Hello - I'm Jake - August 2013

I have waited nine years to the day to make my website debut and all I can say is ‘it’s about time!’

My name is Jake (Jakey, Jakey-Malakie, and ‘stubborn little shit’ depending on who’s calling) and I joined the family in October 2004. I know, I know, I know: what took them so long! They will tell you that life simply got in the way and sped by at the speed of a meteorite. Believe me: I can vouch for the pace! The thing is I’ve got nine years of fast living to recap and I’ve been forewarned not to bore you with trivia.

The first thing I want to confess is that I am a comfort hound.  I ride in style whether it’s in a bike basket, or nestled in my mistress’s arms in the dinghy.

       

My arrival in mid-October 2004 prompted my master and mistress to remain in Canada that winter allegedly to orient me to land living (read: house train).  I proved to be a fast learner: by Christmas all business was being conducted outdoors and my master was clamoring to escape from the snow – and boy did it snow! 

They figured I needed ‘protection from the elements’ as they called it and this resulted in my being dressed up like Michael Jackson’s monkey!  Bubbles, I know how you felt!

Oh how I detested those boots and that red coat! I didn’t care if it was a Roots coat, and I didn’t care if the boots cost more than my mistress’s.

Ditching those boots was easy but ditching the coat took a little more effort…In the end, charm finally won out…The winter of 2004-2005 was OUR last winter in Canada…

       

After a couple of domestic flights I was ready for my first overseas flight to France in September 2005.  My predecessor, Sydney, was too large to travel in the cabin so she had to settle for the climate controlled space beneath the cockpit.  I’m told that ‘in the belly of the plane’ is ‘okay’ but I hope I never have to find out first hand. Me? I get to travel at my mistress’s feet in my Sherpa bag, a soft-sided crate that lets me stretch out and sleep for the entire journey.  

As for France?  C’est la vie (which for all you canine readers means ‘that's life’) and man oh man ‘this is the life’! You might recall my predecessor describing France as ‘canine heaven’ and I want you to know she was not exaggerating.  In France, dogs rule!  I’m shown to a table and offered water (non gas s’il vous plait’) before my mistress and master are offered wine. 

You will see a lot of us four-legged patrons curled up discreetly under the table.  I am often not as discreet as most; I find that sitting on a chair at the table commands the best attention.

The French waiters are the biggest pushovers! All I have to do is cock my head to one side when they say 'bonjour' and voila! Michelin fare by a dog’s standard appears instantly.

My favourite French dish when we eat out (which in my humble opinion is not often enough!) is crème brulée. I lick the dish so clean that the staff often cannot tell if the dish has been used.  I have got to tell you though: there is fierce competition for the brulée dish and I am not talking about the 4-legged kind. It takes all the energy Madame can muster to keep Monsieur from licking the plate!

I am constantly being asked how I have adjusted to life afloat.  Well…in those early days when I was getting my sea legs, so to speak, all I could think about was jumping ship and making for the closest tree. But, a raised passerral is a formidable barrier…

I have also had to make some adjustments. For example, in my land house I have an open-concept crate shaped like a large box that I come and go from at leisure and where I can escape to when I simply want to close out the world.  When living on the boat, I am always on the lookout for a good box that I can nestle into.  Big boxes are hard to find on a boat but I’ve become an improviser extraordinaire.

 

     

Sleep is a dog’s best friend and I’m no stranger to the horizontal position…I can sleep anywhere and on anything…though at times I end up in a bit of a tangle…After nearly nine years of living on a boat I’ve seen a lot, sniffed a lot of butts and peed on ... anything and everything.  Now that I’ve made my website debut, I will be sharing with you some of my more memorable moments living afloat. Stay tuned for updates!