As I began to contemplate Riley's first web page, I realized that to not include something about his original master would leave Riley's story incomplete. Riley was a most fortunate Australian Cattle Dog because he was able to live with and love his best friend, Jack Russell, for the first four years of his life. That wonderful beginning in life came to a screeching halt in January 2005 when Jack had a heart attack and died. Riley was alone with Jack for an undetermined amount of time before help arrived. Riley has grieved for the loss of his special person and he found himself looking for a "forever" home to call his own. After Jack's death, Riley's journey took some twists and turns, not all pleasant or good, until his original breeder was contacted and took him in to help rehabilitate him in preparation for a new home. We did not know all of this while it was happening, but that home ended up being our home. We welcome Riley with open hearts and arms. We hope that we will be able to give this boy the life that Jack would have wanted for him and we hope that with time Riley will come to think of us as his people. Riley is a dog with a kind, gentle old soul and he bonds closely to his person. Right now he has an air of sadness about him at times and other times he is just a smiley Riley with a madly wagging tail. I sadly discovered that to call him "Smiley Riley" he is triggered into some sad and anxious moments, so I know that I have inadvertently stumbled upon an old memory.
My contact with Jack was very limited, but I remember him responding to my queries on the cattle dog lists with helpful information and a willingness to share what he knew. I also remember that he would be pretty straight forward in how he answered some queries and did not mess around with being vague. I liked that about Jack. I did not have the opportunity to get to know him on a personal basis so I sought input from some of the people who worked with him in ACD rescue in order to provide a more informed view of him. Jack was loved and respected by many who knew him. He is very missed by his friends and I just know that he is at the Rainbow Bridge helping all of our cattle dogs cross over when it is their time.
Jack had a distinguished career in the Special Forces with a Silver Star and Purple Heart to his credit. But, Jack's pride and joy in life was his daughter, Sam. Jack has been described as a curmudgeon, funny, quirky and possessing an irreverent sense of humor; but what would you expect from an old military guy who also happened to love cattle dogs? He was described by one of the people that I contacted as "possessing an unfailing willingness to help his fellow cattle dog friends whenever or however they needed it". As a result, Jack was very involved in Australian Cattle Dog rescue and frequently opened up his home to cattle dogs in need of a place to go while they were looking for their forever homes. He did not flinch about taking in dogs with special issues and needs. There are dogs that have been successfully rehabilitated because of Jack and they are now able to go on to live healthy lives as loving pets. Without a doubt, Jack is very missed by the Australian Cattle Dog community and especially by those who do rescue work and knew him well.
It is my hope that Jack is looking down on Riley and smiling because he knows that Riley is going to be okay now. I know he never expected that his dog would be in a position to need a new "forever" home. Life does indeed throw curve balls when we least expect it.
Thank you to Julie Bender (Riley's breeder) for making sure that Riley would be able to go to a new home and be a loving pet. Also to Ivy Villegas and Deb Ray for their help when I requested some input about Jack. |
