Years ago, Jenna Termolen's family decided to adopt a dog from a shelter. That dog ended up being Tommy, a loving, friendly canine who adored his family. Then in 2015, the Termolens moved to upstate New York, and Tommy suddenly found himself without the friends he'd made in his old neighborhood.
Tommy was initially depressed after the move, until the day he met the dog who would become his best friend for life.
A week after they moved in, one of Termolen's sons texted her to let her know a strange dog was on their property. “I immediately called him to see if everything was OK,” Termolen said. “He relayed that Tommy and the dog were getting along just fine; the dog seemed friendly, and Tommy was taking him on a tour of the house.”
When they found the dog's collar underneath his shaggy fur, they learned that the dog's name was Jackson and that he lived just down the street. The Termolens returned Jackson to owner, who felt sheepish about the intrusion but was unsurprised that Jackson would be so open and friendly with others.
But that wouldn't be the last time Jackson visited Tommy at the Termolen residence. Nearly every day now, Jackson trots down to their home to visit with his best buddy. Termolen even notes that Jackson knows his way back home and doesn't require assistance from the family at all.
“Usually when he comes for a visit, he stops by the front door first and gives one or two polite barks,” Termolen said. “If no one answers the front door, he will either try to go through the garage if it is open or go around through the backyard to the back deck, and will give barks at each door. I usually just let him in the house or let Tommy out.”
Despite their significant age differences ⁠— Jackson is 5 years old, Tommy is 16 ⁠— these two dogs almost seem to share one mind. When they were younger, they would zip around the yard and have fun. Now that both dogs are older, they enjoy slow walks and are often content just to lounge outside by the house.
Like any best friend, Jackson has shown concern for Tommy as he has aged. “Now it is more like a wellness check as Tommy is really starting to show his age,” Termolen said. “Jackson comes in, has a drink, checks to see if Tommy has leftover food, they follow each other around the house and basically just hang out for a bit. They have a nice, sweet friendship. It will be heartbreaking when it is over. I am not sure I will able to maintain composure when Jackson visits and Tommy is no longer here to greet him.”
Tommy doesn't let age interfere with his chance to see his friend every day. Even though he runs out of energy faster than he used to, he still enjoys walking down to Jackson's house or waiting for Jackson to visit him.
"He whines at the street hoping his buddy will make an appearance,” Termolen said. “When he does come out, Jackson usually accompanies us home. Maybe, since Tommy can’t always make it all the way down to Jackson’s house now, Jackson comes by to check in on Tommy.”
It's uplifting and heartwarming to see such love and loyalty. Celebrate this beautiful friendship between Tommy and Jackson with your family and friends on Facebook.
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