hours a day.

Sleeping With Kona - Years Ago

How did I get so lucky?  All this for a dog some might say.  To me she was far more than a dog. 

She was Juneau!