I have, since a child, always had a dog as a pet.
Roy and I lost our girl, a tiny Yorkie named Bella Noel. The Noel was from the fact he gave her to me at Christmastime.
She was our company here at home and whenever we traveled to our other house on the Mississippi Gulf Coast. She had a bed on the back seat of my car that she would sleep in all the way, anywhere we traveled with her. When we were home, she had her pillow right next to my chair.
We lost her last year at the age of 15. She is resting right next to our house here in her own special place with her headstone marker.
We decided not to get another “baby,” as she would be hard to replace. Now, as things have turned out, I suppose that’s for the best. Our neighbors, my daughter, and her family live just across the road and they have four outside fur babies — plenty to share.
All of them are not sharable, but the one who has decided to live half of his time with me and the other half at his actual home is a mammoth of a dog named Angus.
He is a magnificent Great Pyrenees, loaded with a beautiful full and long snow-white coat. He stands about 5 feet when raised on his two back feet and looks like a snow-covered train as he runs through the pastures.
He has taken it upon himself to guard our back porch and our side steps.
His master, our grandson, has Angus a big soft bed next to a warm heat lamp on their back porch, but he seems to choose cold concrete underneath our back door steps.
Sometimes I see him lying on the grass in our backyard later in the night and I used to wonder why. But after seeing him protect his home from a coyote that wandered underneath their carport last week, I now understand. When he hears the wild dogs begin their “melodies” at night, he takes that as a direct threat to his people and stands guard all night.
Every time I go out the door, he meets me at the top step for his snack. Believe me, a snack for Angus is not a small modest meal but a substantial mouthful. Most of the time I keep a bowl on my cabinet that I fill with scraps throughout the day.
I’ve never seen him or heard him be aggressive, although I am certain he could if provoked. But I can tell you, when I have company, they usually call me and ask if I could meet them outside and let the white gargantuan know that it’s OK for them to come inside.
We have never had any trouble with thefts or break-ins out here in the country somewhat far between our neighbors. I can assure you, I feel very secure and well defended with our big Angus standing in as sentinel.
Dog treats for Angus (or your dog):
1) In a medium-sized mixing bowl, add 1 cup of unsweetened pumpkin puree, 2 cups of quick oats and ½ cup of smooth peanut butter. Mix well and roll into bite-sized balls. Place on a cookie sheet and refrigerate for about an hour.
2) Take one large baked sweet potato, 1 grated apple and 1 teaspoon of cinnamon. Mix well, drop by spoonfuls and flatten each with a spoon. Chill and serve.
