Tag: Australian Cattle Dog mix

Stella

My Australian Cattle Dog mix Stella recently became twelve years old a senior dog, reckoned in human years. That makes her, by some calculations, 84. I’m skeptical she’s that old.

She’s slowed down a little, lost a step or two. Stella likes the comfort of the couch a little more, and a little more often, than in years past. Yet she’s still ready for a walk no matter what the weather. And on the walk she’s still still nose down yet head up with eyes open, reacting to what she smells, hears, sees. I still have to pay close attention to her, what’s around us, what has her attention. That’s good, keeps me attentive and alert.

I’m very blessed to have had her for these years, and look forward to having her for more.

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All ears

I zoomed in and unintentionally close and cropped Stella’s ear. I love her intent look, her liquid brown eves, the ‘freckle’ on her nose. I love this dog.

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Near and far

taken and posted with the PlayBook

Stella lays on the deck, surveying the entire backyard. In the background, Achilles lays on his own. He is the most independent dog of our three. He can be content to be on his own, sometimes out in the backyard for an hour.

Different dogs, good dogs, our cattle dogs.

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A good day for a walk

Achilles and I walked in the Ontario Society for Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (OSPCA) Friends for Life! Walk today. I adopted Achilles from a central Texas animal shelter in 2006, and I wanted to pay back/pay forward the favour the shelter did to him, to me, for keeping him until I came along. More than a few people very generously donated money to sponsor our walk to raise money for the OSPCA.

It was a Goldilocks morning for a walk, not cool or warm, not rainy, some sun, some clouds, a good breeze. We had a good 2 1/2 klick walk. Several times we stopped – no rush, no need to hurry. I got the camera out a few times, and one time the stars aligned for this informal portrait.

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It was a good day for a walk and it has been a good day to give thanks.

Whiskers

Look closely and you’ll observe Achilles’ white whiskers. Not a hallmark of age for this elder statesman, he’s always had white whiskers.

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Gratitude

I made my fund-raising goal for the OSPCA Friends for Life! Walk in just over a week, six days before the walk. It was an ambitious goal and I was a little skeptical, expecting to achieve my objective in the last day or so.

Events like this reinforce my belief that (most) people are essentially good, and reinforce my gratitude for people, their generosity, for being alive and blessed.

Achilles, do you want to go on a walk?

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Pay it back, and forward

I adopted Achilles from a Central Texas animal shelter in May of 2006.  He was picked up as a stray and his people, for whatever reason, had not come for him.

He was an adult dog and adults often are overlooked by potential adopters. Chilidog had been looked at but not adopted. The shelter workers held on to him, believed in him, kept him well past the time they probably should have ‘made a decision.’ And then I came along. He had been there two days short of a year on the day I brought him home.

Here we are, eight years later. Achilles has been such a treasure. He’s a great ambassador for his species. He’s a good ladies’ man I’m told.

A small way to return the favour those shelter workers did him, me, us, is to fund-raise for the OSPCA. So we’re walking in the OSPCA Friends for Life! Walk.

Pay it back, pay it forward.

Beloved Achilles. Friends for life indeed.

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A different perspective

I usually photograph the dogs from an angle, sometimes at their level. This time I captured Achilles from almost directly above as he watched people walk past.

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Doughnut dog

Curled into a round little O. Bentley glowing brightly for all dogs.

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sweet Stella

It’s sometimes hard to believe she’s eleven years old. Recently someone saw her and was quite surprised to learn her age. Stella’s been a challenging dog at times – very quick to learn; quickly bored; on walks paying less attention to me than I was accustomed to in my dogs; wary of unfamiliar people; still occasionally letting loose that cattle dog shriek. I had to learn new ways of in-seeing, both into her specifically, dogs in general, and myself. She’s not a perfect dog but no dog is. She’s more than good enough.

My life, my self, is much richer for owning her.

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