Jake & I & The National Dog Show




By Colleen Joslin

I am so excited to tell you about Jake and my amazing good fortune to be involved with The National Dog Show.

I know...I know. Everyone thinks their dog is the best but Jake truly is ​​.

😊

PERSONALITY

Jake is very energetic and at the same time, he can be a lazy lump (he loves to lay down and just be pet). Jake is so lovable, sometimes we think we have a cat - rubbing his head in between your legs is his favorite pastime. His bark may be intimidating from the other side of the door, but once you see him, you will be greeted with nothing but kindness and excitement.

Here are Jake’s particulars:

Age:​ 7 years
Sex:​ ​Male
Weight:​ 65 pounds 

Breed:​ Labradoodle

Why Jake is a part of the family

I was more than excited to get a dog after watching the National Dog Show that airs on NBC. The show itself is always so much fun to have on during Thanksgiving Day and that telecast is what really prompted my parents to get a dog in the first place. Ever since Jake came into our lives on Christmas Day, I have always wondered what it was like behind the scenes at the world-renowned National Dog Show. When I got into college and declared my major as Advertising, my interest as to what went on behind the scenes only increased.

I was then able to achieve my goal by securing an internship at Vizion Group PR, a small marketing and public relations agency in Berwyn, PA, not far from my home. It is part of my academic pursuit as a student at Temple University’s Klein College of Media & Communications and this is where I am fully able to engage in what it’s like behind the scenes.

The first time my siblings and I met Jake was on Christmas Day, 2013. He was sitting under the tree, waiting to be loved and welcomed by his new family. Jake was so excited that he chased my three-year-old sister around the house and that’s when we knew he was going to be a lot of work.

When we talk about it today, my family and I swear we were living in the movie ​Marley & Me​, even having to send Jake away to doggy training camp. As the years went on, he got much better. He still gets into things around the house, but we think it’s just for attention. Jake still barks at people who knock, and he still has as much energy as when he was a puppy, but he is now one of the siblings.

Jake has brought our family so much joy over the years and still does to this day. He invariably finds a way to get into everything and has actually gotten worse with begging for food when we’re eating. He is so very much like the dog from ​Marley and Me,​ but we would never trade him for anything. (Fun fact – During the filming of ​Marley & Me​, a total of 22 different canines played the role of Marley because the movie encompassed his entire life span).

My favorite thing about Jake is his need for attention and love. About every morning he wakes me up by scratching at my door or just sitting there waiting to be petted. You always know he’ll be there for you whether you’re coming home at night or starting your day in the morning. Your daily journey can ALWAYS be brightened when you have a dedicated friend and companion who loves you much as Jake.

Maybe watching the National Dog Show every year will convince my parents to get another dog!

The quote that resonates most with me about Jake comes from the author of the book from which the popular movie ​Marley & Me​ was adapted.

“It’s just the most amazing thing to love a dog, isn’t it? It makes our relationships with people seem as boring as a bowl of oatmeal.”

― ​John Grogan, ​Marley & Me: Life and Love with the World's Worst Dog

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