The Bone Collector

I love teaching. I just love having students.

My students are not always the two legged kind. Although I love teaching them too.

Dixie is my winter student. Sundance was to begin her lessons this winter but we ended up using the round pen to store large square bales.

And she loves all kinds of weather. Her hound coat is such that it sheds water and keeps her well insulated.

She is a willing student and thrives on "Good Girl!". 
At this time of year, I like to walk the woods and look for antler sheds. It is a hobby that is really just an excuse to get out and hike during these blah months. The days can be wet and dreary or cold an windy, yet at least there is a purpose to the hike.

I thought it might be fun to try and train Dixie to help me find sheds. She is already a master at finding dead disgusting things from a long distance.

Perhaps we could find antler sheds! I've looked up how to train a shed hunting dog. Apparently it is well known that you need to use retrievers and labs are very popular for this. You need to start the pup out very young. A pup out of shed hunting parents can be purchased for a mere 2 grand. An started dog just $3,500 or a bit more depending on their field experience. A trained dog? Hold onto your seats! Just 6 to 7 grand. Of course that dog will hunt sheds.

Well.
"Dixie! Will you hunt sheds for me?"

I see the twinkle in her eyes and see her brain working. "Haaa----whuuut?" 

Oh well, we'd go have some fun together. I figured since she isn't supposed to a retriever but she will retrieve a ball with gusto we might be able to do other things that a hound like her isn't supposed to do.
I do know she has a fantastic nose. Sometimes too good.

The east wind was cold and damp so we opted to cut through the woods and climb up to the ridge. Facing the winds after warming up would be easier than just walking straight into it.

Yesterday's run off seemed to power freeze. 

We made it to the ridge and I walked along the cropland next to the woods. I've heard from guys I used to work with that were avid shed hunters that this was the prime area to look for antlers.

Dixie checked each trail that went into the woods. She would run in and look around. I'd watch to see if she was finding anything and say "Hey" if I felt she was going in out of my sight.

She'd blast back alongside me and head to the next trail.

Well, I think we were doing something sort of right. I hit my leg twice and Dixie came to sit with me while we watched this deer watch us.

It finally ran off.
Dixie ran down another trail and seemed to find something.

An interesting skull. I picked it up and put it in my back pack and told Dixie "What a Good Girl!"

Wag, wag, wag...twisty wag...

I motioned for her to go ahead of me and off we went again. We got to about where the deer was and she trotted up to something on the ground, gave it a whiff and went on.
A shed!

I stood near it and asked Dixie to come and see. "Look Dixie! Look! This is what we are looking for!"

"Haaaaaa-whuuuut?"

Well. 
I don't think she'll ever understand that I don't allow her to run off and grab deer bones or chase deer, but I would like her to show me an antler.

Rome was not built in a day. I'm sure we can figure this out.
She did take me to bones though. She found them and then ignored them as if to say. I know they are there and I know you don't want me to dig them out of the ice.

Good dog.

I turned and headed up the valley along the creek. Yesterday the waters were raging. Today the creek had retreated to its quiet self. 

When I got to my part of the creek I discovered something very interesting.

The ice flow that had built up during our cold spells was still there but the creek flowed under the ice. Okay, not that strange, but look at this photo that I took by sticking my hand under the ice.

We came home with a skull and an antler shed. We'd hiked nearly 3 miles on rough terrain and we felt good.

The Bone Collectors can't wait to go out again.

Recovery

I probably shouldn't admit this, but losing Morris was extremely painful.

I've had many kind words and condolences.... I have to agree ... No matter how many years a dog lives, it is so very hard ... it never seems like it has been enough time.

My mother in law questioned me on Sunday. I had said something about Morris being ill and not doing well.

She wondered aloud ~ and she was NOT being mean at all ~ "Why would someone have a pet and like them so much to have them go and die. I mean they have such short lives!"

I jumped up and stood ready to be mean. However, her words were not inappropriate. Why on earth do we give our hearts over to pets with such intensity?
I said, "Honey, you are preaching to the wrong choir! Morris is...he is...
I ..."

I looked to my husband who shrugged. 
His mother had never had a pet. Always working farm dogs, outdoor dogs. She wasn't a pet person.
In fact, when Morris was a wee pup...he peed on her shoe.

At 87 years old, she was not going to 'get' the dog/pet/buddy thing. 

I smiled. After all, Morris was doing just fine. 

However. Morris was a typical Jack Russell Terrier. My veterinarian explained one time that JRT's will GO GO GO and suddenly stop. Worry at the stop. They normally don't let you know they have a problem...until...well. There you go.

Morris was fine. Tuesday he ran and played with Dixie in the morning. Tuesday afternoon his life stopped. 

I don't regret our time together. He made it so much richer. He was a pain. He was demanding. He was...simply put, Morris.

"...But you have Dixie!" 

Yes, I have Dixie. The big goof of a hound. Ever loving ... always willing to please.

