Thread: Goodbye Jude

Got the bad news from the olds yesterday that Jude, our 16yr old Lab had been found dead in the lake.
She must have gone down to have a splash like she did most afternoons to cool off and hopefully had a heart attack and died as I cant accept the fact that she may have suffered in her last moments by drowning

She had been pretty deaf last few years, well 100% deaf - you could bang pots and pans behind her and she wouldnt hear you, and she hobbled around a bit, but the nose was still 100% and she would hoover up any rabbit shit on the section within 100m

She was a great gundog and loved the water and high country, although retired for few years now due to a ligament injury, used to get so excited on seeing the gun bags as she knew what it meant.
The looks she would give us when we were going out and not taking her after she was retired were heart breaking.

We're pretty lucky as we got an extra 10 years out of her as she ate a Feretox bait when she was 6 out hunting once - brother was going to shoot her to put her out of her misery as was convulsing and foaming, but he decided that if she was going to die she may as well die on a full stomach and stuffed her with dog biscuits, then carried her out to to the truck and took off to the vet.
Vet took one look and said she'll be fine as shes lasted 2 hrs - if hed given her water, would have been dead before they got to the truck.

We're all pretty gutted obviously, a great friend and shadow for the last 16 yrs
Ironically she died in the water, something she loved.
Shes buried on the side of the lake where she can watch over the ducks

I took the photo of her a couple of months ago as I knew she wouldnt last forever - wish I had taken more now.

Goodbye Jude - you will be sorely missed