April 9, 1987 - April 20, 1997





OLD DOG

An angel clad in blackest flesh

brown eyes whose sight is no longer fresh

my companion a blessing a wingless soul

come quest in for what unknown only guessed at to save our souls

to teach us mercy

to give us kindness dwell with me true humanity but so said, not human

a simple word to bind us better than any creature on Earth

I think not; in each of his kind lives,a piece of God

we speak so of role models and yet look higher, to our own look instead to the shadow at our feet

the perfect creature corrupted by man yet still eternal forgiveness

-Maya Dillard, 1998


April was our first Boston and she introduced us to the wonderful world of Boston Terriers where one is NEVER enough! Her legacy is my involvement in Boston Terriers, Companionship/Intellegence/Obedience,Conformation and finally breeding.

The breeder had named her Zipper due to her scar she had recieved when her Dam tried to pull her out from under a chain link puppy run. We re-named her "Jean-E's Dancin April.

















































April was your typical Boston Terrier, she loved to play. She would literally run and play until she dropped of exhastion. She loved to play fetch, tuggie, do her sits, downs, stays and run through the sprinkler sometimes stopping to lie on it and roll in it.






















April had to be touching you at all times when she was sleeping or be covered and snuggly tucked into her special bed.












































April developed cataracts and became blind at the age of 8 but got around so well that no one knew she was blind. She could climb the three steps up the deck, jump up on the couch and find her way around the house. She even knew exactly where my husband's recliner was and she would bring her ball and stand on her hind feet, drop the ball into the chair and bark. She would even do this when my husband was not in his chair. She did not know he was not there until he would speak to her from across the room. We bought her a ball with a bell in it and she would listen to where the bell sound was and then sniff for it until she found it. She was amazing!

When one of us was sick, she would come in many times a day and stand on her hind feet and check on us to see how we were doing. She would then lie down near us or go on other members of the household and then return again later.

At age nine and a half she began to sleep most of the time and became disoriented and began to run into things. She had to have one of her eyes removed as she had chronic infections in it. She became depressed and would only eat if we hand fed her and at that not very much.

She had lived a very full and happy life and we just could not stand to see her so depressed and inactive. It was the hardest decsion we ever had to make but we know we did the right thing for her. It was the kindest thing we could do for her. She went with dignity, respect and forever love.

She was our only son's "little sister" growing up and they would always get each other into trouble. She is greatly missed by us all and will NEVER be forgotten!

We will always love you April, sweet dreams until we meet again.






The picture of April running through the sprinkler above was one of the first round winners in the BARC Calender contest for 2000! (to find out more about B.A.R.C. go to the rescue page)

To see the rest of our awards, go to the Awards page in the navagation box below.