For my cakeday, I humbly present my Yellow Lab, Jake. Enjoy! (Don't worry, he's not dead.) 

Meet Jake. Here he is, in his moment of triumph on a hiking trip.

My mom's hands are the background.

One of the first pictures I took of him, he was only around two at the time.

When the flash on my camera activated, the poor guy blinked!

He's always loved car rides.

It's taken him a few years to acclimate to long car trips, but he settled easily into the routine. How can you resist those eyes glinting up at you?

Like many Labs, he's always loved the water.

Here he's chasing after my dad, who is testing a wooden kayak that dad hand-built himself! (Retirement frees up a lot of time, it turns out.)

Swimming dog!

His jowls make him look like he's frowning, but he's actually very content.

He always wants to be with his Guy--my dad.

The two of them relaxing on another hiking trip.

As the years have passed, he's gotten a bit too old for hiking trips. But he still loves car trips!

"You're taking me too, right?"--Jake, probably

He also still loves swimming.

He looks relaxed, but you just try to take away his Frisbee...go on. I dare ya.

He's always been a very vocal dog.

We joke that he's the canine equivalent of a crotchety old man, barking at deer and other animals he smells--since he can't really chase them anymore.

Relaxing in the sun!

He's got the most scratchable ears ever. If you dispute that truth I will fight you.

But he can still get into trouble--here he is looking guilty after eating $20 worth of Blue Cheese

Bad Jake!

But even now, at age 12, he's a sweet old guy.

I know deep down that someday I'll have to say goodbye to him--so I'm enjoying every minute I can. "For you, he is part of your life. For him, you are his ENTIRE life."