Cheyenne

I had to euthanize my dear Roxie at around 9 years of age. When I rescued her, I knew she had severe hip & elbow displaysia... I was the assistant manager at an animal shelter, and knew she wouldn't get adopted, so I took her and we had 9 long years together. She got her CD/CGC/TDI - CD Companion Dog obedience title, and she passed the CGC Canine Good Citizen, & Therapy Dogs International test. She was a sweet dog, but was starting to cry out in pain, and this was a dog the vet put a staple in without any anesthesia. I had to let her go, we had had a good run and after all she did for me, I owed it to her not to allow her to hurt.

During that time, I was going back to the shelter I no longer worked at (I had to get a 'real' job to pay the bills), and worked with dogs that were 'difficult'. It's then that I met Cheyenne, but she was 'Beauty' when I saw her. A terrified heap in the corner of a cage. She wouldn't even look at you, she had her head jammed into that concrete wall for dear life. When I rattled the cage door and I saw that beautiful face, I was hooked. I worked with her for about 20 minutes, she was heeling, doing automatic sits...she was an amazing dog, with no future. She was terrified and overwhelmed at the shelter. I left a message for the manager, who was a friend of mine, telling her if she was stuck, to call me about this dog (don't EVER do that!!). The day I had Roxie scheduled to be euthanized, I got the call. I originally took Cheyenne to foster home her, but it didn't work out like that! Honestly, I'm kind of glad it didn't, she's, by far, my easiest dog!


I tried to foster her, but when she was stressed she'd make a break for her crate, my van, or to hide 'under' my Beauceron Lady. She was completely housebroken, silent always, and would never eat if I walked out of the room (BOY has that changed). I tried to place her once. She slipped out of the collar (they switched collars after I drove off) within about 20 minutes of their visit with her, and they called me on my cell phone to tell me that she had left... Left!! I asked how they could lose her, & they again said they didn't lose her, she left! I asked them if she called a cab, left?!?!? I was at the park with Lady, I packed her back into the car, drove back there and wandered around the neighborhood until I saw those cute little 'Teddy Bear' ears of hers. I got her back in the van, and the rest, they say, is history... She's 9 now, wonderfully trained, but still has little or NO use for other people (hey, she & I do have a lot in common).

Why exactly.....

Why do people blog?? Is it because they have time? Or do they think people are interested in their lives? Hmmmm...

I think people blog to remember things, both good and bad. I remember my dogs, people not so much, but definitely my dogs. I have more than my share that I miss terribly, some that I shake my head at getting in the first place, and some that I pray I never lose, but know I'm going to...

I had dogs my whole childhood... Usually large ones, by most people's standards. Tied outside during the day, and locked in the kitchen at night. We had little interaction with them then. My 'first' Lady was a huge German Shepherd/Collie cross that was amazingly patient with children - which was a good thing for her, because I came from a large family... She was great with us, and seemed to think I was her puppy. Her job was to watch over me and guard me from anything and everything. She lived to a ripe old age of 16 and I remember her well.

As an alleged 'grown up', I got married in my teens and got my second 'Lady'. She was a far cry from the first, but named because of her great desire to watch over me. She was a rescued Beauceron from an animal shelter who had 7 broken ribs, and cigarette burns all over her. Teaching her to trust me taught me a lot. However, teaching her not to eat people taught me even more. She honestly hated everyone but me...deeply. She was an amazing dog, and I can still cry missing her today. She was joined by the comic relief Rottweiler 'Roxie'. She was also a rescue from a shelter, but had been used as bait for dog fighting. She was an amazing coward, but sweet as any animal you could ever meet.. She taught me about patience, and dog training more than I think she could have realized.. While the 2 'girls' are long gone, but not forgotten, I now have a relatively small pack that amuse & frustrate me regularly.