Well, ah, yes, ISN'T SHE BEAUTIFUL?!
Heidi, who has groomed Gracie for
ten years told me
about Xena (it's a TRUE story.)
Just last week an older lady friend of oneof her clients had to go in for an operation
to remove her legs due to diabetes. She
was to go into rehabilitation, then a group
home for assisted living; not being able
to keep Xena. Heidi tried to find a rescue
for Bull Mastiffs in Florida, Georgia, and
a northern state (I don't remember which
one she said.) However, they are all full
due to overload of many people turning
them in because of the economy and can't
care for them anymore. The Humane
Society would just "put them down"
for the same reason of expense. Heidi
couldn't take her in due to the fact
she already has birds, a cat, and dogs
(besides the many she grooms)
*
It's "funny" how this evolved. She was
going to e-mail me with Xena's pictures.
I don't have her e-mail in my address
book, so it would come in as junk mail. It
didn't. For two days we tried. I found out
through Juno support, that her address
was blocked! I haven't ever received any
from her before in order to block it!
So, I took it as a message from the LORD
that I wasn't to take Xena (before hand
I had been praying about it.) Mean-
while, Heidi had not heard from the
lady, thinking frantically that Xena had
been taken to the pound. Heidi was to
have gotten back to me right away.
Well, a week went by and I thought,
"Okay, LORD, you answered my prayer."
*
It's a whole other story, but the short of
it is, during surgery, the lady died and
that's why Heidi couldn't find out
anything.
*
So, Heidi was frantic as to what was
going to happen to Xena. She thought
they had already taken her to the Humane
Society. When she did get to talk to
them they said they would have to take
her to the pound. Heidi said, "No." So, they
gave her pedigree paper to Heidi (the lady
had never signed the pedigree paper because
she didn't want to pay the $20 to AKC.)
It then was given to Heidi who gave
it to me. We happen to have the same vet
and they were let known of the transfer.
*
She is 2 years old (July 24th.) She has
had full obedience training and responds
to verbal and hand signals. She had
already been around Heidi's birds
and cat. So, the test comes...
*
I drove into the garage, left the engine
going with the air on, and let my dogs
out. They were curious, looking at me; I
guess in wonder why the truck was still
going. As they went out into the yard, I
took Xena out of the truck on her leash.
Of course, they did their dog thing of
smelling. Xena right away wanted to play
with Dolly. Dolly did too, but got frightened
when Xena's weight "bumped" into her.
Sam (the "old man") just stood there
staring. Gracie ignored her while running
down to the gate barking at the wind as she
usually does.
*
Then came the real test. I took Xena off
leash and she began to run all over the
yard enjoying the spacious fenced in area.
The others joined in (except "old man.")
He stood smelling which grass blade he
wanted to eat. You know, dogs eat grass
when their stomachs gets upset. I could
just see his thought pattern, "Oh, no,
not another female!"
*
Final and most important test; Sarah, my
cat; Max, my Macaw; Jerry, my African
Gray; and Cuddles, my Cockatiel.
*
Usually Dolly goes barreling in the door
with Sam and Gracie right behind her.
Now, the Dog Whisperer says you are
to make them wait, then invite them in
after you have gone in. Guess what?
Xena was at the door first. The others
didn't want to pass by her. Xena waited
until I went in and stood looking at me
to invite her!! Wow! She did learn the
obedience training well! Now, this
is how they have been going out and
coming in with Xena's good example!
*
Xena's first encounter with Sarah
was one of casual ignoring. Sarah
did the same in return. They have been
walking all around one another with
no problem.
*
The birds...their noise (especially Max)
caught her attention, but she just
looked, then walked away. When she
did become interested was when I went
in to feed them. Xena wanted to come in
too! But, I gave her the SIT, STAY com-
mand and she did just that!
*
When I went to bed, she lay loudly
chewing on one of the nylabones I
have for them. Then, it went quiet,
followed by the clicking of her nails
on the flooring heading down to the
birds' room. I thought, "I better not
trust her right now to be out by herself."
Dolly's large open wired kennel was still
assembled in the living room. So, I
enticed Xena in with some dog chews.
She went in, I put her bone in with her,
and shut the door, locking it. She
spent the night with no trouble at all,
other than the occasional chewing of her
bone and it rattling on the tin flooring.
When I went to church the next morning,
she went right in with no problem (of
course I gave a little help with a Dorito!)
*
Today, they have all been laying together
on the cool floor, snoozing (Sarah too.)
When I take them out, you ought to see
Xena run! I didn't know big dogs
could run so fast. She looks like a
gazelle at times. She's running at top
speed and does this leap and keeps
on going!
*
The LORD has surely given me another
reason to keep on going too, lol!
*
A side edition, I have completed all of
my most important lesson plans for the
school year. I'm ready to go!
In the dark of night, I didn't know 
