ruby55
Well-Known Member
So we lost Magee about a month ago. One year ago today, we lost Deedee. She was truly a Bandog; very DA and not happy about strangers either. But stunningly beautiful. Here's Deedee's story.<br>
When she was around 12 months old, she got lost in the woods. The property is surrounded by 1900 acres of nature preserve; who knew which way she went? She was lost, never to be found. About 10 days later she came crawling home; front legs, belly, and paws raw and maggot infested. Skin & bones. She obviously got caught somewhere where she had to dig & claw her way out. And she did it. She was a mess, and in great pain & very weak. Rushed her to the vet, who put her on an antibiotic for infection, debrided the wounds, & sent her home to be taken care of in a loving environment. She healed, & about 2 months later, took her first 4 point major, even with scars & scabs.<br>
But something happened to her out in the woods. While Deedee was always a little assertive, & already trying to overtake the alpha bitch whose name was Miss Piggy, she turned just plain mean after getting lost. And would turn on almost anyone or anything, for the slightest trigger, one people didn't even catch. Deedee wasn't my dog, so I didn't have much of a say in showing her. Her owner, my housemate, insisted on finishing her. So we would wait in the parking lot with her, until her ring time, rush her in & pray we didn't have to wait long. My housemate was holding her leash once, & Deedee was laying under her chair. Deedee went after a rottweiler entering in the ring, & pulled my housemate backwards over the chair. She terrorized the dogs at home. If you looked at her wrong, or if you dared to touch her feet, she would come after you. She attacked my housemate's boyfriend once because he tickled her feet. So as soon as she was finished in the ring, she went on permanent house arrest. <br>
Throughout her life, Deedee dragged countless possums, raccoons, & rabbits into the house through the doggie door. She had 7 cat notches on her collar; one pomeranian, whose owners didn't believe Deedee would ever hurt their little baby; & even tried to take down a draft horse. The horse kicked her & sent her flying; Deedee shook her head & went back for more. The horse kicked her again, & Deedee stayed down that time. It damaged her spine, & she ended up with arthritis in her spine in her last years.<br>
Here's the thing about Deedee; when she was happy, she was the sweetest dog you would ever want to meet. She smiled, and sang, and barked a very perky bark. And she could be goofy & silly. When Ruby came home at 12 weeks old, Deedee was already 9 years old & not tolerant of anything that disrupted her life. But for some reason, she liked Ruby & would actually play with her. When Deedee was feeling lonely, all the dogs were afraid of her, but Ruby would try to play with her & she tolerated it. And Deedee would limp over to Magee, flop down, & get Magee to wash her ears. The next day, though, if Magee, who was blind, accidentally stumbled over Deedee, all Hell would break loose. Because it hurt Deedee to move quickly due to the arthritis, she would try to go after Magee, who would quickly stumble off. And all the other dogs would get out of Deedee's reach too, since she didn't really care who she bit when she hurt. An hour later, she would want to sit with you, and get her shoulders rubbed. Even though she had some serious problems I loved that dog. And I still miss her.<br>
A year ago today, my housemate was across the state at a memorial service for one of her best friends. I went to feed the dogs, & Deedee was missing. I went outside, & called; no Deedee. I went to the end of the deck, looking out in the dog yard for her when I heard a whimper. I found Deedee under the ramp that the dogs use to go out to the dog yard. She couldn't get up. I finally got her up, but she was dragging her left rear leg, & collapsed. I couldn't get her up the ramp, & really didn't want to since I would then have to get her down stairs & into the van. It was already very hot & sunny, so I rigged a fan with extension cords, & a huge golf umbrella, & started trying to call her owner. My housemate had her phone shut off since she was at the service. It took me 2 hours to contact her. She agreed I should rush Deedee into the e. vet. They strapped her down on a gurney & muzzled her, since they knew her history. Poor Deedee; being strapped down made her go into a panic & it was all I could do to keep her from clawing her way off the table. I'm sure it was similar to what happened to her in the woods. The vet did some xrays; it was a huge mass on her bladder. The vet said the mass was about the same size as her bladder, & was blocking nerves. So we gave her her freedom. And I had the honor of holding Deedee as she slipped away to where she didn't hurt anymore, & she didn't have demons in her head anymore. For the first time in years, I could touch her face & hug her. I could tickle the fur on her big feet. I could feel her last breath.<br>
I brought her home, where she is resting with all the other dogs she ever knew.<br>
About 3 months later, my housemate was mowing the grass over by the pet cemetary. I asked her how Deedee was doing. She said "Oh she's being Deedee. I mowed over her grave & the mower bogged down & almost died. I'm pretty sure Deedee was down there snarling & snapping at me!"<br>
So here's to you Deedee, you mean old bitch you. I love you. And I miss you.<br>
<br>
<img src="http://www.mastiff-forum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=8263&stc=1" attachmentid="8263" alt="" id="vbattach_8263" class="previewthumb"><img src="http://www.mastiff-forum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=8264&stc=1" attachmentid="8264" alt="" id="vbattach_8264" class="previewthumb size_medium"><img src="http://www.mastiff-forum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=8265&stc=1" attachmentid="8265" alt="" id="vbattach_8265" class="previewthumb"><img src="http://www.mastiff-forum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=8267&stc=1" attachmentid="8267" alt="" id="vbattach_8267" class="previewthumb size_medium">
