# Jack to the rescue



## G-bear (Oct 6, 2015)

Recently I have posted about Jack, our coonhound. As many of you know he was a badly abused dog who has been with us for nearly 3 years. Lately he has started to play with Bailey, our golden. This in and of itself is amazing because Jack has never played until recently. He and Bailey have formed a very strong bond now. They sleep nestled against each other and seem to need to always be within a few feet of one another. Last night, as we always do, we arrived at our lake house. We have a place on a lake in northern MN on several acres. The dogs love it. Gracie and Bailey wander freely in the yard off leash because they never leave our sight. Jack is always on leash because with a coonhound, as with any scent hound, when Jack's nose engages his hearing disengages. We arrived about 8:45. It was still fairly light out. Immediately upon pulling into the driveway to the house (which is about half of a city block) Jack began to act weird. He started to whine softly and kept trying to shove Bailey (who was harnessed next to him) to the floor. When we got near the garage I unhooked the dogs from their harnesses. Usually when we open the car doors Bailey bolts from the car and runs at the speed of light to the dock and nearly always dives into the water. It is his arrival tradition. This time as soon as all harnesses were off Jack physically knocked Bailey to the floor. There was nothing gentle about it. Then he growled at him. I have never, in 3 years, heard Jack growl or seen him act aggressive in ANY way and I was terrified he would hurt Bailey or Gracie. I decided to get him out of the car immediately and put him in his crate in the house. I grabbed his leash, opened the door and, after one last shove directed at Bailey Jack lept out. Immediately upon getting out of the cat Jack began to bay. This is NOT something Jack normally does. He is a very quiet dog. His nose went to the ground and he was off, dragging me behind him. Baying and tracking the entire time. Our garage is a fair distance from the house and the house sits about 200 feet from the lake. Jack dragged me to the edge of the house and I really thought he would dislocate my shoulder as he was pulling so hard. I was scared to let him go but was also afraid I would be hurt if he continued to pull. We reached the edge of the house and he stopped very suddenly. He immediately put his body in front of me, faced the lake and began to growl. It was a very frightening sound. One I had never heard from Jack before. I looked around trying to figure out what the heck was going on... and then saw it. A large black bear standing on the end of our dock. I was able to then get Jack into the house. He came quite willingly then. I went to the car and told my husband, who was waiting in the car with the other dogs, what I had seen. He decided it would be best to drive across the lawn to get closer to the house in order to safely get the other dogs in. We did so without incident. Once Bailey was in the house Jack ran to him, licked and sniffed him all over and has not left his side at all since last night. Had Jack not behaved as he did last night we would have let the dogs out of the car. Bailey would have dashed to the lake and met up with a large black bear. Jack, my dear, sweet, clumsy, silly boy saved Bailey's life last night. How he could smell that bear from a half block away with the windows to the car rolled up and the AC on high is beyond me but I am so grateful he could!!!! And Jack got his own personal (did not have to share with anyone) steak tonight. He earned it.


----------



## rooroch (Nov 7, 2012)

That is the most incredible story. I had to read it twice to let it all sink in. He should get a medal.


----------



## Charliethree (Jul 18, 2010)

Way to go Jack!! The nose 'knows', doesn't it? What a wonderful 'Thank you' gift for rescuing him!! I do believe they come into our lives for a 'reason', if only to open our hearts and our minds so that we may learn from them. They are forever grateful for a chance and a loving home, and surprise us in the ways that they show it. 
Wonderful to hear that he is playing with Bailey and forming a bond, a friendship with him, it so heartwarming, especially when they seem so uncertain and lonely.
Jack is a true hero, deserved that steak, and probably a few more!!!


----------



## CAROLINA MOM (May 12, 2009)

What an incredible story!
That was scary, could have been a much different outcome if it hadn't been for him.

Great job Jack!


----------



## Helo's Mom (Oct 16, 2011)

What a great story!! Way to go Jack!!! He's your protector! What an amazing dog!!!


