Jackson
“If Jackson were a human, he’d be 6 foot 3, wearing a rugby shirt, carrying a 6-pack of Newcastle and looking for a party…”
I never saw him wear the shirt (although he always did look smart in his festive scarves), he never figured out how to carry the six pack, and he was never more than thigh high but my dad’s description of Jackson is spot on.
He was a proud dog who made sure you knew he was in the room. It’s something you had to hear for yourself but, boy could he bark- loudly. He loved his walks and somehow managed to always produce enough piss for every object he deemed worthy.
In December 2018, while home for Christmas and putzing with a camera, my dad hinted at taking some photos of Jackie boy as he was lounging around outside. His health had been up and down all year and I could sense the undertones in my dad’s voice…’Take these photos, we’re not going to have many more opportunities.’ My dad and Jackson were in sync and a few months later, Jackson left our house for that big party in the sky. I can see his arrival now…”I’m here and I brought beer!
I tried to capture a little bit of Jackson’s life beyond just his portrait…
The three houses are all the places that Jackson called home. Scattered about the yards are some of his favorite things….digging holes, his leash and his bones/chew toys. The full moon is there because one of his quirks is that he would often bark at the moon. It was always a hoot to be walking with him while he looked up, over his shoulder and barked at a hanging moon. I amused myself by imagining this was his way of being an old ‘get off my lawn’ guy.
The minivan on the street is an homage to our old family dog, Madison. She was an Airedale terrier as well and unlike Jackson, if she ever got out of the house or yard, she ran around the neighborhood like a banshee. The only way we could ever get her back was to open the Grand Caravan door and she’d fly right in.
Finally, on the collar of the rugby shirt is the Newcastle Beer logo.
He was one of a kind and although we’re all enjoying the quieter house, he is deeply missed.
The photo I used for reference from December 2018…a proud, independent pup.
One of the last photos of Jack. I wasn’t able to be there when the decision was made to put him down and seeing this photo, even a year later, still tears me up. It’s the first time I’ve ever seen him look sad. The joy was gone and it was time.