Dixie. Right now, Dixie is just enough until I figure out what happens next.
Morris left a hole in my heart. But so did so many others. I haven't been able to move his crate. His toys are lined up on a box. I can pick the toys up and hold them close for a moment with my eyes closed.

I couldn't get rid of his red blanket. We always shared it. 

I had to put one of his larger toys on the couch so I could rest my hand on it while I read a book. As I would rest my hand on Morris's body.

Last night I heard him on the stairs.

This morning I swear he woke me up as usual at 5 AM. I found myself putting on my sweatshirt to let him out the porch door.

This morning Dixie helped me with chores. We went to the creek and watched the run off together. She filled an ache and I hugged her hard. I pulled her to me in the snow/icy/slush and buried my face into her shoulders.
She wiggled and then for a few moments, she stood utterly still.

Dixie is helping my.....our...
hearts recover.

And that is all one can ask.

Miss Dixie ~ and Mr. Morris

Just because I am writing about Dixie, doesn't mean I love Mr. Morris any less or that he is not wanted!

After all, he spent the past weekend basking in glory on the couch with some of his favorite people.

He is the essential lap dog and commanders the couch most of the time these days.
He went out to play with Scout on one of the subzero days and the two dogs chased each other until suddenly Morris couldn't move. Scout's feet got cold and Morris could barely walk.
Since then Morris has been quick to do his outdoor business and back to his perch on the couch with the polartech fleece blankets.

Dixie is my black and tan hound dog that was never trained to hunt. She does have a nice cozy outdoor house that is bedded deep.
I thought she would like to accompany on a hike to go get the mail yesterday.

At first I was afraid it would be too cold for her, however she rarely stops moving long enough to get cold. ...Well, except for digging for mouse nests in the meadow grasses!

Now there has to be a classic Dixie 'Ears Flappin' shot in any hike we go on. I just adore those hound dog ears.

After checking around for mouse nests and digging one or two up, we went up through the woods towards the road. This is often how I get the mail in the winter. I can incorporate a hike up the to the ridge through the woods and effectively stay out of the cold winds.

I must say, Dixie sure does a lot of running and joyful leaping on our hikes. She is always the happy hound. It is very hard to get a good shot of her with the snow and bright sunlight too.
We went up the trail and onto the road.

Deer hunting season is over in our area so Dixie and I can resume some of our longer hikes. I don't want to go very far right now as the median temperatures are hovering just below zero.
I would hate to have Dixie injure her feet in this cold.

We made it to the road. I had forgotten how much I converse with my hiking partners when they are dogs. I keep a running commentary with Dixie.

"Good girl Dixie! You are the best!"
"Come here let me hug you!"
"Oh dear Dixie, you could use a nice bath!"

I must admit, she is a stunning dog. Every time she hears my voice she wags her tail even if she is concentrating on something she scents in the woods.
Note the green collar. It is a training collar. I only use it if she takes off chasing deer. However I discovered on this dead end road that hunters had been tossing deer carcasses into the woods.

Dixie couldn't contain herself with all that dead stuff piled under the snow. She raced down into the woods and started digging up deer bones. I only had to 'touch' her once when I yelled "NO! Dixie!" and she dropped the bones and came back to my side.
I hate it when people use dead end roads to dump things.

However, I do love having her company. Who wouldn't love having this charmer walking with them?

She really helps complete the beautiful scene.

We leashed up when walking back towards home. She is one of the easiest dogs to walk on leash.
She never pulls. Ever.

Here I just stopped walking and asked for a 'sit'. I must say that she has been one of my best students for dog obedience.

Dixie is my 'velcro' dog when we are on leash. And she is very huggable.

Just look at her face.

Yes, we did get the mail and Dixie spent time with me while I was choring and watering the stock tanks.

Morris? He is doing pretty good. His health is slowly declining. I can't wait for a warm up so we can take some walks together with Dixie like the old days.
Although, probably not the running and chasing they used to do together...

Dixie Saves the Day

It was cold, misty, and foggy. I still had a bunch of milkweed pods I wanted to get and I knew there were some I could find in the soybean field between the contour strips nearby.
It was only a 15 to 20 minute hike.

I decided to take Dixie the hound dog since she would end up being confined during the 9 day deer gun season. It had been a while since I'd taken her off the farm for a walk. A long time!
How would she do? Would she behave on a leash?

I clipped an old lead rope to her collar. She pulled a little bit at first and then settled into almost a perfect heel. I was so pleased that she remembered her manners.

Off we went. Dixie trotted alongside me swinging her head back and forth as her nose worked the air. As a hound, I'm sure she was investigating the 'air' off the farm. Since we were on a field road, I let her off leash. She promptly ran like a puppy in large circles stopping to smell the aromas that lingered in the damp air.
She didn't mind the misty fog at all.
I found the milkweed pods and began to clip them to length.