When she was around 12 months old, she got lost in the woods. The property is surrounded by 1900 acres of nature preserve; who knew which way she went? She was lost, never to be found. About 10 days later she came crawling home; front legs, belly, and paws raw and maggot infested. Skin & bones. She obviously got caught somewhere where she had to dig & claw her way out. And she did it. She was a mess, and in great pain & very weak. Rushed her to the vet, who put her on an antibiotic for infection, debrided the wounds, & sent her home to be taken care of in a loving environment. She healed, & about 2 months later, took her first 4 point major, even with scars & scabs.<br>
But something happened to her out in the woods. While Deedee was always a little assertive, & already trying to overtake the alpha bitch whose name was Miss Piggy, she turned just plain mean after getting lost. And would turn on almost anyone or anything, for the slightest trigger, one people didn't even catch. Deedee wasn't my dog, so I didn't have much of a say in showing her. Her owner, my housemate, insisted on finishing her. So we would wait in the parking lot with her, until her ring time, rush her in & pray we didn't have to wait long. My housemate was holding her leash once, & Deedee was laying under her chair. Deedee went after a rottweiler entering in the ring, & pulled my housemate backwards over the chair. She terrorized the dogs at home. If you looked at her wrong, or if you dared to touch her feet, she would come after you. She attacked my housemate's boyfriend once because he tickled her feet. So as soon as she was finished in the ring, she went on permanent house arrest. <br>
Throughout her life, Deedee dragged countless possums, raccoons, & rabbits into the house through the doggie door. She had 7 cat notches on her collar; one pomeranian, whose owners didn't believe Deedee would ever hurt their little baby; & even tried to take down a draft horse. The horse kicked her & sent her flying; Deedee shook her head & went back for more. The horse kicked her again, & Deedee stayed down that time. It damaged her spine, & she ended up with arthritis in her spine in her last years.<br>
Here's the thing about Deedee; when she was happy, she was the sweetest dog you would ever want to meet. She smiled, and sang, and barked a very perky bark. And she could be goofy & silly. When Ruby came home at 12 weeks old, Deedee was already 9 years old & not tolerant of anything that disrupted her life. But for some reason, she liked Ruby & would actually play with her. When Deedee was feeling lonely, all the dogs were afraid of her, but Ruby would try to play with her & she tolerated it. And Deedee would limp over to Magee, flop down, & get Magee to wash her ears. The next day, though, if Magee, who was blind, accidentally stumbled over Deedee, all Hell would break loose. Because it hurt Deedee to move quickly due to the arthritis, she would try to go after Magee, who would quickly stumble off. And all the other dogs would get out of Deedee's reach too, since she didn't really care who she bit when she hurt. An hour later, she would want to sit with you, and get her shoulders rubbed. Even though she had some serious problems I loved that dog. And I still miss her.<br>
A year ago today, my housemate was across the state at a memorial service for one of her best friends. I went to feed the dogs, & Deedee was missing. I went outside, & called; no Deedee. I went to the end of the deck, looking out in the dog yard for her when I heard a whimper. I found Deedee under the ramp that the dogs use to go out to the dog yard. She couldn't get up. I finally got her up, but she was dragging her left rear leg, & collapsed. I couldn't get her up the ramp, & really didn't want to since I would then have to get her down stairs & into the van. It was already very hot & sunny, so I rigged a fan with extension cords, & a huge golf umbrella, & started trying to call her owner. My housemate had her phone shut off since she was at the service. It took me 2 hours to contact her. She agreed I should rush Deedee into the e. vet. They strapped her down on a gurney & muzzled her, since they knew her history. Poor Deedee; being strapped down made her go into a panic & it was all I could do to keep her from clawing her way off the table. I'm sure it was similar to what happened to her in the woods. The vet did some xrays; it was a huge mass on her bladder. The vet said the mass was about the same size as her bladder, & was blocking nerves. So we gave her her freedom. And I had the honor of holding Deedee as she slipped away to where she didn't hurt anymore, & she didn't have demons in her head anymore. For the first time in years, I could touch her face & hug her. I could tickle the fur on her big feet. I could feel her last breath.<br>
I brought her home, where she is resting with all the other dogs she ever knew.<br>
About 3 months later, my housemate was mowing the grass over by the pet cemetary. I asked her how Deedee was doing. She said "Oh she's being Deedee. I mowed over her grave & the mower bogged down & almost died. I'm pretty sure Deedee was down there snarling & snapping at me!"<br>
So here's to you Deedee, you mean old bitch you. I love you. And I miss you.<br>
<br>
<img src="http://www.mastiff-forum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=8263&stc=1" attachmentid="8263" alt="" id="vbattach_8263" class="previewthumb"><img src="http://www.mastiff-forum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=8264&stc=1" attachmentid="8264" alt="" id="vbattach_8264" class="previewthumb size_medium"><img src="http://www.mastiff-forum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=8265&stc=1" attachmentid="8265" alt="" id="vbattach_8265" class="previewthumb"><img src="http://www.mastiff-forum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=8267&stc=1" attachmentid="8267" alt="" id="vbattach_8267" class="previewthumb size_medium">
