This day I love.......: J

2019 has not been the best of years. January started with an exploding washing machine. In February I was diagnosed with Alopecia after the hairdresser noticed lots of hair patches. This ended up with some very stressful and uncertain months ahead. We experienced lots of other things breaking, some of which we still cannot afford to put right. My son didn’t get a place at the nursery, which is a short walk away and this put a lot of strain on us having to travel to another. June was the worst of all months when we unexpectedly lost J. Our hearts were broken and I don’t think we will ever fully come to terms with what happened. September we had lots of stress as we tried to rebook our holiday after Thomas Cook went under. It was a very stressful period indeed. October I fractured my ankle and am still waiting on testing to see when I can run again.

2019 also brought with it some fantastic achievements for my children. Little Man grew confident with his swimming and has finished the year waiting for a place to move up to the next stage. They have had to approve this due to his age as he shouldn’t move until he is 4 but he is competent enough to do so. My eldest daughter was selected to train for her gymnastics club so we now spend most evenings with her training. My youngest daughter has finally found her passion. She takes part in a musical drama club and watching her face lit up as she performs on stage was certainly one of my highlights this year.

With running I completed my furthest distance to date of 65 miles. Finished in 4th place at a 24hour race with my ultra hubby. Finally received my first trophy for finishing second lady in a local ultra race and surprised myself with running from Manchester to Liverpool in blazing heat! I knocked a huge chunk of time off my marathon PB and broke the 4.30 barrier. I really feel I could have run under 4 hours had my ankle have not been broken. My parkrun time was also smashed finishing the year on 25.03. I will get under 25 minutes when I get my fitness back.

My hair grew back during the last half of 2019 which I am so incredibly grateful for, although I am also on edge wondering if it will fall out again. We also welcomed 4 new additions to our house. A fish which my eldest daughter got as a birthday present. Joey the Guinea Pig who is the sweetest thing ever and very talkative. Finally our two boys A and B, our labrador puppies who next year I hope to start running with.

2019 has been a tough year and one I am glad to see the end of but I am also a little sad as it will be the last year that we had J. I have no idea what 2020 will bring, we are hoping for a low key one with as little drama as possible but with two labrador puppies running around who knows if that is likely!

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On the 13th March 2009 my fur baby J arrived home. This tiny little bundle of fur made himself known from day one and it soon became apparent that his favourite things were digging, playing with a ball and his all time favourite sunbathing.

When we moved house we turned down several properties because they didn't have a big enough garden for J to play in or there wasn't a walk nearby for him to play. Our holidays were dog friendly. J travelled to the furthest point of Scotland on several holidays. He has ventured to Lands End in Cornwall and along the south coast of England. He even visited Wales. Wherever we went he came with us.

J was my running buddy. He completed the Yorkshire three peaks, which is a great achievement for a Jack Russell. He ran marathons and accompanied me on my training runs, even attending the running club with me on several club runs. J was part of the running family.

He even had his own GoPro harness to record some of the runs we went on

J watched all of my children grow up. He was there at the birth of Little Man and was the first to know I was pregnant with my eldest daughter. Working from home also meant I was with him all the time. He would often sit on my knee whilst I worked on my desk or paw me to sit on my legs if I worked on the floor or the sofa. At night he liked to sleep curled up beside me. Everywhere I went he was there.

On Tuesday 18th June I woke up to find my kitchen floor covered in sick. J wasn't well and I rushed him immediately to the vets. He remained there all day where they did blood work and ultrasound and decided it was Pancreatitis. He came home that evening and I had to try and get fluids and medicine into him.

Wednesday he went back to the vets to see how he had got on over night, his temperature was high but given he had perked up in himself and started barking again he was allowed home. That evening was horrendous. J got hotter and hotter. I was sat next to him in the picture below and I could feel the heat radiating from him. I did everything I could to cool him down but at 2 am I had to ring the vet for help as I could tell he was suffering. Pacing up and down and panting, I knew I couldn't help him and as much as it hurt me I knew he had to go back to the vets for help.

