Harry's Pirates Tales
Harry's Pirates Tales
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From the day he arrived, Charley would run to me whenever I held my arms out. Even when his vision started to go, he could see shadows. One day when we were in the field, I saw Charley watching me and held my arms out for him to come to me. He started out as he normally did, running in slow motion straight at me with a big grin on his face. Instead of running to my side for a hug and an ear rub as he normally did, Charley proceeded to run straight at me and jumped on me! Charley was a huge dog and his back legs could barely support him with all four on the ground, never mind standing on his back legs, so down we both went! I lay there for a minute laughing while he grinned at me from above, 'Did you see what I did, Mom? Wasn't it funny?' Poor Charley was so sore that I don't think he got off his bed again until dinner, but every time I'd look at him, he'd raise his head with that same big grin, 'That was a good one, wasn't it, Mom? |
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For a couple of years now, we've known that Harry has a fondness for ale. John planted hop plants around the deck, and we've regularly found Harry on the wrong side of the garden fence munching on the leaves. We just sigh say that Harry has gone down to the pub for a pint. Other than sleeping a bit more than he normally does, Harry's indulgence hasn't caused him any problems and his vets weren't too concerned. Harry has developed a bit of a 'beer belly' as he's gotten older. In spite of our efforts involving diet and exercise, he's always carried a couple of pounds more than was healthy. We were quite pleased when he finally started to lose some weight this past Spring, however, we became alarmed when he quickly passed his ideal weight and continued to lose! He became unusually active for him, so we upped his food quite a bit, but it was time for a vet visit when he started showing neurological symptoms. The first time we noticed a problem was immediately after bringing the dogs inside from a long play session. Harry seemed especially jolly, but it wasn't until we looked closely at him that we noticed on of his eyes was moving back and forth like a pendulum and he seemed to have no control over it. Soon the eyelid started twitching as well, and after a few minutes, his other eye also joined in. Harry's tail was up and wagging, he was responsive and was showing no other symptoms at this time. I called the vet thinking he might have gotten into some mushrooms that I'd been trying to get rid of, but with all the rain we'd been having, they were popping up faster than I could handle. We got to the vets about 45 minutes after he began showing symptoms, but by the time we arrived, he was back to normal. He had a complete physical and blood work done, but everything appeared normal. We decided that he wasn't sick enough to have gotten into some mushrooms, and we were sent home and told to monitor him. The next day, Harry appeared fine so we took him out in the pasture again. He explored and set about one of his favorite activities, digging. All appeared well until shortly after we came inside. Harry once again appeared happy and responsive, but this time seemed dizzy and his pupils were dilated. After the third episode when Harry developed a head tilt and more vet visits with no clues other than it had to be something outside, we took Harry in to the holistic vet to try to keep him healthy while we were figuring out what was happening. In the waiting room, we saw Dr. Alison Davis, who asked what was going on with Harry. When we explained the symptoms, she asked if we had any toads in our yard. We told her we had many this year, and she replied that 'we had a toad licker' on our hands! It seems Harry is addicted to the toxic substance toads excrete from glands on their skin. Most dogs will not continue to lick toads because the substance is terribly irritating and many even foam at the mouth, but Harry just smiles, wags and looks for more toads. Once we started keeping him in and walking him on a leash, he quickly put his weight back on, but he also became moody. If anyone knows of an AmphAnon group in NH, please email Harry's family! The other day, the plumber caught Harry stealing a cigarette out of his pocket, so it looks like we'll have to add stealing and smoking to Harry's list of vices! |
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We live in a fairly rural area (our town doesn't even have a gas station or a bank), on 11 acres of pasture and woods, with hundreds of acres of woods around us. One day, I returned home with our four dogs from their weekly play group and let them out of the car. Only our newest addition, Buckaroo was leashed, and the other three dogs immediately took off after a feral cat that had been lurking around our property. I yelled for Emma, repeat offender runaway, to stay, and she stopped a few feet from me and sat. I yelled to Joe, who was known to stray 60 miles or more from his previous homes, to stay as he stepped into the woods, and he turned and looked at me. I yelled come and he ran back to me. Lucy, who never leaves my side, was a few feet into the woods when I told her to stay, but she continued deeper into the woods. I yelled for her to come and she still continued into the woods until I could no longer see her, so I turned to bring the other dogs in the house so I could go after her. I was shaking...if my former hunting scenthound would come to call, what could have possessed my red shadow to run off and not respond when I called her. She loves cats, and would potentially kiss one to death, but she'd never gone off after one before. As soon as I went back outside, she started running back to me with something in her mouth. I said "oh no, what does she have!" but glad that at least it wasn't the cat. That's when she ran up to me and proudly dropped a fully buttered, sliced bagel at my feet, and it wasn't even dirty! |
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On Harry's second Christmas with us, I had a chance to make it all up to him. As soon as I came downstairs early Christmas morning, I saw a fox run behind our barn. As the fox ran out into the yard, I threw open the window, picked Harry up so he could see better and pointed out the fox. The fox was fairly close to the house and stopped to watch us. I yelled "Merry Christmas" to the fox, and told Harry there was his Christmas present! There was no response from Harry who was still watching the fox. I asked Harry if he was ready to go...he looked at me and gave a low moan, his eyes clearly saying, "Out there?" "But it's cold out, and I haven't had my breakfast!" After breakfast, Harry and the others enjoyed the toys and treats they got for Christmas. Harry never once got excited again when riders passed by on horseback, nor did he attempt to go hunting the fox who visited us every morning for months following Christmas, but sometimes enjoyed watching out the window with me, just before breakfast. |
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Our
Charley had a wonderful sense of humor, with a big dollopof stubborn
thrown in for good measure. He would do just about anything
to get a laugh or reaction from someone. Too bad he missed
the look on our faces when we walked in the room to find him
standing on our rather high sofa. He'd never even attempted to get
on the furniture before and he was rather wobbly even standing at
this point, and try as he might, he needed lots of help to
get in the rather low car. 
