Asherpark, Jack

The Magic of Friendship

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Friends

We had the best time ever this week when Liz came to see us. She started coming to Asherpark long before I was born and she knew all the dogs that I’ve only heard about:  Ash, Tess, Jack, Nellie, Mama and Shiloh.

I love the story of how she and Mom got to know each other. Sometimes when I’m bored and don’t feel like doing much, I ask Mom to tell me how she and Liz got to be friends. The story goes something like this.

After Mom retired she wanted to foster older dogs through her favorite organization Old Dog Haven. Jack was the first foster dog to come to Asherpark. Mom picked him because he was kinda sorry looking and she was afraid nobody else would want him. Turns out Liz knew about Old Dog Haven and she sponsored some of the final refuge dogs including Jack.

Sponsor a Final Refuge Dog

Jack

Liz wrote to Mom about Jack and they started talking on the phone. One thing led to another and pretty soon they were phone buddies. Turns out Mom and Liz had a lot in common and they really liked each other. Next thing you know Liz came to visit Jack and the other dogs at Asherpark and she’s been coming back ever since.

Me and Journey love Liz. She lets us get on the bed and play with her. She doesn’t mind if we’re silly or crazy. She likes us just the way we are. You can see our friend Dex in the picture too. He’s been hanging out with us while his boss is on vacation. Dex took to Liz right away and slept in her room the whole time she stayed with us.

Mom said being friends with Liz is magic. An old worn out mutt named Jack brought two strangers together and Voila! A friendship that has endured long after Jack crossed over the bridge.

Here’s a big shout out to Liz from all of us at Asherpark. Thanks Liz for coming to see us!

Journey, Dex & Finn

Finn

Another Kill

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Journey

Journey gets this look on her face when she’s killed something. It’s very matter of fact. Like she’s saying, “Oh by the way I just killed again.”

First thing this morning we were all out in the front yard. Journey was scratching around under a tree when she got fixated on something. Mom came running over to see what was happening, but it was too late.

Journey had found a nest of little rabbits and she killed two of them in a flash. She carefully laid them out on the ground so we all could see what she’d done. She let me smell them and I even picked one up in my mouth.

I tried to be as gentle as I could because I thought maybe the rabbit might still be alive. It made me sad to hold the little bunny in my mouth, so I gently put him back next to his brother.

Mom felt bad too. She picked up the  bunny and massaged his chest to see if he could still be alive, but he was gone. We didn’t see Journey kill the rabbits and there wasn’t any damage to their little bodies. But Journey must have shaken them just enough to make them dead.

Mom carried the rabbits out of the yard one by one. She laid them beyond the fence in some tall grass where they could rest in peace. “Sorry, bunny,” she said over and over.

Journey knew we weren’t too happy with her, but I don’t think she understood why. Me and mom felt the little bunnies didn’t stand a chance. They have no defense against predators and they’re not the brightest creature. Sometimes we have to get out of the car to chase them off the road so they don’t get run over.

It’s different when Journey hunts moles. They’re devious and do so much damage to the fields and lawn. It’s a game of hide and seek. Journey is good at hunting the moles, but it’s always a challenge. It wasn’t a challenge with the little bunnies. They didn’t stand a chance. Journey just happened on them and the next thing you know they were dead.

That’s the way it is living in the country. The bears and bobcats eat the chickens, the cougar eats the goats, and Journey hunts for the fun of it. She rarely eats what she kills except for the occasional rabbit.

I guess we do what comes natural to us. Killing varmints and small creatures comes natural to Journey. I admire her skill but sometimes I wish she’d find another hobby.

 

Journey

She’s Gone Rogue

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Journey

Journey has always been willful. When she was a tiny puppy her littermates would all run in one direction and Journey would go the opposite way. She rarely got scolded. With those beautiful blue eyes all she had to do was look at you and your heart would melt.

Mom took Journey to so many classes she lost count. Basic obedience, advanced obedience, how to walk nicely on leash, intro to therapy dog training, how to behave in elevators, use public restrooms, even how to ride in an ambulance. Mom had friends help her with training. They would hide from Journey then call her and she’d get a big reward when she found them.

But then things took a turn. Journey flunked her first therapy dog test. Why you ask? Not because she didn’t have the basic skills – she certainly did. No, it was because Journey made it clear she didn’t want to be a therapy dog. She wouldn’t pay attention to directions or stand still when petted. She always had her nose to the ground searching for a scent.

Eventually Mom realized the whole therapy dog thing would never work. She had to find something Journey actually wanted to do. That’s why we started nose work classes. Journey loves nose work and she’s very good at it. It’s mentally challenging and she likes the treats. But we can all tell that nose work isn’t really satisfying for Journey. You see, Journey just wants to hunt and kill. That’s right – Journey is a first class predator.

Journey began her career as a serial killer when she discovered moles. She could smell them and hear them moving around under ground, but it took her a while to perfect her hunting skills. When she first caught a mole she didn’t know what to do with it. She played around with it and eventually tossed it to Mom who threw it over the fence. As time went on Journey perfected her snatch and kill technique. Dig out the mole, grab it by the neck, give it a quick twist and voila! Another dead mole. In the month of June Journey killed eight moles. That’s her personal best.

You can tell from looking at her face how happy Journey is when she murders a mole. I don’t know what to say about that. She’s her own dog and I respect her,  but sometimes I wonder what goes on behind those baby blue eyes.

After The Hunt