Baby & Will - in April of 2005

I don't know what I could possibly say about Baby that could properly articulate her devotion to our family.  Baby was a mixed breed rescue that we took in at 9 weeks of age.  We found homes for her remaining brothers.  She was the only female.  Her owner had tried to keep their Siberian Husky contained during her heat cycle but she had busted out of a garage window screen and was bred by a local in-tact male dog.  He was a wonderful dog, owned by a friend that lives not far from us.  He was a purebred German Shepard from police dog lines.  To say that this guy took his guarding job seriously, would be putting it mildly.  He used to follow all the local kids as they walked a couple of miles to a local pond to fish.  He would sit with them all day and then walk them home.  He was once shot in the head by a horrible person and survived.  Baby was several years old by the time that it happened.  I remember talking about it with the local vet, when we took Baby in for a Rabies vaccine.  He called her the daughter of the miracle dog.  He was so lucky to have survived.  Sadly months after his recovery he disappeared.  Rumor was that the man who first tried to kill him, finished the job.  It makes me sick to think of it.  Personally I believe that there is a special place in hell for people who purposely hurt innocent animals.  At least I'd like to think so. 

When we took Baby in she was nine weeks old and hadn't had any real handling, training, or socialization.  We took her home and she literally sat in one spot for days.  She didn't eat, she didn't drink, she didn't move at all.  But I don't give up easy and she suddenly snapped out of it.  It was like she woke up one morning and thought, "Ok, I have to eat.  I have to drink.  I have to move.  My life is here now and I might as well get used to it."   

She was a different dog after that.  She was my little shadow.  She followed me everywhere.  And I mean everywhere.  I couldn't even go to the bathroom without her banging on the door and scratching at it.  I hadn't chosen a name yet.  Nothing seemed right.  And I found myself constantly saying things like, "You are such a baby!  Can't you just let me out of your sight for one second?"  And that's how she got named Baby.  For being such a big baby. 

When Baby was a small puppy, I kept certain things like a dog leash, a container of food, and a box of Meaty Bone dog treats on the bottom of an ivy bakers rack in the kitchen.  (I never crate trained Baby, since she never really left my side it wasn't really necessary.  Although I've done it with every other dog, and I strongly recommend it.)  I'll never forget the night that I woke up to the strangest banging sound.  Bang. Bang. Thump.  Thump. BANG.. pause ...  BANG BANG BANG BANG.....  I was thinking, "What in the world ?!?!", as I jumped out of bed and went into the living room searching for the sound.  And there I found Baby.

She had her head stuck in the Meaty Bone box.  She had eaten every single treat that was left in the box and she had the little, narrow box stuck on her head.  The first bangs apparently had been her wandering around the house blindly.  The following rapid, loud bangs were her when she walked into the fireplace (old chimney sealed off - not in use) and she couldn't find her way out and was panicking as she ran the box into every side of the fireplace.  Of course I felt sorry for her and immediately ran to her rescue.  But I sure did have a good laugh.  I'll never forget how ridiculous she looked with her head stuck in that box ramming into things.  Puppies are an adventure a minute. 

That was the last time I ever remember Baby getting into anything she wasn't supposed to.  That wasn't really an issue with Baby.  She was just hard to train.  She didn't want to listen at all.  She had all of the intelligence of the German Shepard and all of the stubbornness of the Husky.  Talk about a handful !  I had to use every training resource you can possibly imagine to get her into shape.  I had to literally pull every trick in the book.  But when I got it right, boy did I ever.  She was, and has always been, the most obedient and the most intelligent dog I have ever been blessed enough to call my own. 

Baby has a trait, that is not very common in dogs but I've noticed that it is more often seen in German Shepard mixes than many other dogs.  It is such a blessing when you find it.  The ability to understand almost every word that comes out of your mouth.  It's almost scary. 

My favorite dog story with Baby is not one that I can tell on the web site.  Let's just say that once someone was very rude and nasty with me and Baby did something rude back.  An act usually reserved for male dogs and trees.   And let's leave it at that. 

Baby has tons of lovable traits.  She doesn't show her affection in typical ways.  She doesn't want to snuggle on your lap.  She doesn't want a hug.  And she's far fonder of a nice scratch, than she is a pet on the head.  She doesn't like to be inside.  I forced her to stay in until she was roughly 9 months old, and then I lost the battle.  Baby's favorite place is somewhere outside that she can see everything real well.  Her house, her people, you get the idea.  She never had much use for dog houses.  You'd only see her in her dog house when it rained and was real cold at the same time, and it was still rare.  Otherwise, forget it.  She was the best "mother hen" anybody could ever ask for, for all of the mastiff pups and rescues that have came since her.  Just a wonderful influence, and training influence as well, on all of them. 

As she's aged, she's secure enough in her role as alpha dog that she doesn't feel the need to constantly prove it.  Everyone around here knows it.  And if they forget, she'll gently remind them.    It's a good thing.  Having a good alpha dog in your pack keeps things running smoothly. 

She uses her dog house a little more than she used to, and occasionally you can even talk her into staying inside a bit.  She doesn't boss and fret quite as much as she did when she was in her prime.  She still doesn't want more than a "pass thru" to check on things, inside the house most days.  And sleeps right outside the door most of the time.  She loves and guards our kids as if they were her own.  She's the best guard dog I've ever had. 

November 2006 :  Baby had her 10th birthday recently.  She's having a health issue that we are treating but it is worrying me to pieces.  I wish she could just be with me forever.  She means the world to me.  And these days I thank God every single day for blessing my life with her presence. 

Feb 2007 Update:

There is no easy way to say this, but we lost Baby in December to intestinal cancer.  I haven't really had the heart to update her page.  Even posting this here now, is something I don't want to do.  I miss her so much.  I feel like the luckiest dog owner in the world to have been able to call her mine for 10 years.  But loosing her has hurt so bad.  I'm still not over it, and I don't think I ever will be. 

To you Baby, the best dog I ever had: 

I wasn't ready to give you up.  I wasn't ready to let you go.  I wanted so many more years with you.  Life without you was not something that I could even imagine.  And I didn't think that I would have to think about it for many more years.  I thought that you would get to love us and guard my children for many more years.  I hold every memory that I have with you, dear to my heart.  Now I know you watch over us from Heaven.  I will love you always.  I will go to my grave remembering you and what you were to me and our family.  I will not let my children grow up and forget about you.  I will tell them all about you, and how you taught me just how much potential a dog really had.  And if I am blessed enough to live long enough, I will tell my grandchildren too.  I will forever miss you.  Until we meet again my dear... 
From Momma, with love. 

© 2000-2007 Mountaineer Mastiffs
All Rights Reserved.