Do you remember it? The Dr Seuss beginner book? Well, when our family gets together it is much like Go, Dog. Go! Every family member owns at least two dogs and some of us own more so I’m never alone when I run at the ranch. I don’t mind though; dogs are great training partners. I don’t have to listen to their political rantings or how great their new running shoes are. They never complain about their injured IT band or hamstring and not once have they shown me their lost toenail collection.
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| L to R: Taz, Lucy, Sierra, Quasi, Gunner, Harry, Cooper |
Recently while visiting the ranch our family loaded into our trucks (dogs included) and took a drive down a dirt road to Quitman Canyon. My plan was to run back to the ranch with the dogs while the kids explored and climbed around on the rocks. I rode in the back of our pickup truck with four of the pooches. Pretty soon Cara began to slow down and I saw a little coyote (or ky-oo-ti as Maddie says) beside the road. Why is she stopping? I grabbed all four dogs around their collars hoping they wouldn’t see the animal.
In no time my hopes were dashed though and I couldn’t control the dogs. Taz and Harry, the most ornery ones, jumped out of the truck bed and went after the coyote. I told Cara to start driving and figured the dogs would return when they heard us leaving. Sure enough they came running back and we started on our way. However, the little coyote started running after our vehicle. Why in the world would a wild animal run after a moving truck?
Because it wasn’t a coyote after all, but a skinny little Blue Heeler (Australian Cattle Dog) lost in the middle of the desert like some castaway on a deserted island. “Pa-lease don’t leave me out here all alone!” Well, what could we do? Of course we picked her up. There’s no way she would have lasted through the winter. There wasn’t a ranch for miles in any direction which makes you wonder how she ended up out there in the first place.
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| Lucky |
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| "What is that thing, a coyote?" "Don't get too close!" |
The first thing she did when Cara put her in the back of the truck was snuggle up under my arm. She was just skin and bones but had a soft grey and black brindled coat with touches of brown and a bull’s eye marking around her left eye. She was as sweet as can be and is now part of the ranch dog pack. We named her Lucky. After reaching the canyon I enjoyed a beautiful peaceful run through the Quitman Mountains and then Cara picked me up on the way home.
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| Maddie with the sweet little ky-oo-tie. |
Much like the end of Go, Dog. Go!, the entire weekend was like one big dog party. We enjoyed some family walks together and the kids rode horses.
Of course all the dogs went along, Harry, Quasi, Gunner, Cooper, Mandy, Tinker Bell, Buddy, Skippy, Taz, Lucy, Sierra and of course the luckiest dog of all.
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| LUCY! ALRIGHT, THAT IS IT…GET OUT! |
See you on the trail.
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