January 2010  Shane joined my parent's household back in April of 2008.  After Ed Lynn Jarratt's unexpected death, it fell to me to arrange for new homes for all of his boys.  I hadn't spent a lot of time with Shane prior to then, since like most of Lynn's boys, he was quite shy around strangers and new situations.  After attending Lynn's funeral, Kay Keziah and I stopped by the vet's, where the boys were being boarded, so I could see each of them up close and personal.  I had never actually put my hands on the older boys before.  Kay had already taken Dallas, Shane's bobtailed brother, to her house, which left 5 boys without a master.   My dad told me that he would like another English Shepherd.  So after clearing things with my mom (Daddy wasn't in good health), I brought Shane home to Apex the first weekend in April.

Shane had never been much of an outside dog before, so this was a new experience for him.  Loud noises spooked him, as well as unknown folks.  As a result, he lived the first several months in a large kennel and I would come over to feed, walk and spend time with him everyday.  If he had been given half a chance, he would have bolted.  I don't know whether we would have ever seen him again if that happened.

Eventually I decided that I would have to trust that perhaps Shane would stay around.  I took him to the back of the  property, which was away from the busy road, and next to the woods.  With treats in my pocket, I said a little prayer before releasing him.  He bounded out and around through the woods, but always kept me in his sight.  He would come flying back each time I called him, unless something spooked him.  Then it took a little longer.  In the fall of 2008, he had become trustworthy enough that my mother would let him out of the pen in the morning, but we would still put him up at night.  He took to staying in the edge of the woods and would only come out for feeding, or when called by someone he trusted.  He eventually let us know that he would rather be loose all the time, which he is how he lives today.

My dad passed away in February, 2009.  Since then, Shane has become more and more my mother's dog.  Shane has come so very far since we brought him to Apex in April, 2008.  He runs loose, pretty much stays near the house, will come out and be seen, plus barks at company (but never gets close to strangers).  He will sit on command, waits on my mom's ramp by the back door for her, will let a privileged few touch, brush and handle him.  He takes most things in stride nowadays.  It just goes to show how resilient this breed is, no matter what the age!

Shane continued to keep my mother company until his death in 2012.  He has been missed greatly.  I still look for him to be standing out by her house each time I drive by.