Dog Days

I think of the term "dog days," and I just think of it being HOT. I think it might be particularly during the month of August, but it's hot now, in July. Of course that's normal.

Well, we've had an interesting time with dogs within the last year. First, this girl visited us for a little bit when I found her wandering down at the co-op:

She was a beautiful, friendly, red heeler-type. (We love cattle dogs in general, especially heelers.) This girl was obviously a "mommy dog," so we wondered if she might've had pups somewhere. Well, we had to leave to go somewhere, so didn't want to put her in the house for such a long time. But when we got back home later, she was gone, and we never saw her anymore.

Then, in early February, we started the month-long "pup episode" with THIS girl:

She was part Black Lab, and part whatever else, and a cutie. But we just weren't dealing well with the "puppy phase," so we were able to find a new home for her in Kansas. The new owner loves her, so though we miss her, it turned out well.

NOW, we have finally got a dog, for keeps, that is not in the puppy phase, and that has made all the difference. The animal shelter in the nearby town had an "adoption day" at the agriculture supply store this last Saturday. Older Son called and said, "They have dogs and cats and rabbits over here today." So I said that I'd probably come look later. Well, I went right in and told my husband, and he said, "LET'S GO!" Off we went! After looking a few over, we settled on THIS girl:

We adopted her and brought her home, and she has settled right in! We knew she was black lab with may some heeler or something in her as well, due to some brindle-gray splotches in her coat. WELL. I got home and went to the animal shelter's website, just to see if there was any additional information I could see about her. (I hadn't looked at the adoption papers yet, as Hubby had filled them out.) I saw this: "Black Labrador Retriever and Catahoula Leopard Dog." Catahoula???" Yee-haa!! She IS part cattle dog! This is a breed used for hunting and for cattle herding. Wow, was I tickled to see that! So then I looked on the 'net a bit about the Catahoula, and found out there are roots in this breed from the Native Americans and from Louisiana, two big interests Hubby has. Talk about fun facts that fit right in with us!

She has done great. She seemed a little "lethargic" at first, but now in just a couple of days' time, she is perking up (except for lounging in front of the AC like we're all doing! ha ha), and is catching on quickly to "sit," "lay down," and walking NICELY on the leash rather than running and tugging ahead like she did the first night. And a very happy, sweet personality. So this will be a good thing for all of us, we all like her, and hopefully we'll be good for her, too.