Stories from the Stringam Family Ranches of Southern Alberta

From the 50s and 60s to today . . .



Thursday, July 13, 2017

Ruby the Wanna-Be


Our usual Camping buddies
Panda and Chiefy
The Interloper
Okay, I admit it. She's cute.











We raised Old English Sheepdogs.
A wonderful breed.
Shaggy.
Smart.
Protective.
Affectionate.
Did I mention shaggy?
We had raised them for years.
Long enough that anyone remotely connected to us had one of our pups.
Old English Sheepdogs wherever you looked.
A good thing.
Then our close friends bought, in addition to their resident sheepdog, a *gasp* Miniature Schnauzer.
Heathens.
They called her Ruby.
We stared at the wee little mite suspiciously.
Snapping black eyes.
Little black nose and ‘folded-over’ ears.
Tuft of a tail.
Okay, we had to admit it, she was cute.
Really cute.
She was accepted. And immediately took over the household.
Now, I should probably mention here that our dogs went with us camping.
All of our dogs.
And our friends brought their dogs as well.
We usually got campsites adjacent or directly across from each other and put down roots.
Now we were accustomed to camping with Sheepdogs who stayed in the campsite.
Even when their family went to the beach without them.
And were seldom/never heard from.
We discovered that a Miniature Schnauzer was . . . different.
For one thing, she had a habit of speaking up when there were strangers walking past.
Or thinking of walking past.
Or breathing . . . somewhere.
And she didn’t like to stay in the campsite. If chained, she was vociferous in her opinion of families who treated their doggies so.
And, if left unchained, she would disappear.
For the first day, dealing with her was a puzzle.
Not that I pointed out that she was definitely not an OES.
Several times.
Her family soon devised a solution.
They wrapped her leash around a small log.
Which slowed her down.
Notice I didn’t say ‘stopped her’.
No, it just slowed her down. Enough that her family could keep her in sight.
Now, when they strolled across into our campsite, Ruby would appear a few minutes later, manfully (can I say that about a female dog?) pulling her little log.
“Oh, here’s Ruby,” they would say. “Pulling her log of shame!”
But Ruby learned. And found her place in our family.
Amongst the sheepdogs.
I don’t know what life would be like without her.

16 comments:

  1. Sweet. Funny how dogs can wrap us around their paws and we forgive all. Alana ramblinwitham.blogspot.com

    ReplyDelete
  2. Determination in a small furry body... Sucessful determination.

    ReplyDelete
  3. I am completely confused....how I am just now hearing about your book about the daughter of Ishmael? How I am just hearing about you? And I heard about you from Carol Cassara on her blog. She said there is even information about the Book of Mormon in this book. How is this possible I have not heard of you? I am ordering your book right now and hope to make sure everyone knows about you

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I'm so glad we are finally meeting, Donna! I'm thrilled beyond words that you are going to read Daughter of Ishmael. And thank you, thank you for spreading the word!

      Delete
  4. I DON'T HAVE DOGS BUT MINI SCHNAUZERS ARE MY FAVORITE. THEY DO TRAIN AND OWN YOU BUT THEY ARE WILLING TO PLEASE AND CAN LEARN QUICKLY.

    ReplyDelete
  5. Such different breeds and yet both completely lovable!

    ReplyDelete
  6. She's a cutie alright. I'll have to remember that log trick in case I ever need it or need to tell someone else about it.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. It only slows them down. They can still get where they want to go. And it wears them out doing it! Genius!

      Delete
  7. THEY DO TRAIN AND OWN YOU BUT THEY ARE WILLING TO PLEASE AND CAN LEARN QUICKLY.


    การ์ตูนโป๊, jav

    ReplyDelete

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