Sadness and Excitement....

We lost a dog today, an old well loved dog, Shilo. We aren't even sure how old he was. He has been having hip trouble for a bit and just showing his age. He started going down this weekend and lost the battle today. As my dh said it seemed he just lost the will to live. He was our pet me dog. At his biggest he was about 150 LBS. of love! He came as a puppy that could fit through the 4x4 (for just a few days). My DS who brought him home said, "This is a GUARD dog, NOT a pet me dog." Funny he forgot to tell Shilo about it. He was always the biggest pet me dog we owned.

As I was driving around in the Ranger having a cry and talk to God about loosing Shilo I discovered a nice size bull snake coming OUT of the barn. I sat and watched him a bit, just enjoying the distraction. Then I went and yelled at kids to come see. They went back and got a camera so we could have memories of the first snake of the season. This was a very slow moving snake that we got lots of pictures of. I did stir him up enough to get him to coil and hiss. A bull snake gets it's name because it looks much like a rattlesnake and when disturbed, sounds almost exactly like the rattle of a rattle snake. For those that are a bit squeamish about snakes, pick your feet up now.........

As he slithered by some 4x4's I got a guesstimate of how big he was. As his head went past the last 4x4 I marked which 4x4 his tail was on. Then I counted 17 squares. That is a snake about 68 inches long or 5 ft 8 inches. Not the biggest one we have found around here. We had three in the barn a few years ago that were just under 8ft. I know this because they were laying stretched out beside an 8ft piece of paneling. :)

Meet Rosie

Yep, we did it. We got a new mountain cur puppy. She is 13 weeks old. Very socialized. I was much impressed with mama and daddy too. They are working dogs, not lap dogs. They are hog dogs. That takes grit and fight. Yet they were not aggressive to us. They were in their pens, but they weren't hanging on the fence trying to rip arms off. Her 1/2 sister sat and begged to come play. She is almost a year old so they are friendly.

We got home late yesterday evening. Kids played until dark with her. Then I had a kid out side at daylight playing some more. Last night Rosie treed a cat. Oh the barking! This morning cat educated her. Yep, right on the soft leathery part of her nose. They will come to an understanding of what cats are allowed in the yard and stray cats are fair game.

I am trying hard to let her be a the kids dog. Meaning I don't mess with her much. I don't seek her out to pet. This morning I sat down on the steps with my coffee. She really wanted to share. I loved on her kids loved on her. Then one of the other dogs came up the steps. Grrrrrrrr came the rumble from deep in her throat. Hummm this dog wasn't quite sure what to do. He just stopped and looked at her. Then got distracted back into the yard. A little later my dog RC came up behind me. Again Grrrrrrrrrrr only louder since RC wasn't impressed. Teeth and curled lip next. RC still wasn't impressed. I am trying hard not to laugh as I pet RC on one side and Rosie on the other. She finally turned totally facing him and I seriously think had plans to jump his bones over the top of me. I scolded her and made her stop. I think she is going to be protective, which is what I want. Just have to find the balance of obeying and protecting.

Something I find interesting is yesterday MN was checking to see if she had the bump on top of her head like Sam. His was very noticeable. Why he had it I don't know. She had a tiny one you could sorta feel it. This morning I was petting her and Wow! the bump is there! I know that sounds strange. I showed MN and she agreed it wasn't like that yesterday. I hope this helps MN bond to her more. Of all the kids she is the one standing off the most on accepting a new puppy. She had the hardest time loosing Sam too.

When you read her good bye to Sam and understand this child didn't know how to love 3 years ago it helps you understand how she has grown and changed and how the attachment to Sam was so important and healing to her emotional health. Now she has the ability to love and attach. She just isn't sure she wants to right now. I so totally get that. Loosing a pet is hard. Loving another pet is an act of faith.

Sam Update

He ate this morning! That is a big deal. He didn't eat at all yesterday and drank very little water. I did take a syringe and give him water to insure he was getting some liquid. Lots of prayers from lots of people this morning he was hungry. I had a little table scraps, a little milk and dry dog food and almost a can of dog food. All left overs from us trying to feed him yesterday. I warmed the dog food/milk/scraps and took it to him. He would only eat out of my hand. That works I scooped he ate. I managed to hide his two pills in while he gobbled. I sent for the can of dog food. He ate that too. I figure that is enough for right now. Will give him more about lunch. I am just very thankful he ate!