Thursday morning at 8am J was rushed back into the vets. He was getting hotter and he couldn't eat or drink, everything he had he brought straight back up. I was really worried. He was kept in. A further ultrasound and bloods were taken. I awaited for news.

Friday at 7am the vets rang to say they still couldn't get him to eat but his temperature was now back to normal. His blood work however was to be repeated and if that was normal he could come home. 12.30 I get a phone call to say that they need to repeat the bloods as the white blood cell count is too high so an intensive form of antibiotics needs to be used and they should start working to bring the white blood cell count down. 2.15, another phone call. White blood cell count increasing despite the antibiotics, other blood work abnormal and scans are not showing anything different from Tuesday. They therefore needed to do emergency surgery to find out exactly what was causing the issues and did I consent.

I couldn't say no, J was my boy and I would have done anything to make him better. The panic however was setting in. How was he not responding to antibiotics and why was his blood results changing so much. I just wanted to be with him and was so worried about him stressing or worrying where I was. I know that might sound silly but I didn't want him to be alone and scared, I wanted to be there to give him comfort.

At 2.44 I got the phone call I was dreading. It was aggressive Pancreatic cancer. The cancer was in his Pancreas, Liver and Gall bladder. It had stopped all blood supply to his small bowel and his organs had started to shut down. He sadly passed away.

Devastated doesn't cover it. I lost my best friend, running partner and fur baby. The one I talked to and confided in. A month later and I am still playing the what if game. How could I have not known? Would the outcome have been different if we had found it earlier? I honestly thought he would be coming home on the Friday, and instead the worst outcome instead.

I visited him Friday evening after he had passed and just held him wrapped in a blanket. I didn't want to leave him there and didn't want to let him go, I wasn't ready. I had no choice, and instead on Saturday I brought him home and we buried him.

The kids I think needed to see him and they helped to bury him. In some ways it gave them closure and helped to understand what had happened. I have been very honest with them about everything and I think this has helped them process it a lot more.

We've had special memory pieces made. Casting of his Paws to go on a wooden frame with a photo I took, his fur has been encased in handmade silver jewellery and his paw prints are on canvas in each of the kids bedrooms.

Saying goodbye to J has been one of the hardest things I have ever had to do and even harder with the children. The girls in particular took great comfort in this article and it has really helped. I keep listening for the pitter patter of his paws across the hard wood floor. Coming in I expect to be greeted by the little bend and wiggle he did when I walked into the house. Life is very different one month on.

Dog Sympathy Gift - Loss of Dog or Cat - Pet Memorial Poem

J will never be forgotten

I can think of no other way but to finish this with one of my favourite J videos.

The ball was gifted a long time ago and clearly not for this post.

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June can only be described as a month of two halves. Had I known what was to happen in June I think I would have done things very differently, but that is the beauty of hind sight for you.

June started off well, a sport of tourism parkrun for my daughter and I. Even though she claims it was hilly. It was run on a racecourse in one of the flattest parts of the country so no hills. In fact it is flatter than a track run according to my strava.

Training started to increase now as Loch Ness marathon starts to get closer. It does mean fitting training in when I can and so that can often be late at night or early mornings.

Beat the street started in our local town for 6 weeks and this actually made long runs really interesting. It really broke them up as we would run from post to post to tap our beat cards and collect points for our school.

It also made the kids want to get out more and so they would ride their bikes as I would run alongside them. In some ways it made training easier as they kids wanted to be outside and in others it made it harder because pace is very much dictated by them. It was lovely though to spend time together outside, regardless.

Once again there was more volunteering and helping at parkrun and races, but I wouldn't want it any other way. Even Little Man has started getting involved.

Beat the Street really started to take over as the leaderboard became quite close at the top. Runs were planned with the most beat boxes to tap and so whilst not the best routes it meant training and playing the game could still take place.

