MEMORIES OF JOJO

Fifteen years builds up quite a catalogue of memories and Jonathan and I have spent the weekend recalling much of the joy that Jessie and Jojo brought into our lives.

Letting them go has been tough. As I come into our bedroom Jojo's bed is still here - and I can't bring myself to let it go just yet. I can still smell the sweet scent of her newly washed coat in the room and last night I lifted her bed close to me and sniffed what was left of our Jojo.

TEDDY CUDDLES

Jojo was so very laid back - lazy I think! She could wander around the garden sniffing and then just decide no, she wouldn't bother peeing after all! When she got the message that she wasn't returning to the house until she did, she somehow managed to do it! Jojo could go almost 24 hours without toileting - I really think she just felt it was easier to hold on until the next time. She definitely didn't like getting wet - we've known her get to the door and, if it was raining, just decide she wasn't going out in that! She walked so gently and stately too - head held high, paws just skimming the ground - if it's possible for a dog, I'm sure she went on tiptoes. On the stairs she just seemed to glide up - almost like a rabbit in slow motion.

PRINCESS AND THE PEA!

Jojo certainly wasn't one for cuddles and nursing - always off on her own, happy just to be in her bed, or cushioned on the settee, or curled up on a mat....... until the last couple of years and then she seemed to want attention. She actually looked to be petted and stroked - loved to have her throat and chest stroked and would have sat all night for that. How often have we told her that she had missed out so much all those years- but then that's just how Jojo was. In some ways she was a very timid wee dog....she always held back and let Jessie take the lead, was never one for jumping up and when she did, she calculated her jump and leapt gently with precision.

GORGEOUS GIRL

Jojo was a rottweiler! Hard to believe now but this gentle little blonde Lhasa Apso terrorised me! Once Jonathan was out of the house her whole attitude changed and she let it be known that she was now in charge! When Jonathan worked early shifts I found it much easier some mornings to leave without breakfast rather than stay and fight with Jojo. Soon as I appeared she became totally vicious - like a different dog! She barked, snarled, bared her teeth and countless times her teeth were so close I could feel them on my legs. Nothing I could do, or not do, deterred her....... I tried the SuperNanny 'naughty step' approach by closing her in the boiler house but I ran out of time and had to bring her in before I left for work. I tried the water pistol shot but ended up with Jojo and the kitchen floor completely soaked. I tried a rolled up newspaper which she just tore to shreds with her teeth. In all of this poor Jessie would dash in, barking and nipping Jojo in the legs to distract her - which often had Jojo turning on her.

Jojo hated being brushed with a passion. Her coat was finer and I think perhaps her skin was more sensitive than Jessie's so I always tried to go carefully with her but, the nature of a Lhasa Apso's hair is that it requires much brushing.....not best news for Jojo! For a while we managed with Jonathan holding her while I brushed her, then I resorted to wearing gardening gloves to protect my hands and we managed somehow.

Jojo mellowed - she lost her hearing about 2-3 years ago and she just became the most wonderfully placid, docile, loving little dog. In all of that time we never heard her growl and she looked for, and enjoyed, attention. I wish there had been something we could have done to get her to this stage earlier in life.

Jojo was a stunner.......we see many Lhasa Apsos around town now........and we have yet to see one as pretty as our Jojo.

GOOD NIGHT JOJO

Another sad night as we have just said goodbye to dear wee Jojo.

BEAUTIFUL JOJO

She has been in decline for a while and the past couple of weeks have reminded me much of Jessie's last few weeks. Life for Jojo became just a toddle around, eat, sleep, toddle around, eat, sleep. Last night I bathed her, with the help of a mild sedative from the vet......bathing had become possible without a sedative but, if grooming was required it was necessary. She got her 6mg sedation dose at 3.45 and just zonked out. When I look back now I'm so so sorry that I continued with her bathing and grooming - surely she must have wondered what I was up to - why couldn't I see she was in distress. Did she think to herself what was I doing?? She never did enjoy being brushed so it's not even as if she and I were having some final quality time together.

She went into a sound, sound, sleep and a couple of times I wondered about it but felt she would just sleep it off and be fine in an hour or two. By the time 10pm came I was really worried and telephoned the vet's office. The on-call vet assured me that, considering Jojo's age, it was probably to be expected. The sedation could be in her system for up to 8 hours, possibly longer with her age, especially if she was frail, which she was....very.

I cosied her back into her bed with clean blankets and she just lay there, not stirring, but her eyes following me when I came closer.....sad, heavy eyes.

We all slept and I woke in the morning expecting to see her revived and ready to toddle, eat, sleep, for another day. Not so. Jonathan took her outside as was their usual routine - then fed her and walked her down the avenue. Bless her, she did manage to eat and walk but I wonder just how much effort that took her little body. Jonathan brought her back into her bed in our bedroom and I could hear her heavy breathing which was unusual - Jojo has always slept silently. I got out of bed and saw that she was just wrapped in her blanket exactly as I had left her 5 minutes earlier. I lifted her and her little body was limp, not even the energy to hold her head up, and I brought her into bed beside me. She has never been one for cuddling - a few minutes was always Jojo's limit and then she'd be on her way again - Miss Independence. Today she just lay. No fight - no interest - and it broke my heart. How I wished the old Jojo would surface and just struggle away from me. As I went to shower I settled her into bed again - still no interest and no movement.
As I left for work her eyes were sad and mournful, there was still no flicker of interest or movement from her.

When I got to work I phoned the vet's again and made an appointment to bring her in at 9.50. I picked Jojo up again about 9.30 - and still she hadn't moved in her bed.
As I lifted her out to the car I snuggled her close to me - oh how soft and sweet her fur has always been - and today she's so snowy white and fresh. Kate (the vet)checks her over and believes she may have gone into kidney failure. She says how very frail and light she is - oh how long have I grieved when I've felt every bone on her tiny back. She suggests running blood tests to check things out and says she will be in touch as soon as she has results, will also put her on a drip which should help her to come round, so I leave Jojo in her care.

Very soon after I return to work I phone Kate - I know I do not want Jojo's suffering prolonged - or her life prolonged just because I don't want to face the grief. As I phone Kate has just been handed the test results which show that our Jojo has indeed gone into kidney failure. Any relief they can give her would be very short term - her little body is giving up and all organs will start to fail. Our Jojo - the one who's been the fighter and has fought her own health battles in times past is losing this one. I know we have to let her go.

With a heavy heart the appointment is made for 3.50 - Jonathan and I will go to the vet's and say goodbye to our little lady.