He looks horrible. He is so skinny and with that leg gone at the hip it really looks strange, then the two middle toes of the other back foot are gone. I may need to change his name to Lucky, don't you think? I do pray today he starts moving around with a little more ease. I hate seeing him in so much pain. One of the pills we give him is to help with pain. Right now he is on a pallet on the porch in the sun. I am sure the sun will feel really good to him right now. He was cold earlier. I will be watching to make sure he doesn't over heat.

Thanks for all the prayers. Keep praying, he has a long road to recovery.

Dog Update!

Vet said x-ray showed the other hip is OK not dislocated. He ate good last night and is standing this morning. Sam will loose one back leg and a couple of toes off the other foot. Prognoses is good! Keep praying and Thank You all who have been praying!

Dog Prayers

Yesterday afternoon as we were getting ready for our trip to town I heard Sam barking. At least I thought I heard him. He has been missing for several days. Older son was just walking up so I motioned for him to follow me. Off we went. Sure enough we found him not to far from the house under a bush. He had been hung up in a fence for a LONG time. One back leg I knew at a glance was gone. The other one isn't broke, but his hip on that side may be messed up. Sam is the dog in the chair.

Son and I discussed how to move him without hurting him more. He is quivering in pain, yet let me examine him and never even growled or whimpered. We decide to son will go for the Ranger and the bute (large animal pain killer). I just set and pray and pet him and try to figure out how to get him out from under this bush. Son comes back with his BIL and we give Sam some bute, it is a paste. Then they are off to find a stretcher to easy him onto.

They come back with a piece of 1/4 inch steal that will just slide in the back of the ranger. Again God provided as they cleaned the ranger bed out day before yesterday.

We ease the steal under Sam and I hold his collar as they slide it in the Ranger. Then I crawl in with him. You feel every bump as you know he is feeling them to the car. We slide him into the excursion and son takes off for the vet.

I have to take off for our CPS visit the other direction. I do take time to send out and SOS of prayer to as many people as I can quickly do.

I am waiting on the vet to call this morning to know if he made it through the night. If he has to much damage in the other hip to save him. When son left last night after the vet had filled him with pain killers and meds for infection he was standing. That is a good sign, but so far the vet hasn't called yet.

I hate waiting! I am a doer. I want to at least pretend I am doing something. I am doing all I can I am praying and have everyone I know praying. I know that is what I am to do. I just wish the vet would call! I then need to milk and go get produce. We are planning on leaving for camping sometime after lunch.

Pet Beds and Other Rambling

It seems that I really need to invest in some pet beds for my cats and dogs. I have found them sleeping in the most interesting places.

This is Sam. He is a clown all the time.

He always finds a chair to rest in.

This weekend we discovered this cat hanging out under the eve of the porch. She looks pretty comfortable. She is 10 ft off the ground. To access her bedroom you have to climb a ceder post that holds the roof up.

Yesterday I watched as Mouse, (yes that's the cats name,) making her a bed in my sage bush. That is the bush that I have at the top of my blog.

Now doesn't that just look like the "perfect" bed?

MN made quite a haul yesterday at Junction. She came home with 9 head of goats. Her "bill" was $66. I will have her average that out to see what they cost each. This "haul" included one grown nanny, 1 boar cross kid, 1 Spanish kid and the rest were angoras. Some of them were not bad, some were junk, no JUNK. She bought 5 head and had 4 head given to her. This morning we will worm everything and give meds as needed. We will move them out of the barn so they can graze. I will try to get pictures of what junk goats look like. I did laugh about it. It is so much a blast from the past. My oldest did this for several years. He would bring home junk, which was all he could afford. We would spend the next day doctoring it and hauling the dead to the dump. The ones that lived and got better in a few weeks/months he would take back to the auction to give him more operating capital. He called me after she got home to say "Your welcome" He just KNEW how much I was going to thank him. Wasn't that sweet? He did tell me he refused to buy several for her that he didn't think she needed.

I guess it is about time to start my day. Kids are sleeping late so I will have to do a wake up call. :) Hope everyone is blessed this wonderful day!