Animals have feelings too. They will behave based on the way they have been treated.
When I was a kid, we took in a sheepdog that somebody we knew was looking to get rid of. That guy was a mean bastard, so the sheepdog was a mean bastard. Damn dog tried to bite me the first time I fed him. Within a few weeks the dog was sleeping on the floor next to my bed every night. Went from mean bastard to big baby in no time. When you love an animal they almost always will love you back.
Two stories about that sheepdog. One night there was a massive thunderstorm. It was hot as hell so my window was open. Lightning struck near the house and it sounded like a bomb went off. Chevy (sheepdog's name) jumped straight up and landed right on top of me on my bed. Chevy weighed around 90 pounds or so and knocked the wind right out of me. Luckily I was already awake so I saw him coming. Only time I ever cursed the dog out. When my breath came back.
A family friend named Billy raised pigs and collected slop buckets from the local McDonalds. He was getting more than he needed so he left us a bucket for the dog. My stepdad came home later in the day and found the dog laying in the backyard groaning. Billy didn't put the lid on the bucket tight so Chevy helped himself to a gourmet McDonalds leftover feast. Five gallon slop bucket, two thirds missing. Needless to say Chevy skipped dinner that night.
That whole Golden Rule thing seems to work pretty well in most avenues of life, for sure!
Okay seriously, Kris, I love all of your tales! You need to post on your blog more! I love all of the visuals of the mammoth sheep dog knocking the wind out of you and that big beastie rolling around in full indigestion agony from gorging on Big Mac's LOL! Totally reminds me of a story about my Boxer Boss Hog. Think I will write about that tomorrow:o)
Hope you are staying warm, speaking of, I think I am going to go put another chunk of red fir on the fire, laterz my friend!
It's starting to warm up here a bit. Supposed to hit 40's this weekend so snow will be turning to slush.
You know, I have been thinking about making a post about Billy. He was a good friend of my uncle who lost his pants. Garbageman who raised pigs on the side. He passed away several years ago, but he wouldn't care if I told his stories. He was nuts, in a good way. If I find time this weekend I'll get it done.
YASS! I can't wait to read the tale of the nutty garbageman pig herder!
It's a weird snow-slushing sort of mess here too, back and forth above and below freezing. Kind of like March weather only in January, lol! Of course, I spent most of the day at my son's basketball game, so at least I was in the gym and warm. Probably from all the yelling.....