Every family has one, 'the black sheep'
who just can't seem to stay out of trouble or make good decisions.
In our family, it's 'The Trouble with Harry.' 
If I only had my camera last winter
to capture the look on Buckarooo's face when trying to run on ice.
We had freezing rain form a thick layer of ice on top of the snow.
Rooo was running as fast as he could trying to catch Ladybug,
but he didn't seem to be getting anywhere. He kept running,
but periodically would look back and watch his rear feet as though
making sure they were working properly. He got so tired running
that he plopped down on his side and started panting, only to have
his tongue freeze to the ice! Luckily he didn't panic and
try get away~he just lay there looking embarrassed until I was able
to free him.
After the same ice storm, Joe went
out to do "dog stuff." He lifted his leg to get
to business, and started sailing across the sloped yard, a look
of pure joy on his face.
The first winter after Joe became part
of our family, he, Emma and Lucy were going to Woodlawn Kennel once
a week to spend some time playing with other dogs. During
one of their days at the kennel, I received a call from the manager
telling me that Joe had gotten out of the 6' chain-link fenced enclosure
during a play session. No one saw him get out, but he was
suddenly at the gate to the kennel office waiting to be let back
in. The kennel thought that he must have gone over the fence
where the snow was the deepest. I was very surprised to hear
this since Joe was not a confident dog, in fact he was rather the
opposite. I probably wouldn't have been surprised to hear
Emma had escaped, but Joe was another story. I was assured
that they would have something in place before Joe's next visit
to make sure it didn't happen again. The next week when I
dropped the dogs off, the fence had a couple of feet of wire fencing
on top of the regular fence that bent in toward the play yard. Surely
Joe wouldn't be able to escape again...but, when I went to pick
him up, I was told the same thing had happened again. Once again,
no one saw Joe go over the fence, he was just there one minute and
gone the next. The following week, the staff had taken extra
precautions to insure that Joe would not be able to escape again.
Joe wouldn't even be able to get near the fence! They
assured me that this had never happened before, the fencing had
always been adequate to keep all the dogs in, but this should keep
Joe safe. Well, I soon received a call telling me that Joe had once
again gotten out, but the mystery was solved. Joe hadn't been
jumping the fence at all! A woman had dropped her dog off
for grooming that morning and got into her car to leave. She
soon ran back into the office and said, "Excuse me, but do
you know there's a dog on your roof!?!" The staff ran
outside and stood with their mouths open, there was my rather fearful
dog on top of the steep metal, snow-covered roof! No one said
a word for fear of startling Joe, who carefully sat when he reached
the top, slide down the other side, landed in a large pile of snow
at the bottom, and then walked around to the gate for the office!
He hadn't been trying to escape at all, just having some winter
fun!
Our Lucy has a wheat allergy, so of
course will do anything to get it, from eating 20 scones when we
believed her to be sound asleep (her paw prints were in the four
remaining) to climbing onto the laps of our company and eating waffles
off their plates while tears of laughter stream down their faces.
The Great Bagel Hunt is what finally earned her the nickname 'Miss
Crumpet'.
One year on John's birthday, we were
having a small party with a few friends over. Hobo started
bothering me that he had to go out, even though he'd been out less
than 1/2 hour before. John was opening his gifts and Hobo
started becoming more agitated as time went on and continued to
tell me he needed to go out. I finally decided he must really
need to go again, and I opened the back door and let him out. Not
a minute later he was scratching at the back door wanting to be
let back in. As soon as I opened the door, he strutted over
to John carrying something in his mouth, and sat in front of him.
John was just finishing with his presents, when Hobo proudly
dropped a frozen cow pie at his feet!
I've
always tried to have special one-on-one time with each of the dogs
here, even if it's only a ride to nowhere in particular. Shortly
after Buckarooo arrived, I decided it was his turn to come along
for a ride in the truck. Shortly after I pulled out of the
driveway onto our dirt road, I heard a distinct thwump, thwump,
thwump... Oh no, did I have a flat tire? It didn't feel
like I did, but then our road is pretty bumpy. I slowed down
and so did the sound ~ thwump, thwump, thwump. I got out of
the truck and walked around, and sighed with relief; all the tires
looked fine. I got back in the truck and started out again
with the window rolled all the way down and my head sticking out
to better listen, and sure enough, there it was again ~ thwump,
thwump, thwump. I sped up and sound came faster ~ thwump,
thwump, thwump. I slowed again and glanced in the rearview
mirror to check on Buckarooo who was enjoying the ride, his head
all the way out the window, his flews flapping in the breeze ~ thwump,
thwump, thwump, thwump, thwump, thwump... 
Harry
made it clear when he arrived in New Hampshire from Virginia that
did not care for the cold weather, and he missed hunting. He
had attempted more than one solo fox hunt, and every time he saw
a group of people ride by on horseback, he'd get all excited running
to us and to the window, barking "Let's go! Let's go!
They're leaving without us!" He clearly did not
know what was wrong with us. He would whine for hours with
frustration and disappointment.