Saturday, April 30, 2011

Need Some Help Please...

Day 113: Jadah
This adorable little chocolate lab needs some prayers from you please. Jadah had an accident on Friday and was limping that morning. She was scheduled to run in an agility trial that day and her mom thought she just tweaked something. We've all been there. So she did the right thing and pulled Jadah from competition.

When she got home, Jadah could not walk. She has had a spinal injury, we are not sure yet exactly what. But Jadah needs some prayers and positive thinking. She is heading to the University of Minnesota and I am praying they can help Jadah walk again.

I know not all of you know Jadah, but I will say that she holds a very special place in my heart. Jadah and Donna came to me several years ago, in fact I think my 2nd student to start taking private lessons. Jadah was what many people call a "zoomie dog" and had been labeled a lost cause by several people. She didn't have enough focus to do two jumps in a row, and would take off, running around, sniffing, chasing birds, you name it. While Donna tried to get her to work with her. Her very first lesson with Jadah consisted of no handling at all...just working recalls as the dog really didn't have one and relationship building. Plus stress of not knowing her job added to her "zoomie" issue.

Donna is special to me too, not only does she have one of Zip's puppies, she is also probably the hardest working human being I have ever known. As a student she is amazing. You tell her to do something and she does it, and works HARD at it. She is also the nicest person I think I have ever met. She would be willing to give me a kidney if she could I swear. A true friend through and through.

And she worked hard with Jadah, trusted me, did all I suggested and then some...she never gave up, just worked harder and harder...and Jadah became an amazing dog. Donna became an amazing handler. They became an amazing team :)

This little lab, who came to me unable to run anything, couldn't weave, had NO contacts whatsoever other than to bail them. And in 2 years of trialing, hadn't gotten ONE Q...turned into this amazing and HONEST little dog who is just a few legs away from getting her CATCH, something Donna never imagined would ever happen with her "problem dog". Jadah does just what is asked and gives her all, "lost cause"...whatever :) She proved all of them wrong. YOU GO GIRL!
I love this dog, I love teaching both of them, I love Jadah's extreme obsession with tennis balls, she has this thing with her lungs (had tie back surgery I think it's called) so she breathes REALLY loud :) And it's great because when she is supposed to be in a sit stay while Donna walks the courses I give her, you can tell when she breaks as you hear the panting get LOUDER AND LOUDER AND LOUDER as she gets closer :) LOL I love that she will, if Donna doesn't remember to close the bag of Zukes, dive her ENTIRE head into the training bag and gobble as much as she can before Donna gets to her to pull her out :) I love how she smiles while running agility. I love just about everything about this dog...and it breaks my heart to know that she is going through all this.

So please, if you have just a moment, take a few seconds and think of Jadah today. She needs all the positive thoughts she can get. I hope they can help her at the University. I hope that she can be a happy, healthy ball obsessed lab again. I don't even care if she never does agility again...I just want to see her smiling and playing again.

Thanks everyone, I know I can count on all of you!!!!

3 comments:

Marcella said...

Good thoughts and lots of prayers going to both Jadah and Donna. I can relate with the zoomies and having to work through several things to finally "click" and get to play agility. I hope they can help her feel better soon. Shimmy sends lab wags from Texas. Get better soon Jadah!!!

Diana said...

Instead of hoping and praying for "Q"s this weekend, I will hope and pray for Jadah.

Deb said...

I so hope Donna will be able to read this beautiful post of yours Loretta, and the comments of others, in happy times, with Jadah on the mend.
Just know, Donna, that it is such a joy to see you run and love Jadah, and you are indeed so friendly and interested in others at trials. Praying for you!! Deb Forstner