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| Photo by Bijou Blue Photography |
Jake's owner, Marisa Ryan, heard about Jake when he was 6 years old. He was living with his second owner in Oregon, having been rescued from an abusive home. As a puppy Jake was raised to be a hunting and breeding dog, but instead he just loved to play fetch and swim, rather than hunt. Frustrated, his first owner would severely punish Jake, making him unable to socialize or do any of the duties expected of him.
At his second home, he became part of a loving family. However, they could not exercise him and give him the amount of attention he needed. That is when Marisa heard about him, and drove all the way to Salem, Oregon to meet him.
When she met Jake, Marisa was cautious around big dogs, having been bitten recently by a big dog. But the moment Jake saw her, he came over and sat on her lap. Marisa fell in love instantly and knew that they were meant for each other.
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| Jake and his Mom, Marisa. Photo by Bijou Blue Photography |
She and her husband John brought 6-year-old Jake home and gave him plenty of attention and exercise. Jake was fearful of new people, shaking when someone would visit or come near him. He was shy around other dogs, and would tremble when around flashlights, balloons, flags, or anything that would move by itself.
After weeks of patience, long walks and hikes, and plenty of beach time, Jake slowly began to stop clinging so close to Marisa and could open up to new experiences. He loved to play fetch and swim at the beach, but his favorite was when Marisa would take him to the Russian River in Guerneville. There he would swim back and forth across the river for hours, fetching his favorite tennis ball that Marisa would throw for him. She'd often joke that Jake wouldn't stop playing fetch until her arm fell off from throwing the ball.
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| Photo by Bijou Blue Photography |
Marisa rescued Jake, but Jake rescued Marisa, too. He helped her lose 15 pounds just by taking her out on daily walks. Plus, Marisa had just moved to Pacifica from Southern California and didn't know many people. Jake helped her get involved with POOCH, a local organization formed to help build a dog park in Pacifica. Jake not only helped her get involved in the community and make friends, but he starred in the contest entry for "Bark For Your Park," playing the head of Parks, Beach, & Recreation in the video to try to win a new park for Pacifica. The entry won 11th place nationally, but showed just how confident Jake had become -- on camera and off.
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| Photo by Marisa Ryan |
This helped Marisa and Jake become big parts of the dog community in Pacifica, making more friends and interacting with lots of great dogs and dog owners. Jake's friends were me, Cash, Rocky, and Mac. He also loved his cousins Raley and Raven in Oregon.
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| Jake and his friend Mac. Photo by Marisa Ryan. |
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| Me, Rocky, Cash and Jake on one of our pack walks. Photo by Marisa Ryan |
Because he was such a big part of the founding of Marisa's company, Jake became part of the company logo. He was essential in keeping the company going, acting as Head of Security and Administration. He would inspect every person or package that came through the door. He would also keep Marisa on task, letting her know when it was time to take a break (for a walk) or time to call it a day (when it was dinner time). Because of this, Marisa named him Employee of the Year last year at the company holiday party.
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| Photo by Marisa Ryan |
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| Photo by Marisa Ryan |
Jake was 11 years old when he passed on November 20th, held tight by Marisa and John. He would've turned 12 in February 2016. But now that he's crossed the rainbow bridge, we know that he is able to run, play fetch, and swim as he looks down on his family and friends. We love you and miss you, Jake!
Jake is memorialized with his own Twitter account. You can follow him at @jakethedogryan.