Every Day’s a Dog Day here.

P-L-E-A-S-E take me home with you!

This story in pictures begins with the photo of our Kelly, who was still ‘Wendy’ at the animal shelter when this heart-rending photo was taken.  ‘Wendy’ was all signed up and paid for, when her new mother to be had an accident and was unable to go ahead with the adoption.  Unlucky lady… but oh SO lucky us!

Kelly stole our hearts just as her namesake Ned Kelly stole hearts and a whole lot else in the mid-1800′s. Mainly this was because she is almost a mirror image of our much beloved Trixie, who died of a mysterious poisoning a couple of years ago.  In the last day or so since Kelly came home with us, I have photographed some similar moments that these two beautiful little souls have shared.  Just look -

Trixie in her prime

Kelly… 6 months old

As I keep saying – not a mirror image, but extremely close.  Of course, we knew Trixie from when she was just 4 weeks old, so we can easily visualise her at 6 months…  Kelly’s age now.

Big sister Muffin… with Trixie

Big sister Muffin and Kelly

Dearest Muffy is 11 years old now, which is about 77 in human years.  She deserves and demands respect – especially from this crass newcomer, and is teaching this small whirlwind some manners… and just exactly who is the boss.  I missed a photo opportunity earlier when hubby Kanute took both dogs for an early morning check of our cattle.  It was questionable who was more curious – Kelly or the cattle.  ALL were tremendously interested in each other.

Now Kelly has added cow poo to the delights of a farm diet, having already cleaned Kanute’s rubber boots of chook poo.  “Hmm… delicious,” she seems to say, licking her lips most heartily. Will the antibiotics she is on whilst recovering from her desexing cancel out such questionable treaties?  Who knows? And after a lifetime of doggies eating all manner of things, actually… who cares? Personally, we believe such recycled fodder makes for stronger constitutions.  Questionable and arguable as this may be, our dogs have lived for up to 14 years (and that one was a German Shepherd… who was well until the day she died), so if it’s not something in the air, or on the ground, you tell us!

This is Kelly just a short while ago, resting after a frenzied circuit of the back garden, the garage (twice around the car each time) – and the whole thing repeated three times… just because she can!

And on that farm, she found a bone… yippee-i-yippee-i-yay!

Shh, we won’t tell the vet who told us to keep her quiet for the first week, maybe locked up in a small room, like my Laundry.  Sorry vet, that room would have been torn apart by this super-charged babe. Our unshakeable stand is that working dogs are different.  They heal with exercise and a belief system that says there are two speeds in Life – full steam ahead, and full stop. Well-ll that’s how Kelly views her life… and who are we to argue? This is one happy little girl.  We wouldn’t have her any other way.

Welcome to our family, Kelly the Kid!
Christine

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Squidoo – Animals

 These are Squidoo lenses I have written specifically about Animals.

Look for my other article categories – Celebrations, Craft, Farming, Literature, Loving Memories, That’s Life

The Primary Pooch

Kim was an Airedale, crossed with something (maybe several ‘somethings’) and so his features were softer than the usual sharp angles of his breed. What I do know for sure, was that he was the first in a line of great and treasured canine characters that have shared my life. There are some people…

Candy – A Honey of a Dog

Many life happenings conspired to create the 10 year gap from when my sweet Kim died until I was able to get a puppy again. First Mum and Dad and myself moved to a new home, and they didn’t want another dog. Then I married, and our early years were in rental properties in two Australian States th…

A Gentle Gypsy Stole my Heart

My hands were the first and last Gypsy knew. Holding her with the greatest love – at her birth – and at her death, 17 years later. The first time I saw her, she was still in her umbilical sac. I had to clear her mouth and tickle her nose with a dry stalk of grass to make her sneeze and take her …

 Kangaroo R&R – Rescue and Rebirth

The last of the ten kangaroos they shot that night was a gentle grey doe, her soft stricken eyes staring in confusion and terror at the alien spotlight. The perfect target. After she had fallen, we could all see movement still continuing in her pouch. I felt overwhelming sickness as one of the m…

 Ooroo the Kangaroo

On first sight, Ooroo was a less than ‘awe-inspiring’ specimen of a kangaroo. I felt certain we would part company in short order – hence his name, Ooroo (which means Goodbye in Aussie). He was a sparsely furred and terribly stressed joey. His tiny, wizened face and agonised eyes clearly indicate…

Taffy Was An Aussie

But the famed ‘Taffy’ was a Welshman – and the old-time rhyme goes a bit like this – ‘Taffy was a Welshman, Taffy was a thief, Taffy came to my house and stole a leg of beef! I went to Taffy’s house, But Taffy wasn’t home…. All that was left was a large beef bone!’ Ahh-hh-hh, what can I say…..

 Miss Calculations…and the Country Connection

I’m just NOT waiting for my turn and that’s that! How can she put them – SO MANY of them and their stories ahead of ME and MINE?? It’s beyond belief – so I’m taking this opportunity to have MY voice heard – AND – ‘When Do We Want to Hear It? ‘NOW’ – that’s when!! Update! Update! Latest News Now I…

 Sheba the Shepherd…the Queen of our Hearts

In fact, when my husband and I really sat down and combined the maths and the memories, we discovered that our beautiful mother-girl, Sheba, actually came into our lives in between Gypsy and Taffy(whose stories I have already written). It was when we started examining the particular reason we wel…

Christine

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Ezine Article Links – Animals and Best Friends

These are articles I have written specifically about Animals and Best Friends.

Look for my other article categories – Craft, Farming, Health, Literature, Memories, My Point of View.

When Cats Rule The Roost

Actually, I’m a DOG person…but there’s something about Cats…their feisty independence maybe? Or perhaps the way everything must be on their terms? Somehow, when they’re curled up warmly on your lap, purring and allowing you to endlessly stroke them…you must admit…Cats DO rule (their ‘staff’) – with an iron paw in a velvet glove!

To Be or Not to Be? A Horse Owner, That Is

Horses are amongst the noblest and most beautiful creatures of the Animal Kingdom. With a wondrous combination of gentleness, loyalty and courage, they have captivated the heart of man throughout the ages. Their attributes are many, their shortcomings few. But…few creatures demand more of a human being’s time and total attention than a horse.

What Your Best Friend Can’t Tell You

Throughout the year the RSPCA collect, attempt to relocate and too often, have no choice but to destroy the dumped ‘Best Friends’ of that great animal lover, Man. The ultimate irony of this terrible chain is that Christmas and Easter…those two celebrations of love and giving…are the busiest times of the year for rescuers of the unwanted.

Kanga – A Story of Rescue and Hope

Kangaroo numbers soaring in Outback Australia. Meat industry insists legal ‘culling’ required, but faced with bitter opposition to ‘barbaric’ slaughter and marketing of ‘roo meat overseas. What IS the answer? This is an eyewitness account and one individual reaction.

The Enduring Significance of Bears

There are some who think that the only bears that are ‘real’ are living in forests and such places. Well, no…there are also the soft, loving, comforting species that many of us cannot live without, and others cannot sleep without.

Christine

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