Training was going well. J was enjoying the extra walks as we played beat the street with him and getting more runs in together. My first race was approaching, an ultra with my friend Sean. I had helped him with his training and we came up with a plan for the actual race. You can read about how we got on here

After the high of the previous week everything was about to come crashing down around me. I had developed a Grade 2 sore on the back on my foot and was advised not to run as if it burst it could cause a sepsis and infection risk. If it did burst I had to go immediately on to antibiotics. I decided it wasn't worth it and instead planned to rest as advised until it healed.

A grumpy Monday then after I was told I could not run and a very poorly Little Man who was up all night unable to breathe. I think I managed two hours of sleep on Monday and very nearly ended up in hospital with my son.

Upon waking up Tuesday morning I discovered the kitchen floor was covered in sick from J. He had an appointment booked at the vets anyway as his back legs had been hurting him instead I rushed him to the vets, where he was kept in. He returned Tuesday night but was exhausted from the pain killers and really not very well. Queue another sleepless night. Wednesday J just got worse and he could not cool down. He was visibly in pain and I kept giving him all his pain medication as directed. Up again all night this time trying to cool him down and a call to the vets at 2am. Thursday there was nothing for it but to rush him to the vets, he died on Friday.

Exhausted from a week of hell, unable to run with injury and grieving the loss of J. I just was not functioning well at all. I no longer had my running outlet and no longer had J to talk to, he was such a good listener. I tried to take my mind of everything with a walk in Malham helping to unmark the Pennine Barrier route. It was nice to be out in the fresh air but the whole time I was thinking how much J would have loved it.

After two weeks of pure hell and no running it was time to lace up my shoes and get back out again. I met my Ultra hubby/long distance training partner and we headed to Endure 24 Leeds. Our plan was simple, keep running.

We were running Endure 24 as a pair. This meant only one of us could be on the course at any moment in time. Laps are 5 miles each through an undulating terrain, which meant you were almost constantly running for 24 hours. We had to guess how long each lap would take us and be ready and waiting in the exchange area to meet each other and hand over for the next to go out and complete a lap.

It was really tough. Absolutely no sleep for the full 24 hours, there simply wasn't time to get back to the car for a sleep and then walk back to the exchange area. We both gave it our absolute everything. With temperatures hitting over 30 at 4pm it was even more tough in the heat. In fact it was so hot I ran just in a crop top and shorts.

We managed 12 laps each or 60 miles, and out total of 24 laps put us in joint 4th place on laps. There was one more lap for third and whilst I am incredibly proud of our achievement it would have been nice to have finished third, we were so close.

I managed a total of 245km, which is 53km more than May. That is with two weeks of not running and goes to show how much more I have increased my training. I am proud of my achievements through June but I think I will always remember it as the month I said goodbye to my running partner and best friend J.

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This post contains a product that was gifted in exchange for this post and also affiliate links. Words are my own opinion and I have not been paid to write this.

My eldest daughter kindly pointed out that J is 70 in human years. I had to stop in my tracks and think, how can that little puppy I brought home be 10 already. Surely she wasn't right. I begin calculating dates and sure enough she was correct, J is in fact 70. Although if you take into account his breed he is actually 56 but still classed as a senior dog.

When I stop and think about it I have noticed a change in his behaviour. He gets tired now on a 5km run, stopping to walk more and when we come back in he goes straight to his bed to sleep. We had to reduce the distance he ran due to arthritis in his hips, and thankfully in doing so he no longer seems to be suffering any pain with this.

It did get me thinking though. I take Omega 3 supplements to help protect my joints with all the running I do, J often accompanies me with my running and given his age I should surely be giving him a supplement as well? I came across Actif pets they are are a small family business based in Kent whose goal is to provide holistic products that help dogs live a full life. They produce a flaxseed oil for dogs, it is a natural oil supplement rich in Omega 3, 6 and 9 and is a great alternative for dog owners who want to give their dogs Salmon or Cod Liver oil but can’t stand the fishy smell. I was sent a bottle for J to try and was keen to give it a go.