Dixie ran up and smelled what I was doing and then ran back out onto the picked soybean field.
I whistled and waved to her. She ran up to me.
"Dixie, sit!"
Dixie stared at me and trotted around me.
"Dixie! Sit!" I made a motion and tapped her hindquarters with my hand.
She instantly sat and looked up at me. I reached down and loved her up. She groaned.
I decided to follow the snow mobile trail down into the valley. I could always go up the creek to the trail that led back home.
It was the long way, but what the heck, I had Dixie with me and having company in the Wild Woods is a nice thing.

It is fun to have her along. She is exuberant in all she does.

We hiked the trail down into the valley.
Dixie would run ahead and then race back to me.

I thought we might get into some trouble when 3 nice doe bounded across the trail in front of her. She stopped and whined and looked after the deer. I whistled and yelled out "NO!" Dogs who chase deer are frowned upon in our area, especially only a few days before gun season.

She wanted to hunt and chase, that is her nature. But she wasn't sure. I squatted down and whistled again.
Dixie charged like a bullet. She ran up to me and past me. Then touched me and let me love her up.
Off she went again to lead the way and let her nose do some investigating.

We explored the damage done by the spring flash floods to the snow mobile crossing. The culvert had been washed away and repeated hard rains had made the creek cut in at least 6 feet below the crossing. The gap had widened considerably. I don't think the owners of the land even knew this was washed away. I guess they'd get a surprise come Saturday morning when they drove their trucks or 4 wheelers in. No access to the rest of the land by vehicle any more.

Upstream the creek spreads out but it is more like a swamp. A person can walk through it and I've ridden with Ariel and the mules through it, but a 4 wheeler or road vehicle is not going to get through the deep sucking mud.

Dixie and I went upstream. Just before we got to the Willows, 4 bucks crashed up out of the brambles and headed up the steep valley hill. Dixie ran to follow but crashed into the thick briers and brambles. My whistle stopped her.
She came back.
I put her on the lead rope.
"Oh Dixie," I said petting her. She wagged her whole body. "Now I'm going to put you on a tight rope. I don't think you'll be able to contain yourself if we pop up more deer!"

We came to a creek crossing. I didn't want to get my feet any wetter than they were, so I jumped. Dixie jumped with me. I was grateful that the big lug hadn't taken that moment to knock into me while on the lead rope.

I took a reroute along a deer trail to keep from walking in the creek. I reached into my coveralls pocket for the pink camera that I normally carry and it wasn't there. My first thought was. Good! I lost it! I can finally replace it!
My next thought was, Dang I had some fun shots of Dixie on it!

I set the bouquet of milkweed pods down and turned Dixie and I around. We had to go find the camera. I probably lost it in the big leap over the creek.
I wonder if it landed in the creek? I'd dropped it years ago in nearly the same place.

I started back the same way I came. Dixie now seemed to have a purpose. I let her lead me as she seemed intent on smelling her way back. She did retrace our steps and when we got to the spot I'd jumped the creek? She bore down and tried to pick something up ...

I plucked the pink camera out of the muck and zipped it into my pocket.
I loved Dixie up and let her off lead.

Time to head home.

Okay. Dixie never really 'saved the day'. But she was fun to have along. She was obedient and fun. I really needed to take her hiking more often. Especially since Morris can't really go anymore.

I wonder how she'd do with our friend's dog Scout?

Well, that remains to be seen.
Dixie is as always, a fine and wonderful dog. She simply IS. And that is good for me.
And that camera? It still works just fine.
Sigh. It is 8 yrs old and I'd really like one a bit better...

Dixie and I hiking together. Caught on our Trail Cam.

Well Love is a Hound Dawg...

So who can resist those flopping ears, the wobbling jowls, the wagging tail, and the awkward galumphing of Dixie?

I was going to go shoot some still life shots just for something interesting to do. At the last moment I chose to bring Dixie.
That changed all of my plans.

Dixie played and ran and was pure joy. I had to just simply observe and enjoy her antics.

In the photo below you can just barely see her as she really blends into the backround.

She got muddy as all get out by climbing logs and at one point she fell into a wash.
She popped up and shook off. Tough dog.

Dixie can't help her nose. It is fantastic without a doubt. She can track me, but she can also find interesting carcasses. This was a doe at some point.
I would love it if Dixie could find antler sheds.

She was so very good about the whole thing. She picked up some bones and chewed on them until I got there...climbing under nasty prickly stuff...

I told her to leave it. And she dropped the bones and we went on.
I collected the skull for an art project later this year. I deposited it in a place where I could come back and get it.

We found other deer parts spread out through the valley. Most likely coyote kills or careless hunters.
This land is now leased during deer hunting season and I am not an advocate of certain kinds of hunters who shoot and don't find their animal.

After our adventure, Dixie and I went to visit the upstairs...top of the ridge neighbors...she was curtious, kind, and lovable to the little kids. I know my next indoor dog will be a hound.
Dixie would have been an indoor dog, however, before the remodel, we did not have room for her AND Morris.

Big Dog. Huge Heart. Lots of Love.
Dixie.