----------



## Ivyacres (Jun 3, 2011)

Thanks for sharing that great story. What a good protector, he knew there was danger and protected all of you!


----------



## Karen519 (Aug 21, 2006)

*Jack*



G-bear said:


> Recently I have posted about Jack, our coonhound. As many of you know he was a badly abused dog who has been with us for nearly 3 years. Lately he has started to play with Bailey, our golden. This in and of itself is amazing because Jack has never played until recently. He and Bailey have formed a very strong bond now. They sleep nestled against each other and seem to need to always be within a few feet of one another. Last night, as we always do, we arrived at our lake house. We have a place on a lake in northern MN on several acres. The dogs love it. Gracie and Bailey wander freely in the yard off leash because they never leave our sight. Jack is always on leash because with a coonhound, as with any scent hound, when Jack's nose engages his hearing disengages. We arrived about 8:45. It was still fairly light out. Immediately upon pulling into the driveway to the house (which is about half of a city block) Jack began to act weird. He started to whine softly and kept trying to shove Bailey (who was harnessed next to him) to the floor. When we got near the garage I unhooked the dogs from their harnesses. Usually when we open the car doors Bailey bolts from the car and runs at the speed of light to the dock and nearly always dives into the water. It is his arrival tradition. This time as soon as all harnesses were off Jack physically knocked Bailey to the floor. There was nothing gentle about it. Then he growled at him. I have never, in 3 years, heard Jack growl or seen him act aggressive in ANY way and I was terrified he would hurt Bailey or Gracie. I decided to get him out of the car immediately and put him in his crate in the house. I grabbed his leash, opened the door and, after one last shove directed at Bailey Jack lept out. Immediately upon getting out of the cat Jack began to bay. This is NOT something Jack normally does. He is a very quiet dog. His nose went to the ground and he was off, dragging me behind him. Baying and tracking the entire time. Our garage is a fair distance from the house and the house sits about 200 feet from the lake. Jack dragged me to the edge of the house and I really thought he would dislocate my shoulder as he was pulling so hard. I was scared to let him go but was also afraid I would be hurt if he continued to pull. We reached the edge of the house and he stopped very suddenly. He immediately put his body in front of me, faced the lake and began to growl. It was a very frightening sound. One I had never heard from Jack before. I looked around trying to figure out what the heck was going on... and then saw it. A large black bear standing on the end of our dock. I was able to then get Jack into the house. He came quite willingly then. I went to the car and told my husband, who was waiting in the car with the other dogs, what I had seen. He decided it would be best to drive across the lawn to get closer to the house in order to safely get the other dogs in. We did so without incident. Once Bailey was in the house Jack ran to him, licked and sniffed him all over and has not left his side at all since last night. Had Jack not behaved as he did last night we would have let the dogs out of the car. Bailey would have dashed to the lake and met up with a large black bear. Jack, my dear, sweet, clumsy, silly boy saved Bailey's life last night. How he could smell that bear from a half block away with the windows to the car rolled up and the AC on high is beyond me but I am so grateful he could!!!! And Jack got his own personal (did not have to share with anyone) steak tonight. He earned it.


Jack is truly a hero. I think he saved all of you. Shows we have to LISTEN to what our pets are telling us!


----------



## Pilgrim123 (Jul 26, 2014)

Jack certainly protected Bailey,but don't forget he also got between that bear and YOU. He has come a long, long way and you should be proud of both him and yourself. That story needs more than one steak!


