Tag: Dogs

QuickJAB

Time Out for Toby

JAB

Our front and back yards and the field from the house to the road are completely fenced. The fence around the house is chain link, and field fence completely encloses the front field. The purpose of our fence is to keep the neighbors’ dogs out and our dogs in. It was a brilliant plan in theory.

Last week, I realized TJ was patrolling the front field alone. I whistled and called for Toby, then finally TJ and I walked to the road. Still no Toby.  We keep our gate closed, so we aren’t overrun by wandering canines, but sometimes Toby gets it into his head to go visiting, and he jumps the four-foot fence.

TJ and I climbed into my Doggie Van, which other people might call a minivan, and I drove a mile down the road then turned around and drove two miles in the other direction, but the only dogs we saw were two old dogs that were enjoying the warmth of the sun. When TJ and I returned home, Toby was waiting for us on the front porch with his tail tucked.

He followed me into the house and spent the rest of the morning under the barstool. Evidently, Toby put himself in self-imposed Doggie Time Out, which was fine with me since I was still mad and wasn’t speaking to him.

Toby stayed in time out until FarmerMan came home and asked him if he was okay, which must have lifted the time out curse because Toby wagged and grinned with delight as he came out from behind the bars.

How’s that for a twist to the old standard, wait until your father gets home?

QuickJAB

Operation Santa Paws

JAB

Sadie and her puppy Jan 2020 for newsletter_smaller size

A year ago, Sadie, our sweet, one-eyed, deaf, fifteen-year-old German short-haired pointer, walked up our long driveway to the road. We had adopted Sadie from an animal shelter when she was two, and I’d never seen her wander off by herself before. I had a moment of panic because she couldn’t hear, so I couldn’t call her away from the county road, and we weren’t sure how well she could see. I was certain she’d lost track of me and had become turned around as she purposely marched in the wrong direction away from the house.

Before I could make it to the end of the driveway to rescue her from the road, she returned with a puppy who followed her down the driveway to our house.  Sadie had rescued a one-year-old stray puppy, an Anatolian Shepherd-Labrador Retriever mix, according to our vet, that had wandered close to our small farm. Never heard of an Anatolian Shepherd? They originated in Turkey as livestock guardian dogs and require at least four acres to run. Excellent farm dogs; not good city dogs.

The County Animal Control Officer told us that people dump puppies in the country all the time when the puppies aren’t so cute, grow and eat more, and become too much bother, and most of the dogs are killed within a week by predators or run over by cars, and the rest starve. He said if we were willing to care for the puppy, he was ours. We’ve always had rescue dogs, and Sadie brought him home. He was part of our pack. He followed me home. Can I keep him?

Toby was muddy and smelly, had ticks, fleas, and worms, and both of his ears were infected, but he was friendly as all get out and loved to run with TJ. The vet gave us a ton of medication and instructions. After a nice bath at the groomers, Toby wasn’t even smelly, and he quickly became Sadie’s protector as he stayed close to her.

Last March, sweet Sadie passed away at home in her sleep, but she trained Toby well before she left us. He was immediately housebroken and quickly learned all the household rules.

December is Operation Santa Paws Month. It’s the perfect time to take a big sack of dog food to your local shelter, or send them money. If your money is tight, donate your old towels to the shelter or check into the opportunities to volunteer your time. And if you’re ready to accept the responsibility and joy of a new faithful friend, adopt; don’t shop. Tell them Sadie sent you.

Toby is a star in the TAGGED BY DEATH Thriller Series. Tap here to read a great story inspired by Toby.

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QuickJAB

A New Mystery Series

JAB

A new series means we’ll be introduced to a story about a new person with a problem to solve. 

Meet RILEY MALLOY, a talented veterinary technician who understands her patients. When her employer abruptly closes the veterinary clinic where she has always worked, she adopts an abandoned dog at the worst possible time – no job and no animals allowed in her apartment building.

After she moves to her family’s hometown for a new job, death follows her.

TAGGED BY DEATH

Riley Malloy has a remarkable talent for understanding her veterinary patients. Unknowingly, she’s also the only one who can identify a serial killer. 

As one murder follows another, the evidence she discovers may lead her to expose the murderer’s scheme. When she gets too close, Riley finds herself in the crosshairs of the desperate killer as he escalates to a final murder. Can Riley escape his deadly intentions?

QuickJAB

NonHugger? or Hugger?

JAB

TJ, who will be six years old in July, is very particular about Sadie touching his feet or his tail. He grouses with a growl, but Sadie doesn’t move because she’s comfortable and probably doesn’t hear him anyway. She’s going on fourteen and pretty much deaf. He moves.

TJ loves his Sadie pillow. It’s not unusual for him to flop next to her or even put his head on her back to relax. Sadie doesn’t care. She’s a hugger herself so she understands.

If you’re not a hugger, you probably understand TJ. If you’re a hugger, you certainly understand Sadie.

TJ and Sadie are Rescue Dogs. The best kind, of course. Sadie is a German Wire Haired Pointer mix. She was my model for Lucy in I ALWAYS WANTED TO BE A SPY.

TJ is a Black and Tan Labrador with a smattering of German Shepherd. He was my model for Colonel in the DONUT LADY MYSTERY SERIES.