Peanut's Last Fight

Well, yesterday Peanut had her last fight. She had been outside with us all day romping and running and playing in the culvert, dirtier and probably smellier than she had ever been before. When our neighbor came home she decided to go over and attack the neighbor's husky-type dog who didn't even know what hit her, until it was too late. Peanut's rib was broken and who knows what other kinds of injuries she sustained, but she gave her final breath sometime tonight around 9pm.

What I will never forget about Peanut are the years she was there to snuggle under the covers when it was cold in my mom's house, felt just like a personal space heater. Her growling at 9wks old at the rotty that came in the vet's office that was of course "hers." The countless times she attacked other family members' dogs and lived to tell about it. Her "ear baths" and "going crazy." The way she hated-or loved depending on how you look at it-those squeaky toys that squeaked when air went in and came out. She would not let one of those out of her sight for hours even if she killed the squeaker in a minute or so. The way she obsessively licked the door, any door that moved, for hours upon hours. Oh how she loved to dig! She would tunnel and tunnel and her face and beard would be black for days even after a bath. All the tricks she knew-sit, lay down, roll left, roll right, and the cutest and my favorite sit up. She loved to chase flies and eat them when she was lucky enough to catch one here and there. In Iowa, she has spent plenty of time doing just that with the cattle being so close to the house and all. I will also remember the way she would jump on the golf cart for a ride and when she felt the need run off at top speed while the golf cart was moving. The way she pretended not to like baths even though she loved water and the attention focused solely on her. Her four litters of puppies, the first of which I woke up to next to my head on my pillow. Ginger is her one daughter that my mom has and loves dearly...wish I knew where the others are...I also remember trying to get her to eat her food as a puppy by telling her the cat would eat it if she didn't, and later in life having to buy special food so that she didn't choke from inhaling it too fast. She loved to go in and visit my grandfather when he was sick. I am not sure he loved it as much, but if I was there he at least pretended to. I remember her barking at every car, person, squirrel, dog, and anything else she deemed fit that came near our apartments in Gainesville. How excited she was to meet babies, as long as they were not mobile. She loved to jump up and lick kids in the face. She barked when people hugged. She barked when commanded to say "Go Gators!" She never chewed on anything that wasn't hers, except a few things that were in the trash anyways. When she got away from me as a puppy, the only way to catch her was to get her to chase you by running around in a big circle that got tighter and tighter until finally you could turn and grab her from beside you. When she was a puppy my mom used to pick her up and count to three which was a joke because by the time you got to three she was wiggling so fiercely it took some strength to hold on to her. She hated having her nails clipped. She loved chasing rats. Matt and peanut had killed a few in their day. She got third in the first and only go-to-ground competition she was ever in. She had a "strong head for a bitch" as described by a judge at the show. Her left ear had a white stripe on the edge with two little dots on it. I held her when she was three and a half weeks old and decided she was the one that I wanted because she had a marking on her butt in the shape of a heart, she fit in the palm of my hand then. She had relatives in her pedigree that were in The Real Jack Russel a book that tells about how the breed started and shows beautiful JRTs. Her right eye used to be completely covered with the brown spot, but had filled in with many "grey" hairs in the last few years. The color had completely receded behind her eye. People always commented on how young she looked. They could never believe she was "that old!" Noah had begun to chase her around with her leash or throw balls at her lately. She would ignore him and just stay a few steps ahead as to not get caught in this game they played. It made me nervous, but Noah would shriek with excitement. She also loved to climb trees.

Now she is buried by a couple trees. And four other beloved pets on Gramma and Grampa Jensen's property with the bed she died on. I won't have to tell her to get out of the bathroom or off of the couch or to stay or to get in her crate anymore. I only wish I could...
Peanut, Rest in Peace, my first "daughter," my brat, my friend...04-29-9? to 09-01-07