the candid dog

A couple months after I adopted Jake, I was walking the dogs at Albany Bulb, our unofficial local dog park. A woman showed up with several other dogs, including one other German shepherd. Jake was very interested her and as we walked past her, he stayed close to her, looking up, wanting some kind of acknowledgment from her. When I called him, he wanted to stay with her. This is unusual for Jake; not the part about not coming when he’s called but the fact that he’s not that interested in people, just other dogs, particularly poodles and German shorthairs. Clearly, he wanted attention from this woman and I couldn’t figure out why. There seemed like there was some connection though.

I started talking to her and she asked how long I had Jake and where did I adopt him, the usual dog conversations. As we talked, I realized that she was Pam, the woman who had rescued Jake (then Habib) from a shelter near Fresno. She took care of his vet care and made sure that he had a good foster home until he was adopted. I had exchanged emails with her when she posted his adoption picture but had never met her until now. Obviously, Jake hadn’t forgotten her and his gratitude was evident in the way he followed her and wanted to be with her.

We talked about what a great dog he is, especially considering how rough his life must have been growing up. Jake is a gentle, well-socialized dog whose owners may not have had the money to feed him well. I assured her that he had a good life now, she gave him plenty of hugs and attention and then Pam went on her way.

As she walked the other way, Jake kept watching her until she was too far away to be seen. There was something so poignant in his watching her. He remembered her and didn’t forget her kindness. There’s no other explanation. I won’t forget either.