Skidboot's afterlife...

It’s hard to love and lose. I loved and lost a dog in less than three weeks. His name was Skidboot.

About three weeks ago, I fell in love with Skidboot and David on Pet Star. Well, I really liked the man, but I loved the dog. What a team. They did an incredible routine – “the sneak” – in which Skidboot worked with David in response to every command about approaching and, ultimately, taking a toy. David’s control of Skidboot, and Skidboot’s intensity and self-control, were the amazing.

Jake and Skidboot share a common heritage – the Australian Cattle Dog. Perhaps I connected with Skidboot because he reminded me so of Jake. Perhaps it is because Skidboot gives me a better idea of what Jake can achieve . I’d like my doggie to meet his own full potential. Jake knows 30+ commands so far and, for a brief moment today, I toyed with the idea of sending him to David because he could do so much with Jake. Still, Jake and I are a team and we’ll just do our best together. And, Jake won’t have to share me with lots of other dogs or be taken about the country for performances (he doesn't like new places or even new people much, but David could probably have helped him with that). He can just perform for his biggest fan.

Meanwhile, after remarking to a friend that I wish she had seen the recent program with Skidboot, she sent me a link to tv news report. All very hot news, it seemed. I must have seen a rerun on Pet Star, I thought. Watching the report, last night, my eyes welled with tears to learn that Skidboot was “now” going blind and how this affected his relationship with David and their enjoyment of life. This morning, on Skidboot’s website, I learned that Skidboot was laid to rest on March 25, 2007. That’s more than one year ago – and apparently, almost 623,000 viewings ago on YouTube, as well as performances on Oprah, Jay Leno, etc. And, no, I don't get around much -- I work for a living.

Now we know…there is life after death. And we know where to find it.




(PS to David Hartwig – if you ever read this, please come and visit us – see what you can do with my little guy! Jake and I hope you and Barbara are well now, a year after losing Skidboot, though we know that, like Mr. Bojangles, after 20 years you’ll still grieve for him.)