Hodge Podge Saturday

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 one

of 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!