A Dog's Life

Yesterday My elderly Shetland Sheep Dog, Shep, Had a medical emergency.  We rushed to the Vets thinking that this was the end.  The doctors there were able to operate on and remove the very large fatty tumor, that Shep had started to try to bite off.  Our other two dogs, Tinker and Caesar were both terribly upset.  They were use to going places together, and what's more Shep had bled a lot.  They jumped up and gave us the once over with their keen noses.  Lewis said that Caesar even seemed to have tears in his eyes.  Tinker just looked totally distressed.

They operated on Shep, but because the tumor was so big, the size of a tennis ball, they did not have enough skin to seal over the wound.  His front leg was shaved down to his paw and up pass his shoulder.  When he arrived back home thoroughly doped up, both small dogs shifted him and Tinker sat by his side with his head down watching him.  Caesar on the other hand, was scared to get too close, but was obviously very concerned.

Some people think about animals as dumb beast.  Dogs (and cats to a point)  have a great deal of love and emotions.  Shep has wanted to be close to me.  He is happy just to be near me, happier still for me to put my hand on him and stroke him.  Some how this gives him comfort. Dogs are pack animals and depend on each other.  Their master becomes their leader.

My little Tinker,  a small Dachshund,  needs to be close.  He starts out on top of the covers and before the night is over he burrows under the blanket and sheet and cuddles up as close as he can get to me.  I hate to think of dogs that can not come into a home.  I have three dogs and two cats that live with us.  This was not planned it just happened.

Years ago the boys and I found a young golden retriever Samantha at the Gloucester Humane Society.  Then I inherited Shep from my middle son, when they could not manage a dog and work.  These two were constant companions.  Samantha had cancer, for the last 3 or 4 months of her life Shep sat by her and licked her ears or her face giving her love and constant attention.