Today
was a day for dogs. First thing this morning an antsy liver-colored shorthair
bounded up to the house. We could tell that she wanted to be friends, but she
was so skittish that her desire for a treat was not enough to let her take it
from the outstretched hand. Eventually she went with us when we walked Nellie,
though she paid no attention to our safety rules. She’s quite the runner and
was all over the territory. Once we settled back into the house, she
disappeared – thank goodness!
Our
friend Ken lost his 18-month-old German Shorthair, Mac, about a month ago. Mac slipped
his tether and was apparently struck by a vehicle within a mile of Ken’s place.
We were sad for the situation – all of us. The loss was especially bitter since
Ken lost his previous Shorthair, Duke, to cancer. Much time, effort and money
had gone into the training of both dogs.
But
– life goes on and after Mac, Ken immediately took up the hunt for a new dog. He
has called frequently to report his findings. He found a litter of brand new
pups in the region and today he and Mike went to see them – seven liver-colored
German Shorthair pups – little girls all. While they were there, they helped
the breeder cut the girls’ tails and remove their dewclaws. [The photo to the right as well as the one below were sent to my email from Mike's iPhone.]
Mike
thinks Ken might get one of those pups. Oh, I hope so! Ken and Ginny have suffered
a lot of male rambunctiousness in an effort to avoid the whole female cycle
thing. “Have her spayed!” I advised. A female would be so much more docile – a better
pet and a better fit for their home. I say that – I hope I don’t have to eat my
words. Females can also be hard to handle, like our friend from this morning .
. .
On
our afternoon walk, Nellie and I again encountered the skittish female. We’ve
seen her before and should have recognized her. I went to the door of the house
there to inquire, but no one answered. As we left, she was running back and forth
in the field. I hope Ken’s new dog isn’t like that. I hope any new dog I have
isn’t like that.
March
weather issues continue – moderate temperatures cooled by blustery winds. The
rain is intermittent and doesn’t amount to much. Today we had some thunder and
lightning, and Nellie insisted on waiting out that storm in her house. The
sound of the wind snapping the vents on our roof makes her nervous.
This
evening: Leftover pork chops and non-garlic cheese grits with green salad. I’m
fixing to make cranberry-orange loaf with freshly juiced orange. KW
4 comments:
Are you and Mike going to get one of the pups? I remember that last year you couldn't get a female when you wanted to. They're adorable!
No -- not one of these pups. Number one on Mike's list of criteria is that the dog is white. He says a white dog is so much easier to see in the field. But he is listed for a dog out of a potential litter that should should be white. We haven't had confirmation that the mama dog is pregnant.
Anything can happen is the world of dog litters, and these guys are so funny dealing with that. The breeder called and left a call-back message for Mike. "Why didn't he just tell you?" Mike said. "Because he doesn't want to talk to me about girl stuff," I said.
Puppies! I can't believe Dad saw puppies and didn't tell me about it. That tail cutting business is NOT for me!
That's why we have a blog -- to tell you things. We wanted to surprise you. We knew you were busy and would eventually notice.
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