The South Dakota Cowgirl

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All Dogs Go To Heaven

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It’s been a week. And I still think to myself, I should go see what Jake the cow dog is up to. But Jake isn’t here anymore.

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Sunday, January 17 he passed on. He’d fallen ill about 8 weeks prior, so we took him to the vet for some blood work, were given a vague diagnoses, sent home with an antibiotic and some NSAID. He felt better within hours, and remained so until just after the first of the year. Then the good days and bad days began, with the NSAID working sometimes and not others. So we decided it was time. He was 10, no longer comfortable, and it’s not fair to him to keep him around because we want him to be here. He was ready to go. So through tear-filled eyes, we let him.  The Cowboy took him to town, and was there for his last moments. Those two, they’ve had some good times to be sure. Jake was his dog, and only allowed me to adopt him because I let him in the house!  He was the family favorite, for sure.  This makes two dogs we’ve now lost, just over a year apart.  They kind of have a way of attaching themselves to your heart, don’t they? 

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I’ll miss my partner (he’s not been able to keep up horseback for a couple years), but he remained my faithful friend in the heifer pen, my greeter, my photography model, and the genuinely happy dog that he was. He was kind, but if you were gruff, and obnoxious, he’d not tolerate that. Just ask the FedEx driver! He loved to be petted, lay on his back, chase prairie dogs, sleep, and chew steak bones. But mostly he loved to be petted. He was the neediest dog I’ve ever been around.  Just two weeks before he passed, despite feeling bad that day, he traveled the quarter mile from our house to the corrals for one last hurrah chasing cows, as we loaded drys onto trucks. 

The Best Cow-dog, Jake!
Jake Jake!

The house will be a little emptier, and contain a lot less dog hair. 

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Sleep well dear friend. Sleep well. 

 

About ~The South Dakota Cowgirl~

Jenn Zeller is the creative mind and boss lady behind The South Dakota Cowgirl. She is an aspiring horsewoman, photographer, brilliant social media strategist and lover of all things western.

After a brief career in the investment world to support her horse habit (and satisfy her mother, who told her she had to have a “real” job after graduating college), she finally took the leap and stepped away from a regular income; trading the business suit once and for all for cowgirl boots, a hat, and jeans. She has not looked back.

When Jenn first moved to The DX Ranch on the South Dakota plains, she never imagined she’d find herself behind a camera lens capturing an authentic perspective of ranching, and sharing it with others. Jenn has always been called to artistry, and uses music, writing, images, home improvement, and her first true love of horses to express her ranching passion.

Horses are the constant thread and much of her work centers around using her unique style of writing to share her horsemanship journey with others in publications such as CavvySavvy, the AQHA Ranching Blog, the West River Eagle, the family ranch website, and her own website.

Using photography to illustrate her stories has created other opportunities -- Jenn’s brand “The South Dakota Cowgirl” has grown to the level of social media “Influencer”. This notoriety has led to work with Duluth Trading Company, Budweiser, Wyoming Tourism, Vice, Circle Z Ranch and Art of the Cowgirl, to name a few. She also serves as a brand ambassador for Woodchuck USA, Arenus Equine Health, Triple Crown Feed and Just Strong fitness apparel. Her photography has been featured by Instagram, Apple, TIME Magazine, The Huffington Post, and Oprah Magazine. Jenn’s work has been published internationally, has been seen in several books and has graced the covers of several magazines.

Jenn became a social media influencer by accident when she started to explore Instagram as a way to share her life on the ranch with folks that don’t get to experience it. It’s grown into an incredible platform that she uses to empower women, create an environment for self improvement and share life on the ranch.

When she’s not working, she loves to drink coffee, play with her naughty border collie named Copper, start ranch colts, and run about the country chasing cans. Her mother still thinks she doesn’t have a “real” job.

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  6. Cat Lady says

    So sorry for your loss. We lost our almost 15 year old cow dog under tragic circumstances last September and know how you must be feeling.

    Some may say, “well, it was only a dog,” but we know better. They are so much more than that – friends, protectors, work partners and yes, a part of the family.

    Although we miss them so very much when they are gone, we must remember the joy they gave us while they were here.

    RIP, Jake.

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