Sissy, our little black dog, was killed on Saturday. We knew it was going to happen sooner or later, and it happened sooner. You see she liked to chase cars and trucks down the lane as they left our place. She never chased them out onto the main road, in fact just about half way down the lane she would back off and watch them until they left. But when you she chased them she would be in front of the front tire, trying to bite the tire. We had tried to get her to quit, but this was one area she wouldn't listen to us. For awhile she slowed down, but lately has been bad.
Sissy was our son Jon's dog. Seeing as he lives in an apartment, Sissy stayed with us. Jon's daughter, Sydney really loved to play with Sissy. As soon as she got off the bus from school each day, Sydney would yell for Sissy. Sissy was just getting so she would start down the lane to meet Sydney. When the two of them would get to our yard, Sydney would put a leash on Sissy, and away they ran, around the yard, out to the chickens, as fast as they both could run. As they wound down, they would sit on the lawn, looking for bugs and pulling up grass. Sissy would run after sticks that Sydney threw for her, although she would never return them to Sydney.
Jon was out working with the cows and saw Sissy get run over. Sydney was here visiting for the day, so they both went out to get Sissy into the back of the pickup and take her to the area on the farm they wanted to bury her.
Because our two dogs are working dogs, they are around the cattle all the time. The other dog, Spot, is a blue heeler, and she and Sissy played with each other all the time. They had their conflicts and Spot, was quick to assert the part of the Alpha female of the pack. There were times these two did not get along, but mostly they were compatible.
Spot walked, not ran, down to the place where Jon and Sydney buried Sissy. When I walked down there, Spot came over and stood by me. She didn't try to get in the way, she didn't try to play, she just stood by me, quietly, almost reverently, and watched.
In living around the animals like we do here on the ranch, I have had the chance to observe and watch as animals react to different situations they face. People seem to think that animals don't have feelings but they do and they react in special ways to those feelings.
Death of a pet is hard. They have a special place in our lives. Sissy was almost three years old and becoming the working dog we expected her to be. She was a great companion for Sydney and Jon, actually for the rest of us. She was young enough to still show the enthusiasm for life, but old enough to not drag every body's garbage onto our lawn. She was dainty when she ate. Spot gobbles the food down, Sissy always ate one piece at a time. And she liked her privacy. She wouldn't eat when we were watching her. She actually obeyed us in most things, except for the vehicle chasing.
We have looked for pictures of Sissy, but could only find two. At least we have that to help us remember her. Sissy, our friend, our companion, will be missed!
No comments:
Post a Comment