Jelly (Jellicle Dog) died on September 26, 1997 at the age of fourteen years.  It has taken some weeks for me to collect my thoughts about her loss and to put them to paper. There is no special list or forum in which to pay her tribute.  She was not a Rhodesian Ridgeback, or anything else for that matter.  Her mother was a German Shepherd and her father a Black Labrador-Great Dane cross.  At the top of her form she weighed in at 75 pounds, had a full coat of black with a white mane and a ferocious demeanor and voice.  She and her litter mates were the epitome of the ideal urban working dog;  determined protectors of their homes and families, but friendly and loving to anyone who made it through the front door.  She raised a  three year old boy past his 17th birthday.  Jelly was the last survivor of her litter.  And although some of us thought that these dogs had admirable attributes worthy of a new breed (we thought we'd call them Oakland Avengers), none of us acted on the impulse to breed them.

So, why write about this dog on this list?  For the last two years of her life, Jelly was foster mom to Shona.  Shona, who I have sometimes described as the "notorious black and tan Rhodesian Ridgeback."  Jelly took the young upstart, ten week old Shona in tow and tolerated her youthful exuberance despite her own failing health.  In her last year, Jelly got relief from her chronic spinal arthritis only with huge doses of steroids and antibiotics.  Still, I think that Shona gave Jelly a reason to live, if only to make certain that Shona did not get all of the attention and all of the food. Ridgeback owners will understand when I say that Jelly taught Shona how to bark, but not who or what to bark at.  Jelly was the protector of our cats, and they were convinced that it was she who fed them and let them in and out of the house.  Shona has not learned this task quite yet, though the cats are valiantly trying to teach her.

On the Wednesday before she died, Jelly went downstairs and into her back yard for the last time.  On Thursday evening she ate her last meal.  Friday morning she would not get up to eat, although she got herself up briefly to get her final drink of water.  We all left for work or school, not certain that we would find Jelly alive when we returned.  Her breathing had become labored and the vet was alerted to come in the afternoon to put her down.  I broke off work early and arrived home about noon.  Jelly was stretched out in front of the door, but did not get up to greet me.  I talked to her and sat with her off and on, sometimes going about my usual business in the house, but within her view.  Within a half hour of my return her breathing slowed noticeably and she slipped away, surrounded by the sights and sounds that had been her world for fourteen years.  True to her character, she waited until someone came home and her duty as guardian of the house was passed on.

I have always said that I was not sentimental about dogs and could not understand the lengths that some people go to on behalf of their pets.  I was wrong.  Jelly was a working member of our family.  There is no accurate way to measure her contribution to our home and the people in it.  There is no way to know how many times she has discouraged would-be intruders and kept us safe.  She has protected us, made us laugh, been our companion.  We miss her.  All except Shona.  Shona is, after all a Rhodesian Ridgeback, a connoisseur of soft places to sleep.  There are more of those available and vacant now.  But at meal-time, even Shona looks a bit uncertain.  "Where is that other dog whose food I tried to steal.?"  I think she misses that.  She has to do all of the barking now herself.  And then there are all of those darn cats to take care of.

So, whatever is your custom, please raise a toast, hoist a cool one, or say a prayer with us, and give a  "Well done!"  to our Jelly, Jelly the Wonder Dog.

(Originally posted to the rr-folk, Rhodesian Ridgeback list on November 3, 1997).

                       Jelly and her "foster pup" Shona

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