Wednesday, April 10, 2013

SCOUT


Dog Stories

I was telling dog stories to someone the other day and it started me thinking this would be a grand blog topic. I love dogs. I had a dog as a pet and a doorbell for as long as I can remember. Since coming to the islands, I do not have a dog. The climate and bug infestations are hard on them and currently I live in a condo. Having a dog would be hard on both of us and there is nowhere to conveniently walk a dog. But anyway, I digress…

Before I left the States I lived on a ranch in the middle of about 700 acres.





I only have a few pictures of the ranch in this computer. These are they.

There I had two dogs. Panama a golden retriever who was the inside dog and Scout a pit bull mix, who was the outside door or doorbell. See it was pretty wild out where I lived. We had big cats (Cougars-Mountain Lions), Wolves, and Bear as neighbors. At the time I was raising Quarter Horses and every spring we had a few babies. Unfortunately, those cute little foals would make a tasty treat for my neighbors, so we had Scout the outside door or doorbell.

Scout wasn’t particularly fierce, but he was loud and gave us plenty of warning if someone or something was lurking about. Bears hate dogs and stayed pretty clear of our place. Only once did someone actually see a big cat on our property, but wolves and the coyotes; ha, for them dogs were a challenge.

The coyotes would howl and send a bitch up close to the house to try to entice Scouty away, but he was having none of it. He would bark and bark and sometime even shiver. One Sunday morning I was all dressed to go to church and I heard a commotion outside. I stepped out the front door and there was Scout shivering with anticipation and howling in answer to the coyote bitch. I went back inside for the .38. One shot out of that cannon in the narrow valley and the coyotes scattered. I put Scout in the garage and went off to church. When I sat down next to someone in church, he looks at me and says “What is that smell?” I held up my hands and said “Cordite, I guess?’ He just shook his head.

Boy, I miss those days on the ranch and I miss Scout.

When I left for the islands, I really only brought clothes and my clock radio (don’t ask), I don’t have a picture of Scout to share with you.

Next week I’ll tell you about Panama the biggest Golden Retriever I’ve ever seen.

(For gunmen out there, I know cordite really isn’t used anymore, but it’s the expression that counts, cause it still is misused.)

23 comments:

  1. haha that sounds like quite the time indeed. Had coyotes in our backyard too, but they usually stayed away. Always had dogs as well, until I got in this crummy apartment.

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  2. Any story about dogs is a GOOD story! And I liked this one.

    Even in a big city like Phoenix - because there is still some undeveloped land - I have seen coyotes prowling around. They're sorry-looking animals, usually appearing half-starved to death and embarrassed by their own skinny shadows.

    Oh, yeah, a desert in the West, where one shares space with coyotes, scorpions, roadrunners, Senor Saguaro, and lots and lots of "jackasses".

    Keep the dogs comin', FAE.

    [Got Email?]

    ~ Stephen

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  3. Yeah. Dogs can be so fun and with personalities as unique as any people I know.

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  4. Sorry, I was busy shooting at coyotes!
    Goldens are vey fierce, but the are the best dogs. Sorry you can't have one there.

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  5. wow 700 acres! sounds like you've got a lot of stories from your time there:)
    Nutschell
    www.thewritingnut.com

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  6. I've never been that into nature, but can appreciate those that are. Also, I'm allergic to dogs.

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  7. I love the smell of cordite in the morning.

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  8. What happen to Scout? Had he already died before you moved or did you have to find a new home for him?

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  9. Pat - well at least you have pets.

    STMc - Ha, ha, ha! I like Senor Saguaro. I think all coyotes look like that, no matter how well fed.

    Donna - Yeah and I like a lot of dogs more than I do people.

    Alex - Then you'll love next weeks post about Panama the HUGE Golden. I should have named him Clifford.

    Nutshell - That there are.

    Michael - Too bad.

    Susan - Me too!

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  10. I have a Golden Retriever named Nicole. She's very intelligent and sweet with the family but as a guardian, she's great. She is indoors but the way she barks, people believe we have a mastiff or something. She's scares the hell out of strangers.

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  11. DL - Scout found a new home and was left be3hind in Idaho.

    Al - If you love Golden's you'll really like next week's post about Panama. And I have pictures.

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  12. Dogs... gotta love 'em! We've always had dogs. I think at the moment my sister has three, or is that four? I can't keep track.

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  13. I don't think I have to tell you I love dogs. All I have to say is that I have 4 of them.

    We have coyotes around here, even in suburbia, but they usually travel alone. We're right next to a huge 15 mile long trail, and I'm always spotting coyotes when I head out there for a walk. They usually try to come closer to investigate, except when I'm walking my biggest dog, a Shiba Inu that looks like a solid white wolf. They seem to know not to mess with her.

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  14. I am so happy to get to see pictures of the ranch! Awesome.

    I love animals of all kinds, especially dogs. I've had dogs my entire life. This is the first time I've ever had a cat, instead of a dog. But I am finding out, I love and can appreciate both, for different reasons.

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  15. Scout sounds very loyal and loveable. Your pictures are beautiful.

    xoRobyn

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  16. Bish - If someone has four they have got to love them.

    Beer Boys - OK I have to ask which one of you has the Shiba Inu? Know that I am seriously jealous.

    Jen - Thanks I should have said this in the blog, but you know me. The first pic is from the back porch, second at the side of the house and final from the front porch. Man I miss that place and the animals.

    Robyn - That he was. See comment to Jen about the pictures.

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  17. Dang. Your life is one big adventure. From living in the "wild" to an island. You're my new hero.

    I don't think I'd last too long with all those hungry beasts in the mountains, however.

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  18. We have two dogs...both pound puppies...Max and Espy. They are inseparable and I dread the day one of them passes. They are both 12+ years old. :)

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  19. Jay - Thanks:)

    DL - Faced that situation once. It was hard to lose one for us, but harder still on the other dog.

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  20. I love the name Panama! That's a great story. I grew up with dogs, and now we have a Whippet named Dublin. She's not much of a guard dog, but she is calm, loving, and adorable.

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  21. Hey - I know what Michael Nesmith video you're talking about!

    The song is called "Cruisin'"

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  22. Could you have a small dog? I grew up with cats and love them to pieces but I couldn't bear to be without a dog.

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  23. Julie - Tomorrow's post is about Panama

    Jay - Thanks. The minute I read it I remembered. I even went to Youtube to see it. Yep! You the man.

    Marcy - Nope, no dogs for tenants in the condo.

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