05

06-29-07 was the day that puppy Junior died. It still makes me cry to see his toys and think of the way he would toss them up as he laid on his back and played like they were attacking him. He was so sweet and I miss him every day. He probably had the same congestive heart failure to go so quickly like Max did. But today is 08-24-08 and Lady died Wednesday of last week. There is the possibility that she and Beau were both poisoned since they died less than a week apart. It could have been our brutal heat where we had two weeks solid of over 100° and then another two weeks of over 95. It was so hot that my lips were hot and feverish. I was miserable. But near the end Lady would allow Randy to pick her up and lay her in her pool of water. But she and Beau each would reach a point where they would not pant, just breath so heavy that it was scary.

There were many things about Lady that we could not change. She was a killer. If she got lose from her line, she would try to kill the chickens and had in the past killed them all just for the blood sport. About two weeks before she died, she was lose and grabbed one of the kittens living under our house. That poor little cat looked horrified as he fought for his life. When Lady came home and I hooked her up, I saw she had scratch marks all over her face and head. She also had an injury to her eye. She was seeming sick then and would lay by the water pan, drinking lots and eating less and less. That bout of overexertion was on our hottest day. 106 in the shade. With her short hair, she had a bigger problem staying warm in the winter than staying cool in the summer. But once she started with the heavy breathing, she was soon gone. I do miss her so much. She so loved to have her brushing and then a face rub, don't forget the ears.

01-28-07

I had been prepared to write a few notes about how good Lady was being but when Randy went to take her and Max for a walk, she got away. Just a few minutes after we're back inside, I hear major chicken cackling. I quick look out the window shows me that Lady is inside their yard and chasing them around. I send Randy out but she'd killed 3 hens before he could get her cornered and the line connected. She got the royal bad girl escort back to her yard and no walk with Max. I did a count of the hens that evening and counted 10 but this morning but when I went out, there was one girl in the yard wanting back into the coop. Guess she was able to run to the back of the yard while Randy was hooking Lady back up again.

I was going to brag on how Lady was not barking so much in the evenings. She had been going on and on every night but I'd shine the big bright flashlight and she'd be okay. I'd noticed she barked for me to shine the light when she wanted to go get a drink or pee. I wish for a light for her area since she is so far away from the guard light.

It was about January 1st when she was last in heat and we hope she does not come up pregnant. She and Max would make pretty puppies but we don't need a litter of doggies.

For the longest, she had a big appetite and could hardly get enough to eat. Of course I was trying to give her things she liked. But lately, she is eating less and even saving her late night snacks (quit laughing) for the next day. She doesn't waste anything but she is eating less now. Yes, she is a hefty girl but she'd been on her own for a little while before Randy and Max found her and brought her home. She was very hungry and sure loves her drinks of water. She has taught Max to squat to pee and he has taught her to hike her leg to pee. What a pair.

08-03-06

Lady has a distinct personality and not just her bark is different. She likes foods that the other puppies don't care for. She loves the moist and meaty pouches where none of the other kids have done anything but turn up their noses. She eats more that any of the others and doesn't show for it. I tried to cut back once and her collar got so loose, she got out of it.

She lives to go with POP (Randy) and Max on their morning and evening prowls. She delights when Randy gets her line first and they go and get Max from his spot. She is of a serious mind and wants to go on for the walk full blast full steam while Max wants to jump around and be silly.

The only times she has escaped were when she was out on a walk and saw something she wanted to go and chase. In the case of a skunk or a wild pig, that would be a very bad thing. Most recently was about a month ago. She had been off and gone all night and in the morning she had gone ahead of Max and Randy on the early morning walk and was coming back just ahead of them making a beeline for Max's water pool where she promptly laid down to cool her entire body while lapping up water. I had her hooked back up in a matter of seconds.

One time she took off, she had pulled the line out of Randy's hands. That got her stuck on a little oak tree. She made no sound or bark, just a tiny low whine. Beau and Sammy gave me their barks that she was on their road. I found her quick and they got the praise. She is so strong that I gave up on taking her for walks, but that was only after she quit minding me. She had been good for a long time.

When Randy is coming up the pathway to get her, she will watch his every move and ignore me. She knows what time it is and is ready to go.

05-01-06

Meet the sweet female puppy we call Lady. She has been here about 6 weeks now. She was in heat when she first appeared on the guy's evening walk and fell in love at first sniff with Max. She is a stout and very sturdy dog and so very sweet. She loves to be petted and will not eat until given the "eat it up" command. She can sit and a few other tricks. She would raid our chickens and the neighbor's so she stays on a line. We have the wild pigs, coyotes and bob cats so she would not last long on her own. She is not very old and may have been "fixed." Her teats are an odd number and may be why she was dumped.

She makes the snorting of a pug. But her nose is just like Max's. She does a back and forth dance when she is excited and her "voice" is higher than any of the other dogs. She also has the webbing between her toes of a retriever type of dog. She'd probably like water.

Randy just finished her new house and she loves it. Her own light, secure house with no leaks and her own blanket and pillow. Within her space is a big pit that we'd used for taking sand. It is full of leaves and she can be seen rolling and playing and sleeping in it. She likes staying within sight of Max and they cause no trouble for Randy to take them both together on a walk.