Meet Jack McGehee
Jack is a pretty dog, who for many years has belonged to our neighbors, Barbara and Kenneth McGehee. He used to go to JR’s body shop next door to them, every day, and steal a tool to bring home to Kenneth. Of course kenneth returned them every day too! He was Kenneth's constant shadow with every step he took and their special bond was unbreakable!
Jack barked at everyone who came near their driveway, but has never been known to bite anyone or even snap. He has always been a bluff, but a good watch dog! He watched their house all night, but also watched our house and Barbara’s sister’s house next door to the McGehee home. If anything or anyone came near any one of our houses, he’d let us know in a loud series of barks that would scare even the worst boogers away.
In all these years, Jack never came in our yard. He barked and growled at us when we pulled into our own driveway, but he and our Australian Shepherd, Cookie Goodpuppy Brundige were friends and met every day at the edge of our yard after her chores at the horse barn were done.
Well, some things change over time, and so did Jack. I don’t recall him ever going to our barn, so Cookie must have told him that her barn chores included chasing her “Barn-Cat Friends” out of the way at feeding time, eating a little cat food and horse feed, then putting the horses in their stalls to eat and turning them back to pasture after their meal was finished.
Time passed and they met at the edge of the road daily, but that was the extent of Jack’s visits for about 7 or 8 years.
Almost 4 years ago in May, Kenneth passed away and left Jack with no man in his life. Then in December, Cookie had a stroke and died.
Loosing Cookie was a sad time, and Joe told me how badly it was going to hurt to bury his “barn helper”, so I told him I would do it for him. He went off to work and I started the gruesome task at hand. I felt that I was being watched and when I turned around, there was Jack IN THE YARD about 10 feet behind me, quietly watching. He made no attempt to bark at me, just watched.
That afternoon, when Joe came in from work, there was Jack, waiting in the driveway, and was off to follow Joe to the barn. He followed along with Joe and proceeded to do Cookie’s chores in the order that they had always been carried out. How could he have known if Cookie hadn't "told him" during their meetings at the edge of the road?
The next morning, about 4:30 AM, when Joe opened the back door to go to the barn, there was Jack leaning against the door, waiting to go to the barn with him.
He has done the same every day and never misses a trip to the barn to do what are now “his” chores. He always looks forward to his rewards, a little cat food and a little horse feed, just like Cookie did.
It’s funny to watch him bring the horses in. He does another thing that Cookie always did. When the mares come through the gate toward the barn, he grabs hold of the tail of one and skis in behind her.
Whenever I leave the house, I always return to find him waiting and wagging with the other two, anxious to see what kind of treat I have brought them, because I never return home without some kind of treat. He looks as if he is smiling from ear to ear and saying, “OK, now where’s my treat? I know you have it, so give it to me.....NOW!”
I cannot tell you that Jack is a good dog... no, Jack is a GREAT dog!
Over time, Jack McGehee has made other changes that amaze us! One day after going to the barn for about a year and a half, when it was around 100 degrees with the heat index, Jack decided he needed a cooler place to sleep. (His owner had already told me that Jack was afraid to come inside a house!) When Joe came in from the barn, Jack pushed right by him into the house. And did I mention that this dog had never been inside a house? Hahahaha!
I told Joe this would NOT work. I just knew the first thing he'd do would be to wet all over the front of the couch or the recliners.
Well, by now this part shouldn't surprise anyone.
Jack proceeded to lay on a doggie bed in the den and go to sleep... OK, says I... I will watch him really close and let him out the minute he wakes up, right? The joke's on me! When he got up about 2 hours later, he headed straight for the door and RANG THE BRASS BELLS that hang down on a jute rope from the knob, for my 2 dogs to ring when they need to go out.
Jack visits his home now and then in the mornings, but sleeps here in the house all night every night now.
If it's really hot or cold, he just goes out to potty and right back in except at feeding time and the fact that he can hardly get around any more deosn't keep him from RUNNING to the barn.
Remember the old saying "I hear your Mama calling you"? Forget it. It doesn't work with Jack! Why am I not surprised?
~~~~~~~~UPDATE~~~~~~~~
Jack has gone home now.
He had a good life, that dog! He was never mistreated a day in his life and never had to know that abuse happens to dogs the world over, every day.
Kenneth was his first love and he is buried out by Kenneth's garage, the place he loved to be for so many years.
On July the 23, Jack would not get up to make the two trips to the barn that were his daily passion since he came to live here. Right then we knew.
He was humanely put to sleep on the morning of the July 24th when he could no longer get up at all any more. There was never a more faithful dog. Rest in peace Jack and know you were loved.