CH Julia's Jade

CH Julia's Jade SWAE SWE CGC TKN RATI RATN NW2 L1C CCSS-L1 CL1-R CL1-H CL1-F

Dutchess Jade

Jadey Lady

💜Jade💜

After a year-long battle with multifocal oral melanoma, Jade has earned her angel wings.

Jade had one last grand adventure with me last week, as we traveled to Florida for my other 4 dogs’ agility trial, and she walked the ocean shoreline. We would spend our time between my other dogs’ agility runs with Jade laying next to me, her head on my lap. And at night, I would hold her as she slept. It was the quality time Jade so desperately needed.

Her decline was almost instantaneous, as we left Jacksonville, Florida, to return to Minnesota on Sunday, her brightness started to fade. Throughout the week, the tumor had grown a large amount, extending across her lower jaw and back towards her tongue, preventing her from eating well.

Last night, Jade slept in my arms on the bed, only stirring at 3 a.m. to potty. Then at 6 a.m. I woke to her shivering and not wanting to get up, and I assumed the pain was becoming too much. I decided I would not make her get out of bed, and as Matt sat with her, as a housecall veterinarian, I gathered supplies in my home office. She did not stir when I sedated her, nor when I placed the IV catheter. She slipped away in my arms without even knowing it was happening, which is what I wanted for her. I will miss her so much!

I will always remember her as this beautiful girl and not what this cancer made her. I have loved Jade for 9 years, 10 months, and 17 days. That was the day I drove to Iowa and brought home 4 standard schnauzers and 3 mini schnauzers. The rescue that emotionally broke me for rescue.

Jade was the dog I’ve had the longest, only 2nd to Pyper, who unexpectedly passed at 10.5 years old.

Initially, Jade was placed in a foster home and went to a potential home. A month into that home, I decided it wasn’t the right fit and brought her back to her foster. Then a few weeks later, in early April 2016, after Sasha (my white schnauzer) passed away, Jade came to permanently live with us, and a new adventure began!

Jade started her time with us as a shy, nervous lady. She had endured 2 years of living in a box with straw as bedding and minimal outside time, pumping out 4 litters of puppies. She had a vibrant personality that was clouded with a fear of men. She was gorgeous despite the missing fur due to malnutrition and lack of sunlight.

But soon Jade’s hair grew back, her shaved coat turned stripped again, and the shyness started to shed, although it never fully went away. 

It was not long after Jade joined our family that I was united with her handler from her show days, SuzAnne Garcia. In January 2018, Jade met with SuzAnne again, and at the 2019 National, SuzAnne helped show prep Jade for me to show. 

Jade, a retired show dog before landing in the wrong hands, was the first dog I ever entered a conformation ring with. Stone unlocked the standard world for me, and Jade unlocked the show world. Jade was a pro, and it was the only place her fear melted and her most confident self emerged! Together, we won several veterans sweepstakes classes and had so much fun! 

Jade loved nothing more than being pretty, and lucky for her, she was the most beautiful standard girl ever! But she LOVED to be bathed and blow-dried, with her furnishings poofed up. She truly loved it! She loved being pampered. 

Jade came into my life 9 months before Pyper died. Meaning she is the last dog I have that knew Pyper, and I think that is what makes this so hard. But….everyone else we have knows Jade, and most knew Stone, so that should make it a little less hard. 

When Pyper died, Jade had been dabbling in agility, but despite only being 7 years old, she wasn’t confident enough to really enjoy it. When Pyper passed, I entered Jade in her first trial, but again, she was too stressed to really enjoy it. But for a little while, we tried, earning 3 titles! 

What Jade truly loved was scent work and nose work! When Stone passed, Jade stepped up and filled the very large paws of Stone, becoming the first standard schnauzer to earn several of AKCs Elite Scent Work titles! Jade is also my only dog to earn a NACSW NW2! Although she’s the only one I ever tried with. 

Jade loved nose work! Her self-confidence blossomed with continued training! But when she was about 13 years old, her confidence dampened in the higher levels, and I decided to retire her from competition, although she continued to train, as she loved it. 

Jade earned 26 AKC Scent Work titles, 4 NACSW Nose Work titles, and 1 CPE Scent Sport title, as well as 3 other AKC titles, 3 CPE Agility titles, and 2 Barn Hunt titles (including some High in Trial Barn Hunt Qualifying runs). 

Jade was our home’s matriarch. After Stone, the standard schnauzer passed, she stepped up to his role and became the most respected dog by the other dogs. Even to her last day, everyone respected her. Now we will see which one steps up to fill her paws. 

I loved Jade deeply and purely! I never expected anything from her. She was my travel buddy, my companion, my shadow. She was beautiful, inside and out. She was a kind soul who had years stolen from her by a man who was supposed to love and care for her after her breeder, Julia Chalmers, went into assisted living. 

Oral melanoma is no joke. Count yourself lucky if you only have the mild version, and I never wish multifocal oral melanoma on any living creature. Multifocal means she had 3 different locations in her mouth with melanoma. It is rare, but what is even rarer is a dog surviving 1 year after diagnosis. Her survival was not without trials. In December 2024, she had full-mouth radiation, and a week later was paralyzed from the neck down. She had herniated a disc in her neck due to the positioning and sedation needed 5 days in a row for radiation. While she was paralyzed, she developed severe aspiration pneumonia. But, we got through it, and within a month, she was walking and running again. 

She lived a happy, cancer-free life until June 2025 when the tumor location on the right mandible started to grow, and within a week, it was giant. It was discovered at that time that the University had miscalculated her radiation and only given a 25% dose to that location. It was decided not to remove her jaw at that time due to the tumor on the left mandible. Instead, a rim resection was performed, removing a portion of the bone and the tumor. We started the melanoma vaccine. Jade lived a happy cancer-free life for an additional 2 months, and then it returned. At that time, she had surgery again and started gilvetmab. Within a month, that tumor returned, and a third surgery was performed. Alas, that only lasted 5 days before it returned. Through every modality I could think of, we tried - high-dose Vitamin C, ozone, topical glycinerated ozone, herbals, acupuncture, different supplements. So many treatments, but this melanoma was a beast of epic proportions. Jade was a strong dog, and she fought so hard for so long, but there are some battles you are not meant to win. 

But…Jade is not defined by this cancer. Jade is defined by her beauty, grace, and bravery. She was truly the most beautiful cropped standard girl that I have ever had the pleasure of sharing my life with! She overcame so much in her life. Jade was the definition of resilience, and she taught me so much about canine behavior and overcoming fears. But the moment she told me she was ready for rest, I listened and I honored her request without hesitation. 

We spent Sunday and Monday knowing this was coming, but unsure how quickly. During our drives, she got quiet pets as she stretched out in the front seat. She ate French fries and cheeseburgers. She got one final Dairy Queen pupcup and finally, her last meal last night, her favorite - Nadia's pupcake. 

My heart aches at the loss of her, but I know without a doubt it was her time. She gave me so much. It was my turn to give her one last gift. The gift of peace. 

My love for you, my sweetest Jade, will last many lifetimes! You taught me so much! You taught me patience in training and in life. You taught me about giving others grace. You taught me more about resilience and persistence than any other creature has. I will miss you until I can hold you again, my sweet girl! You have earned your angel wings a million times over! We love you so very, very, very much! 

Jade’s legacy will be my advanced training in veterinary integrative oncology. I will take our experience and continue to build on it to help others. Her illness will not have been in vain.