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Josh's Story
In Loving Memory of Josh
by T. Smithmeyer

This tragic fact is something that should have never happened, and could have been prevented, had we, especially myself, realized the DANGER that sat silently in the comfort of our "Puppy Proofed" back yard. Please read this and pass it on to everyone you know. So that this does not have to happen to some one else.

Tuesday night my husband and I TRAGICALLY lost one of our Jack Russell Terrier Puppies (DOB 03-05-00) due to total STUPIDITY!!! Yes, is was total stupidity.

"Josh" was the one of our puppies from Jaxx (sire) and Nina (dam). He was promised to my Father-in-law, and we were raising and training him for Dave. Josh's personality was one of those you just couldn't ignore, he was always at your feet and always looking for praise and affection. He was especially attached to my husband, Dan, which was unusual here, because I am with the puppies 24 hours, 7 days a week. They are most likely to come over and follow my son (Andy, 6 yrs) and I before anyone else, but Josh preferred Dan to anybody else every time. Dan had built a special bond with little Josh and they were pretty much "attached to one another" when Dan was home from work. Even though all my puppies are very special to my family and I, Josh was an original.

Tuesday night at approximately 9:15pm I left 3 of our Jack Russells, Jaxx (2 yrs), Edi (8 mts), Josh (7 weeks) and our German Shepherd, Deb (7 yrs) out to "potty" in our fenced back yard, while I got my husband's lunch and coffee ready for him to leave for work. Just before Dan was about to leave, at 9:25pm, I went out back to let our guys in and discovered Josh was missing. Earlier that day, I was hanging wash out and Josh squeezed through the gate leading into the other part of our yard to follow me. So I went out the front door and Dan went out the back door to look for our little Josh. Dan suddenly dove to the ground and splashed in out Decorative Pond. He stood up and told me that he had found him. I said "knock it off, and let's find him, it's getting cold out." He said very straight-faced "I found him!" then it sunk in. Josh had fallen into our decorative pond out back and because it is one of those molded plastic types, he could not get a grip on the slippery plastic to crawl out and he drowned! (We had been getting the pond ready for the summer and we had drained it a bit, so there was a good 5 inches or more between the water level and the rim of the pond) I rushed into that part of the yard and did everything I knew to try and revive him, but he was gone! When I couldn't revive him, I crashed hysterically on our deck and screamed so loudly that all the neighbor's porch lights came on and everyone came out to see what was happening.

We laid our little Josh to rest in out yard where the sun always shines. This is something that should have NEVER happened. Please take in to consideration EVERYTHING in your yard and environment that could pose a danger to your beloved. Especially warn those who have those ponds in their yards. I am not in anyway discouraging the use of these beautiful ponds, just warning of the hidden danger, one that I never thought of! PLEASE if you or someone you know has a decorative pond in their yard, Constantly watch your little ones, pets and children, and if possible put a temporary fence up until your puppy matures to a age that he may have the sense to avoid the pond or be able rescue himself should he decide to take a swim! Our pond was small enough that our adult Jack Russells were able to jump in and out of it.

Dan took Josh's passing harder than I had expected, he called off work that night and we both spent the night crying. The next day we went to a local farmers market and every time Dan would see a toy Josh would have liked he'd get tears in his eyes. I vowed to myself that I would find him a pup of his own. I just could not stand to see his pain. I called a few excellent breeders that I knew and found him a puppy of his very own. He named her Sadie. Sadie, remarkably has the same uniqueness as Josh, and the same devotion to Dan. However OUR pond was removed today, Dan found it to be a constant reminder of Josh's death, and danger to Sadie and to the future puppies of our family. I can honestly say, I feel better too.

Sincerely,
Mrs. Daniel Smithmyer
Dan-Tar Jack Russell Terriers

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