I was actually surprised that there is no smell. Which is great when you consider you pour onto the dogs food. J didn't notice any difference either and ate his food as normal. In fact there was no change in his behaviour or his 'output' which I guess is another bonus. Even 6 weeks later there has been no change to any of the previously mentioned.

The amount to give depends on the dog and is easy to follow with the instructions on the side of the bottle. Having given to J now for 6 weeks I have started to notice a shine to his coat and smoothness and as mentioned before he is no longer showing any signs of pain in his hip after a run which he was doing previously. This could however be done to the shorter distances or maybe its a combination.

Actif Pets certainly seems to be working for J, and it gives me peace of mind that I am providing a little extra to help him now he has hit those senior years!

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My eldest daughter is football crazy. She loves football. Playing it and watching it. She goes into the garden after school and lays out stones on the garden to practise dribbling a ball around and when she isn't doing that she is kicking a ball against my fence as target practise.

I love watching her play and I am trying desperately to find somewhere to take her to help her practise more but it needs to fit in with all the other sports she currently does. She isn't the only football mad person in our house. I say person what I actually mean is our dog. He also loves footballs.

I have never seen a dog chase a ball as much as J does. I have also never seen a football get destroyed as quickly as J can do. Leather footballs last around 2 minutes on a good day, plastic ones less than 30 seconds. It really frustrates my eldest and we have to constantly remind J to 'leave it' whilst she is playing, though often her forgets. You can see the frustration building up inside him to play.

One World Futbol got in touch regarding their incredible, indestructible football that can withstand any playing conditions, it never needs a pump and never goes flat. It sounded like a solution to our problem. A ball that my eldest and J could use together? Would this be too good to be true?

The ball was developed by an entrepreneur in the US with support from Sting: “One World Play Project is inspiring children to realise their own potential through this nearly indestructible ball. It’s a simple idea, but it makes all the difference in the world.” Sting, musician, entertainer and humanitarian. For every One World Futbol sold a percentage of sales goes towards providing footballs to organisations working with youth living in disadvantaged communities around the world. Collaborating with sponsors, organisations and individuals, One World Play Project has brought the power of play to an estimated 60 million youth in 185 countries worldwide.

On the 24th July our One World Futbol arrived. J ran off with the package before I even had chance to open it. He would make an excellent police dog if they ever needed a dog to find a ball. I eventually managed to open the package and since then J has not let the One World Futbol out of his sight.

I was worried he might destroy it before my eldest got home from school but despite all the teeth and claw marks on it, it is still going strong. Strong enough to withstand my eldest practising against the fence panels.

Just to show how indestructible the One World Futbol is, here is a video of J running around with it.

It is safe to say that over a week later J still loves the One World Futbol and my daughter finally has a ball that will last!

The One world Futbol was sent for review, all words are my own opinion

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I am a very proud owner to two dogs, J and Spotty Dog. They are both very different in their temperaments, personalities and each have their own quirks and traits. J has been around since before the children. At almost 8 years old he prefers his own space, and spends his time as my shadow. He is in all honesty my best friend and accompanies me wherever I go.

Spotty Dog is completely different. She is a bundle of energy, bouncing all over the place and has no idea how big she is. A cross breed dog, she has completely different needs to J. In her head she seems to have a bit of split personality crossing between either breed, Patter-dale terrier and Dalmatian. She is a rescue dog from the RSPCA. Whilst she is as mad as a box of frogs she is also one of the most loving dogs you will ever meet.

Two very different dogs, with two different requirements yet both fit our family perfectly. Spotty Dog is like having a big bouncy toddler and she loves playing with the kids, J is much calmer and is the protector yet is my companion on my runs. The best tip and advice I can give anyone in owning a dog is to not only understand the breed but understand the dog. J is a Jack Russell but whilst he displays certain characteristics of the breed, he also has is own personality.

