This is Jake’s gotcha week. Since the actual day is over the holiday weekend, we are sharing our letters early.  Here is Melvin’s…

Dear Jake,

You are noisy and small and you give off a strange sour smell.  You pee in my bed, a lot.  I know I mentioned noisy already but it’s worth repeating.  I would donate to the fund to get your face un-smoohsed so you could be less loud.

When we walk and you see a cat or another dog, your first reaction is to turn to me and try to bite at my face.  Geezus man, what the heck?  That makes no sense.  Do you not see that our leashes are tethered?  I could drag you kicking and screaming through these mean streets if I wanted to.  Get a grip, dummy.

I’m just going to put it out there,  I didn’t want you to come live with us.  Once you did, I knew there was no turning back. There was another dog once and he left Her and She cried, a lot.  She cried so much that people had to come see me bring dinner over and hug Her.  I don’t want Her upset, so that means you can never leave. Do you understand the words I’m saying? I’d say look at me when I’m talking to you but we all know you can’t do that.

But now, now that you have been here for a year, it sort of just seems like you have always been one of us.  Sure, you still drive me bonkers and yes, sometimes I step on you on purpose (why are you always under me?).  I guess, if I’m supposed to be honest in this letter,  I think it’s pretty cool that when I bark or you bark we together bark and run back and forth to protect our land house.  I also kind of like that when I am arms up on a window sill, you can fit under me and it looks like I have two heads.  Speaking of running, it makes me laugh that your hind legs are always straight when you run and you move them in a circular motion, how do you do that? She says you will probably have wheels one day, maybe I can pull you behind me, we’ll see!   I also think it’s hysterical that you get afraid when your tags hit your food bowl and you run off and flip your bowl upside down in the process, what a dork you can be.

We all know I have some insecurities about my nubbin, I mean most labs have a tail and I don’t but you seem to love my nubbin/butt area and that really means a lot to me. It’s like we are nubbin brothers.  I guess I also like waking up in the middle of the night and seeing you there.  Actually, I don’t even have to look cause I CAN HEAR YOU FROM TEN MILES AWAY.

We are always together.  She leaves and comes back be we are always together.  I like that.  I like that you are here. There is some saying ‘he ain’t heavy, he’s my brother’ and I don’t understand that cause I’m pretty heavy and I’m your brother so technically it makes no sense but I think it means something along the lines of always being there for each other or carrying the other when the other is struggling.  Sure, I’ll probably laugh at first if you fall, but I’ll carry you my brother (or pull you gently if you get wheels). Next to Her, you are my best friend.  (Well, next to Her and Grandpap, and Jason, and Shane, and a few other dudes but you’re in there little buddy!).

Happy one year with us!  I love you and if anyone tried to hurt you or eat you I would rain down hard on that parade.  No one messes with my bro.

Your hero boss brother,

Melvin

Some highlights from the past year…