Calamity Jane

C.J. Ashton
Oct. 21, 1996 - July 6, 2010

Although she was not "technically" my puppy, she was special enough to me to memorialize. Ironically, CJ was born on Kare and Curtis' birthday, and passed away on Julianne's. She was 2 months old when she came home to Kare and Alli on Christmas of 1996. She was half lab, half cocker-spaniel, and the prettiest little puppy I have ever seen.

The really cool thing about getting a dog (something my mom swore we would NEVER do) was that our good friends, the Collins' also got a puppy that Christmas... Junior. Junior and CJ were brother and sister.


I remember when we would come home from school to find no puppy in sight. She used to somehow hop over the 6 foot wooden gate and run to the Collins' house to find her brother. It was amazing to me that she knew her way there.

I remember how cute it was when she could follow this list of commands: "Sit. Lay. Roll over. Play dead. Shake. High five. Up." She was so awesome. Was it Julianne who taught her all of that? I'm sure Dad had an important roll in it. I remember him having intense training sessions with her.

She was Mom's faithful morning-walk companion.

She was always so excited when anyone walked through the door.

I was really amazed and touched, when I would come home after about 4 months away at college and she was just as excited to see me.

If you were ever trying to sleep in, she would always scratch on your door. Not to get you up, but to join you.

I remember David taking CJ and Junior to run free at the field at the church. I was always so nervous that he gave them so much freedom. But when he whistled, they always came. Man, CJ was a fast runner.

She was Mom and Alli's guardian when Dad had to move to Utah without them Alli's senior year of High School.

CJ had a rough time during her last days. Mom, Dad and Alli did a great job of taking care of her, and making the hard decisions.


She was very very sick. She hadn't eaten in days, she barely drank any water and whatever she did drink, she threw it right back up. She didn't have enough energy to make it out the doggy door or go up and down the porch steps.


Mom read that vet's won't ever tell you what to do for fear of getting sued, but this vet reassured Mom and Alli by saying it was definitely time to put the poor puppy out of her misery. The vet said she was pretty sure CJ had cancer, and was very yellow with jaundice when she was finally put to rest.


I wish I had a picture of Kare and Alli with their puppy, but I don't. Although I am anti-pet now, I am glad we had CJ. She was the spunkiest, prettiest, and coolest puppy ever. And it was extremely sad to see her go. But we are all happy that she is no longer in pain.

We all miss you, Pretty Girl.