Jojo – The Wonder Dog

For the past year, I have been writing articles mainly about everyday things from the prospective of a Greek-American. Some articles were meant to be serious with a touch of sarcasm so the reader would think about what I was really trying to say. Other articles were just meant to be plain funny and others just to inform.

This article is none of those and most of you will probably not read past this sentence, but sometimes writers write for themselves and this is one of those times.

Last week our family’s beloved dog, Jojo, a white Bichon Frieze, passed away after being with us for fifteen years. Plain and simple, he was a great dog. Friendly – not a mean bone in his body, playful, and enjoyed running outside in the yard, especially when other dogs were passing by on the other side of the fence. In the end, he had heart problems and that’s what we think happened. It just stopped and he died peacefully at home, lying at his favorite spot looking out the glass door.

When Jojo was young, during one of the Christmases, we had purchased a collar with jingle bells on it. After the holidays, he wouldn’t let us take it off and for the rest of his life, he wore the collar, the bells jingling as he pranced through the house or ran outside. We always knew where he was when we heard those bells, especially when the snow storms hit and he would run through the snow blending in. We’ve hung them up by the door and jiggle them as we pass by.

Jojo was always wagging his tail when someone came to visit. He wasn’t exactly your best guard-dog. He just wanted to be petted and scratched. But don’t we all? When any of us had a hard day, Jojo would be there with his unconditional love – and, of course, waiting to be fed…he wasn’t a fool!

Jojo was there through the goods times and the bad times. He watched my daughters grow from little babies to young ladies. He has seen friends come and go. He celebrated birthdays, graduations, and all the holidays, and sometimes got little treat from the dinner table. As he grew older, I grew older. As he grew wiser – well, I hope I grew wiser too. In the end, Jojo was as good for us and maybe more, as we were for him.

For fifteen years, Jojo was part of our family and now that he is gone, there is an emptiness in the house. The sound of the jingle bells is gone. The sound of his paws tapping along the hard-wood floors is gone. The little bark to go out or come in is gone too. But Jojo will always be in our hearts.

Why am I writing about Jojo? Don’t know really. But I do know that many of you have or had a Jojo and understand what he meant to a family.

So long my good, trusted old friend. You gave us much happiness and joy and you were and always will be a part of the family and our little “Wonder Dog.”