Many of us have told our tales of our dogs, our best friends, who have been there for us through thick and thin. As many of you know, and a few have seen, Alice and I have 3, count 'em, 3 Jack Russell Terriers.: Terrier from the latin word, 'terra' meaning earth, or ground. And that is just what these little devils do best, is go to ground. Squirells, rats, packrats, marmots.... anything and everything that goes to ground is their turf.
Now we have the three dogs, as I said but the one that is 'mine' is Badger. When we retired from our feed store, Alice bought me Badger as a retirement gift; a cute little 7 week old bundle of fluff and love who latched on to me the instant I saw her. The little thief stole my heart. She had to stay with her momma until 9 weeks [this was the breeders rules... you come each day and get to know your new buddy] so it was 2 weeks after we settled on her that she came home to live. We had acreage in Victoria at that time and she settled in and made the house her home. She chased the racoons, rats, squirells.. anything to keep herself busy. When Victoria had its famous snow [4 feet in one night], I almost thought that we had lost her. She mst have smelled a rat or some such thing because she burrowed into that snow and was chasing this 'thing' for at least two hours. We could hear her through the snow but obviously, she was not in sight. Eventually, she emerged, tired, cold, wet but with a grim look of satisfaction on her face.
We let her have 2 litters of puppies and then decided that 13 children were enough.We kept one puppy from each litter and both have settled in and become our dogs. Nimby is definitely Alices' , Jester is both of ours and Badger is 'mine' A few years back, I had to go for some minor surgery. What was supposed to be 7 days turned into 10 days. From Badgers' point of view, I guess I just disappeared and that was just not good enough for her. So Alice, when she was visiting, asked for my t-shirt. I asked why and she told me that Badger was walking around the house and property carrying an old, used t-shirt in her mouth and on her back. So each day, I would wear a shirt, give it to Alice and she would give it to Badger. The must have placaded her since she stopped moping around. The 'odour' was fresh so Badger knew that I was around, even if I was not there with her at that time.
When I got home, she was there with me..... would not leave my side for anything and generally fretted over me.
Just a couple of weeks ago, I got taken to the hospital in the ambulance. Badger barely let the attendants into the house, what with her barking and protective behaviour, and when they were going to put me onto the gurney and take me out the door, it was a struggle to let them do their work. After I had gone, she plunked herself down by that door they took me out of, and would not leave. Alice tried to coax her away from the door..... no go. Any one who came to visit had to walk over her to get into the house. In her mind, if I went out that door, I have to come back in that door. Obviously when I returned, she latched onto me and would not let me out of her sight.
Even as I write this, she is at my feet. A truer friend you could not find. She overlooks my flaws, and believe me, I have many, and accepts me for who I am!!
Sunny skies
M
Now we have the three dogs, as I said but the one that is 'mine' is Badger. When we retired from our feed store, Alice bought me Badger as a retirement gift; a cute little 7 week old bundle of fluff and love who latched on to me the instant I saw her. The little thief stole my heart. She had to stay with her momma until 9 weeks [this was the breeders rules... you come each day and get to know your new buddy] so it was 2 weeks after we settled on her that she came home to live. We had acreage in Victoria at that time and she settled in and made the house her home. She chased the racoons, rats, squirells.. anything to keep herself busy. When Victoria had its famous snow [4 feet in one night], I almost thought that we had lost her. She mst have smelled a rat or some such thing because she burrowed into that snow and was chasing this 'thing' for at least two hours. We could hear her through the snow but obviously, she was not in sight. Eventually, she emerged, tired, cold, wet but with a grim look of satisfaction on her face.
We let her have 2 litters of puppies and then decided that 13 children were enough.We kept one puppy from each litter and both have settled in and become our dogs. Nimby is definitely Alices' , Jester is both of ours and Badger is 'mine' A few years back, I had to go for some minor surgery. What was supposed to be 7 days turned into 10 days. From Badgers' point of view, I guess I just disappeared and that was just not good enough for her. So Alice, when she was visiting, asked for my t-shirt. I asked why and she told me that Badger was walking around the house and property carrying an old, used t-shirt in her mouth and on her back. So each day, I would wear a shirt, give it to Alice and she would give it to Badger. The must have placaded her since she stopped moping around. The 'odour' was fresh so Badger knew that I was around, even if I was not there with her at that time.
When I got home, she was there with me..... would not leave my side for anything and generally fretted over me.
Just a couple of weeks ago, I got taken to the hospital in the ambulance. Badger barely let the attendants into the house, what with her barking and protective behaviour, and when they were going to put me onto the gurney and take me out the door, it was a struggle to let them do their work. After I had gone, she plunked herself down by that door they took me out of, and would not leave. Alice tried to coax her away from the door..... no go. Any one who came to visit had to walk over her to get into the house. In her mind, if I went out that door, I have to come back in that door. Obviously when I returned, she latched onto me and would not let me out of her sight.
Even as I write this, she is at my feet. A truer friend you could not find. She overlooks my flaws, and believe me, I have many, and accepts me for who I am!!
Sunny skies
M
not nice you know! Santa's watching!