If you do decide to own a dog, borrow one from a friend first. See how they fit into your life and your house, you may discover that the breed you thought might work for you and your family actually doesn't. Some dogs require much more care and looking after than others. Some need grooming regularly whilst others don't. Some may have a longer lasting puppy phase, are you prepared for this?

Spotty Dog has fears and phobias, she is scared of water and other dogs [seriously a dog scared of dogs] as a result she requires a lot of attention and a lot of time to help her overcome these fears. It is a very very long process for which we have tried numerous methods but each one in a loving, gentle and calm approach.

In addition Spotty Dog also has a lot of allergies, meaning we have to carefully watch her diet. J has no allergies but if he eats certain dog foods with lots of E numbers he turns into a hyper dog [a bit like if you feed a kid sweets for every meal]. Both dogs are fed Dry dog food, this means they need to have water available during the day. J has recently been trailing the PEDIGREE® dry food and has taken to it really well with no issues.

PEDIGREE® dry food has been scientifically designed to help protect your dog’s health, skin, coat, digestive system and immunity. As J accompanies me running he needs to be fit and healthy to allow him to run with me over different terrains. His skin and coat need to be healthy as there is a Little Man chasing after him too! The PEDIGREE® dry food are of a good size making them easy for J to pick up and eat, and there is no nasty smells coming from the bowl either. J has really enjoyed his PEDIGREE® dry food and he has not been bouncing off the walls like some other brands of dry food!

“This post is a collaboration with PEDIGREE® , but all thoughts are my own. For additional pet care information you can read the following PEDIGREE® Reviews for tips and advice.”

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For the past 30 days J and spotty dog have been taking part in a vets kitchen challenge. You may have seen our weekly updates on social media. The challenge was to see how our dogs enjoyed vets kitchen food.

To give you some background spotty dog has food allergies. We discovered this as a pup and she cannot have wheat or diary and some grains upset her tummy. As a result her food needs to be tailored for her allergies and we need to check the ingredients carefully. Certain brands of food really upset her tummy, so we need to be careful. J is a typical terrier and will eat anything, unfortunately this has resulted in a very extensive operation to his stomach where a piece of plastic ball got stuck over the valve of his stomach meaning he was constantly sick. Since then some foods irritate his stomach and he will be sick. He also does not like to eat certain foods if he finds them too hard.

Finding foods for our dogs and to suit both of them can be tricky. We were therefore incredibly excited to try vets kitchen as they promised not only hypo-allergenic but also sensitive foods sourced from all natural ingredients. Vets kitchen is developed by vets know how and they are passionate about keeping pets healthy. Combining their veterinary expertise with latest technology means they have developed a range of food, treats and supplements suitable for even the most sensitive of tummies.

Our first week on vets kitchen and J was attacked by another dog whilst not in my care. He came home covered in blood with deep teeth marks over his body. Luckily one of the bites missed his eye and none needed stitches. A trip to the vets and with medication we were told to come back in a few days to see how his wounds were healing.

On our return visit the vet was surprised at how well everything was healing, especially for a 7 year old Jack Russell. He commented on how well his teeth and coat looked and we were discharged, saying whatever we were doing was working well.

J has finished every bowl we have put down and for a fussy eater this is impressive. He has also not been sick which shows me it is gentle on his delicate tummy. Spotty dog has also done really well with her allergies and had no reactions to vet kitchen food.

Rating the food in a 5 paws rating

Digestion - 5 paws [neither dog has had any problems]

Coat quality - 5 paws [ both dogs coats look great]

Skin condition - 5 paws

Temperament - 5 paws

The dogs have loved their vet kitchen challenge. As an owner I have been impressed with not only how it has been with the dogs but also the fact the bag is easy to open and has a resealable tab. This makes storage easy. A bag lasts approximately 10 days for 2 dogs so I would guess easy lasts for 2 weeks as stated in the bag for 1 dog. I would certainly recommended vets kitchen

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