the story of rat dog

"No rat dogs in my house.
No yip yapping, hyped out useless rat dog in my house!"
I made the kids put her outside while I called animal control.. Of course like all stupid dogs, she fell in the pool straight away. Sigh... Now she had to come in or freeze to death. I made them put her in an unfinished room where she cried and whined incessantly.

Now understand I was trying to lay on the couch with a migraine when this little rat showed up on our doorstep. She looked like a mix between a jack russell and chihuahua. No collar, no tag. Her nails obviously had been trimmed in the last 2 months. She was someone's dog, or appeared to be. Besides, I had the love and affection of one very devoted and challenging shepherd chow mix female, Teyla. Then there was Amber, a Terrier mix lacking the usual brilliance that we as human admire dogs for.

Now, a rat dog. Sure they're "cute" but do they serve any purpose other than annoying neighbors, barking with high pitched voices, jumping all over visitors and family with uncontrollable hyperness? Not really. 

Yet today as I look in rat dog's little face and see her greying eyebrows and tiny little teeth, there is a gentle soul that fills her eyes.

So rat dog finally got to come in to the living room because I couldn't sleep with her constant whining. Just my luck - animal control couldn't pick her up until the next day.

In the ensuing 12 hours, I discovered rat dog was unique. I then found her breed on AKC. She was a toy fox terrier and appeared by all standards to be a purebred. She was house trained, docile, kid friendly - in fact EVERYONE friendly. She preferred the contact of a human being over anything and she didn't bark. I kept my distance though. Someone was definitely missing this dog. Still with the pleading of my husband at the time, I agreed that if no one adopted her we would do so. (as it went in that household it simply meant more work for me - more training, more caring, more walking, more washing, etc)

Weeks passed and we visited the shelter. We brought her shirts to wear in the bitter cold. The staff tried to keep her inside because she was so naked. The time passed and she was not claimed, much to my surprise. Then we were forced to wait more due to the backlog on sterilization. I finally received the call she was ready and took thw afternoon off to pick her up.

I curse the assholes that left her outside my doorstep. The poor baby had a case od kennel cough so sever she nearly died. I drove her directly to our vet. This 11 pound dog cost me $150 in medication alone to help her. I had to quarrantine her from my others. When she finally pulled through, I think she coughed for the first 6 months we had her.

Still, we discovered she had the most blessed temperament. She seemed an only child and intimidated by Teyla's size, but Teyla laid down to play and eventually they became great friends. She has the most gentle eyes. Rat dog defines "sweet", as dogs go, but comes with a personality of a terrier that makes her just fun enough! Shels not a barking kind of dog. She joins the pack in a raucous outside but rarely lets out a solid bark in the house. She loves to cuddle with any warm body. She's starting to show signs of aging, sadly... Still she is the one to engage the puppy for hours and she loves to play.  

She snores when she sleeps and her tongue sometimes gets stuck outside her mouth for hours. It dries up and she looks silly. She is often too timid, yet she showa the strength of a lion when she wants. (say when she sees a coyote)

I love my rat dog. God brought her to me in all her sweetness. She is one of a kind. (never own another rat dog!)

Suck it up and put your efforts towards a better future. For God's sake...

Sick of people wanting everything for free - the victims. Guess what people? Everyone has baggage and a reason. Get over yourself and move the hell on.

Refreshed

I do love the sound of the wind in the trees. Open my windows at night, in the freezing temps, just to hear it. Pine trees, evergreen, swaying, yet sturdy, dropping cones in frenzied wind…

Walking today, wool beanie pulled down, the wind in the trees drowned out every sense… Gusty wind through mountain passes driving snow filled clouds overhead, ice crackling beneath my boots, snow dust blasting my face, all devoured by the sound of the wind in the trees. Even Teyla stops to admire the sound, her snout turned toward the surge.

The most amazing sound on Earth… cleanses my mind and soul. Refreshed…