Almost Our Dog! June 2016

She showed up pitifully covered in ticks and fleas and was so weak, all she did was lay on the porch.  My cats sat next to her and she seemed so gentle and good.  I just could not take her to the pound- especially in her condition.  They would have seen a sick dog and put her down.  So we nursed her back to health.  I gave her a flea bath and hand-picked off probably 200 ticks!  With some good quality food and rest, she improved quickly.  She was so good with the girls, that I really wanted to keep her.  Each morning, my youngest daughter would run from her bed to see if "her" puppy was still here!  She was most welcome....at first.

 

Unfortuantly, as her health improved, so did her bad behavior.  I knew a beagle would make noise- and I was actually thrilled the first time she felt good enough to bay (it took about a week).  And the noise was ok.  But soon she took to chasing the cats.  Neither cat could come close the to porch and she would bite at them and run them both up a tree EVERY chance she got!  No amount of scolding would stop her. 

 

Still, I thought I could get tuff and figure out how to break her of the habit, so she was still welcome. 

Then she followed me into the goat fields.  This is what I wanted.  A mini herd dog (although I knew beagles don't typically herd- they hunt!)  Still I thought she could keep me company and put her scent all over the field, thus discouraging other predators.  Yet, she found teasing the goats much more fun then staying at my side. 

She would sneak up on them in the tall grass, and then jump at them!  She didn't bite them, but the goats would get so upset!   I finally made her leave the field, but it didn't stop her.  She was an excellent digger and would dig under the fence and go at them again. 

Here she is sad because she got scolded after she chased a cat. 

 

One day after church, we came back to a devastating sight.  Our new dog had dug into the chicken grow-out pen and helped herself to some chicken nuggets.  15 young chicks lay dead or seriously wounded.  

Well, that was it.   I grabbed her out the pen (we caught her in the act and she didn't even stop when I yelled- she was so focused on the blood and killing).  I probably spanked her a good few times, but I held her tight to my chest as I cried out, "I WANTED TO KEEP YOU!!"

 We found this dog a home with a young family with NO chickens just 3 days afterwards.  It was such a relief to take her off the chain- where no dog should be kept.  She was so good with my children and was also good about staying at my side when I took my morning walks.  I do miss her.   I am sure she is making a wonderful pet!