Embracing the Unexpected : 2017

This week I had to say goodbye to another one of my four legged kids, Lucy. She is running free in heaven being the grumpy old lady who stops the ids from playing too rough and meets everyone who walks through the gate. Lucy has a pretty special story and I would like to share it with you. To do so I’m going to go back almost 7 years ago…

My first Siberian Husky, Abby, was a dream come true for me at 13 years old. I worked hard and saved up for 6 years to get her. She had two litters of puppies for me in high school and I still have one of her boys here in Alaska. However, Abby escaped from her kennel one day after she moved to my mom’s new house and was hit by a car and died January 16th 2011 at just shy of 10 years old.

About a year later, I was back home for winter break and my mom asked me if I knew anyone who was looking to adopt an old husky. I told her possibly and asked why. She told me the story about how she was at the dog park a few days before and met this really nice lady who had a few golden retrievers with her. She told my mom she took in this old siberian husky and wanted to find her a home with other huskies where she’d fit in better. So I decided to call and find out more about this husky.

Turns out Becky, lady from the park, had been caring for Lucy her whole life since Lucy was her elderly neighbor’s dog. Becky had a golden, Wilson, that was the same age as Lucy and they grew up together being best friends. However about a year before I met Becky, Lucy’s owners passed away and Becky stepped in and took Lucy into her own home. Lucy did well there until her best friend, Wilson, passed away. This is when Becky decided Lucy needed to find a home that would cheer her up and hopefully have other huskies since she knew huskies are more pack oriented than other breeds.

I decided to meet Lucy for myself to make sure I knew her personality before trying to help find her a home. The day I met Lucy she walked right up to me and buried her head between my legs and her tail was going crazy. She was obviously an old girl, 11, and she looked like a tough lady. Ice blue eyes, and a goofy smile, Lucy was a sweetheart.

After a few days I decided I wanted to adopt Lucy and bring her back to school with me so Chase would no longer be alone either. I spent my winter break going over to Becky’s house picking Lucy up and taking her to the dog park. She had a hard time standing up, her hips looked pretty rough, and she just seemed sad. After a few trips she started meeting me at my car to go to the park and I knew then the transition was ready to happen. (I tend to transition older dogs slowly to reduce stress)

I was a college student at the time and told Becky I was willing to give Lucy the best last few years of her life I could, but that I would not be able to afford any extensive medical treatments for her. I really didn’t think Lucy would make it another year when I met her.

The day I took Lucy home was January 16th, 2012. On my way up to school with Lucy and Chase I realized it was a year ago I had lost Abby and that she would have been 11 years old. Lucy was 11 and they both had those ice blue eyes, attitude, and more independence than I’ve ever seen in a dog.

Lucy started eating better the night I brought her home. About two weeks in she started sharing beds with Chase, and within a month I saw her playing with a toy. She won the hearts of all my friends as she greeted everybody with a headbutt to the legs and a wagging tail.

Fast forward a bit to when I took my job in Alaska. I only took it with the agreement Chase and Lucy could come with me. So the three of us set off to the unknown ready for adventure. At first I wasn’t sure how lucy would do, she hung out at a dog house during the day while I worked and came in at night and lunch. By the end of the season she had had enough of the restriction. That is when DeeDee and I realized Lucy was NOT like most siberian huskies, she wouldn’t run away. That summer Lucy earned her title as the first Siberian Husky to call Jonrowe Kennels home, as well as Queen of the kennel. Lucy greeted every car that pulled in trotting along in front to show them the way, followed you around until she got the tasty meat snack like the race dogs and slept on her dog bed in front of the house.

Lucy was a character to say the least. Sweet as could be, but there was no containing her. She was a free spirit, needing her wide open spaces. I couldn’t believe the change in her though, from barely standing up to now running, jumping, and barking at sled dogs, Lucy ruled the kennel. No one could believe it last year when she turned 15 on 4/20/16. SIberians just don’t typically live that long, but Lucy was a strong stubborn old lady.

When I started vet school DeeDee offered to let Lucy stay at the kennel since she was so happy and doing well. I agreed that would be the best thing for her to stay a free roaming dog in her old age.

Over the past few months she has great declined. She no longer ran around, slept more and more, and was starting to stumble and wander around. This past weekend when i was home at the kennel getting DeeDee ready for another Iditarod race I saw my Lucy girl and realized she no longer had that spark in her eye, no longer had that attitude I loved so much. I decided it was time to take her home with me to Fairbanks if her time was coming. She come into my house and found the dog bed next to my bed right away. I didn’t realize that would be her last night with me. The next day after all the mushers took off on the trail I came home to help pack up my friends I was hosting for the race. When I went in to check on my girl she was having a seizure. She was in bad shape and I knew it was her time. She wasn’t drinking or eating much on her own and she couldn’t get around well anymore. I took her to the vet and noticed she lost almost 10 lbs from The last time I checked her.

This was such a hard choice to make as she was only a month away from 16 years old, but in my heart I knew that the amount of pain and confusion she was in had become unbearable. I sat with her in the same place I sat with Amber 6 months ago and said my goodbyes. Told her she would be running free again soon. Told her to keep all my kids up in heaven in line like she always did.

Throughout the last five years, Becky and I have stayed in touch and I’ve shared Lucy photos and stories. It amazing me how much she loves Lucy, but still was willing to adopt Lucy to me to help provide Lucy with the best life possible. Lucy had an amazing five years with me from traveling, meeting 100’s of people, and all the other adventures she had with her other doggie friends in Alaska.

It is never easy to lose a pet, they never ever live long enough. However, they continuously teach me the strength of love, forgiveness, and strength. The indescribable bond we can have with a pet is powerfully healing. Lucy continuously surprised us all with her determination and stubbornness throughout my time with her. She will forever be my cranky old lady who loved every single person she met and stood up to the toughest and biggest dogs in the lot.

Love you LuLu always and forever. Thank you for giving me one more night next to my bed reminding me of you and Chase and all the amazing times we had together.