While we had a two dogs before her, Jersey was the first dog that I can remember clearly. The rest existed, but I would never call them my dogs so much as my parent's dogs that came before us.
Jersey, named after our "majestic" homeland of New Jersey, was a chocolate lab. When we first got her, she wiggled when she walked, giving her the nickname Jello. While she was far from intelligent, Jersey was as loyal and loving as they come. She never shied away from giving kisses and had eyes that could melt even the coldest of hearts. When she wasn't out in the woods hunting groundhogs, racoons and other small game, she could be found relaxing on the grass. Her lifelong companion was a tiny black Schipperke named Sammy.
Sammy, being filled with energy and "spunk" helped keep Jersey fit as she grew older. Sadly, Sammy was struck by a car around the age of 12. By then, Jersey was nearing 14, an old age for a lab. Without someone to keep her active, Jersey's health began to fail. There came a day where she could no longer get up, and we knew we had to do something. Even looking death in the eyes, Jersey seemed happy in last few moments of life. She didn't fight with the vet when the time came, something she'd done all her life. We laid her to rest on the hill of our old house, near the woods she loved to play in.
And now I'm all in tears at work...