----------



## G-bear (Oct 6, 2015)

I am very proud of Jack as well as very, very grateful. Bailey would have run to the dock had Jack not been acting so odd. We have always just let Gracie and Bailey out of the car first because they both come right back as soon as we call them. Jack is always on a leash as he gets distracted by scents and when he is "tracking" a scent his hearing disengages and he is single-minded in his pursuit. We won't be allowing any of the dogs off leash for the foreseeable future. I heard today from a neighbor down the road that they woke up a few mornings ago to discover a bear on their deck dismantling their hummingbird feeders. Having spent most of my childhood at my grandparents cabin deep in the woods I have a very healthy respect for black bears. I don't know how Jack knew that bear was there and I have no idea how he knew that the bear was a danger to us (to the best of my knowledge Jack has never been around bears) but I am eternally grateful that somehow he sensed danger. I should have been more astute. Jack has never reacted negatively to any wild animals in the past. In fact he had a fawn who was his buddy a few years ago. They would stand nose to nose sniffing each other. Now, all grown up, the doe still visits Jack. He also loves watching the piliated woodpeckers and, when he is on the deck, the chickadees will hop on him with no reaction from Jack. So I really should have realized Jack was reacting to what he (correctly)perceived as danger. I will trust the cues he gives us from now on. When he wigged out on Thursday night I was scared that, given his prior abuse, something had caused him to snap and becone agressive to Bailey. In hindsight now I realize Jack felt that if Bailey was on the floor of the car he could stand over him and better protect his buddy. And I am sure that when I opened the car door and let Jack out all he could think of was that now he had to show me the danger and keep me safe from it. Somehow I suspect he was thinking, "You stupid woman! Why on earth did you open the car door? Don't you realize we are safer in the car with the dang door SHUT?!?!?!"


----------



## G-bear (Oct 6, 2015)

This is a photo of "Jack's fawn". This little girl spent several weeks in our back yard and somehow she and Jack bonded. Now, 2 years later, she occasionally comes back to visit him. We know it is her because of the scar on her head which is visible in the photo.


----------



## Kalhayd (May 4, 2016)

Jack is truly amazing!!


----------



## jennretz (Jul 24, 2013)

I read your story twice! How brave Jack was. These dogs continue to amaze me with how loving and protective they really are. You could probably write a book about Jack's stories  You had me riveted the whole way through! Way to go Jack!


----------



## aesthetic (Apr 23, 2015)

Way to go Jack!! He definitely earned that steak! I love hearing about him.


----------



## Brinkleythegolden (Jun 18, 2012)

Wow, that's amazing!


----------



## Anele (Dec 12, 2014)

This is incredible. There are so many amazing aspects of this story-- that Jack could even recognize what a bear was, that he instinctively knew the bear represented danger, and how many different ways he fought to protect you all. Wow! Thanks so much for sharing.


----------



## swishywagga (Nov 13, 2012)

That's amazing, well done Jack!.


----------



## brianne (Feb 18, 2012)

What a good dog, Jack! 

All breeds of dogs seem to have their own valuable set of instincts. A coonhound might encounter a bear in the woods during hunting so they have a keen sense of the dangers that lurk in the woods (even if they have never hunted), whereas a Golden wouldn't. So glad that Jack was there for all of you!

PS: My very favorite story growing up was "Where the Red Fern Grows" about a boy and his 2 faithful Redtick Coonhounds. The hounds saved their boy many times. I will always have a special place in my heart for hound dogs. :--heart:


----------



## LynnC (Nov 14, 2015)

Great job Jack  .
So I read your story to my husband when you originally posted it. We live in an area that also has a lot of bears. Just 2 weeks ago a bear comes right down our driveway, across the front lawn and into the woods. Last night my husband was walking Luna down the driveway (we live surrounded by woods and have a very long driveway) to get the mail. In the middle of the walk she put the brakes on and sat. Would not walk any farther. My husband remembered your post and decided the mail could wait and Luna had walked enough. Never saw a bear but who knows ??????


----------



## G-bear (Oct 6, 2015)

Good job, Luna (and to your husband for heeding what was probably a warning from Luna). I still cannot figure out how Jack (and now probably Luna) knew that a bear is dangerous. As far as I know Jack has had no experience with any bears and yet he KNEW that bear was a danger to his "pack" and especially his buddy, Bailey. I am forever amazed by the things my dogs seem to instinctively know and how much I can learn from my dogs by paying attention to their behavior. Clearly Luna knew something was not quite right and she stopped your husband the only way she knew how. She sat down and would go no farther. She is one smart dog, Lynn


----------

