2-07-2012- babe the stick dog

     i know i said i would write about a split pelvis operation i witnessed , but things come up and time was crunching along so i needed to find an alternate subject. i have danced around babe in previous posts and realize this may not be as good as a split pelvis operation but she is still a critical part of any ongoing farm operation. she is my back, to say the least . to say she never complains , i would think you would have to see her in operation as i drive the tractor around the farm. barking tirades are often mixed with carrying wood around. mom calls the wood pieces her kids as she is constantly carrying them around.  she will carry wood down the lane and over the hill , and then finding a stick she had left over there  before . then she will forget about the one she carried over, and take up with the one she left returning it to its place of origin . usually in my yard. one place the cows assuredly never get out is close to the yard as she patrols the fence. barking and making sure they stay on their side and her on hers. 

     she loves to ride in the truck and gets all excited scratching at the side of the pickup and then jumping in mud and all, like a little kid. we head out to the donut shop and other places, i need to go. in the winter i leave windows down a crack but have to curtail taking her in summer as her favorite thing to do is to scare the dickens out of those who venture to close to the pickup. couldnt ask for a better security system and i can leave the keys in the truck as no one is going to take it with her in there. i think she thinks if people will get to close then she might lose her seat.  so when granny is bent over putting her groceries in car beside truck,  babe lets out barking tirade , mean enough to think you are being eaten by something really nasty. as granny is climbing in seat and slamming the door behind her. babe sits there content knowing this person will never steal the truck. in fact they will make sure they never park close to me again. for the most part she is good and has never brought home any bones i didnt recognize , but she is young yet. 

     i have had many dogs but she is different as night and day from most. when i first found her she was laying along the road in an area where a deer corpse had been the day before. assuming she had been there eating it and she was laying as if she had been hurt or hit by a car. i looked at her eyes as i drove by as i couldn't stop there. it was over a hill and i could have been hit so i proceeded to the top of the next hill and stepped  out and set the brake . and she was still laying down when i stopped . i left the door open in case i needed to make a get away as you never really know with dogs. she looked hurt and i was convinced i was doing a good thing. about half way down the hill she jumps to her feet and starts toward me. i thought great if she is hurt it must not be bad. she kept watching me as i talked to her and she wasn't menacing which is good also. but instead of coming to me she had her eye on my truck and went past me straight to the truck and in the door and was soon dirtying the seat. i climbed in the driver door and asked her if she was hungry and she gave me that i just finished chewing on a deer carcass look, and off to mc donalds we went. sometimes i think its the truck the tractor and since i am a woodcarver (sticks galore ), and of course have cows to bark at , is the reason she has stayed with me. any dog given a chance will run away . i have a hard time prying her out the door sometimes. other times she knocks me down. but she always looks bck to make sure i am coming. i am her entertainment center. i open the door for her , feed her , and take her for rides and give her sticks, she never brings back to me . she is in dog heaven .

      and if i ask her if the cows come home she runs to the window and checks and barks. i mean it isnt rocket science .she understands when she wants to and ignores me at other times she is my friend . but it is nice to know you have at least one fan in this world to count on. i have had a lot of really good dogs over the years and it is always hard to lose one. my heart goes out to any owner who has went through this . and sometimes we as humans live to long and pets not long enough. maybe they are just a reminder as to how fragile all  life can be at times. we need to be reminded of that. you can click on any image to see it larger. and of course feel free to comment or share your thoughts with me or the  readers of this blog anytime. your comments are always appreciated.