Thirteen Pound Guard Dog
Published: Wed, 09/09/09
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Pet Tips 'n' Tales© Thirteen Pound Guard Dog  Photo by Mary Ellen "Angel Scribe"© Friends bring joy and laughter into our lives. Elizabeth, 88 years young, and her little Miss Pixie, a 9-year-old Rat-Terrier, are the best of friends. * * *
"Until one has loved an animal, a part of one's soul remains unawakened."
- Anatole France - ______________
TALES In 1981, Elizabeth moved to Drain, Oregon and lived in a little house on an acre. It was quite a contrast from her previous world travels and amazing life.
While married, she lived in California, and worked as a court clerk in Los Angeles, while her three children attended school. She loved the job, furthered her education and was promoted to Superior Court cases. Then, her husband bought them a 100 acre farm in Missouri; they had black Angus cattle, goats, ducks, a barn-kitty and a house-dog. When she was very young, Elizabeth learned from her sea Captain grandfather that you can inexpensively hitch a ride on a freighter and travel anywhere in the world. So, in the 1970's, for five years, she traveled on freighters; to South East Asia, South America, the Mediterranean and Egypt. Life is simpler now, and after seeing the world, Elizabeth is happy living in Cottage Grove, since 1985, with her beloved dog Pixie. Her most recent claim to fame is....Elizabeth spent hours at the Cottage Grove Genealogy Society and published five family books! Your pets do not have to be heroic, or play the piano to appear in Tips 'n' Tales. They just have to touch your heart. The magic in Elizabeth's life is her little Pixie; a 9-year-old miniature Rat-Terrier. Most Terriers are slender because of their high strung nature, but Pixie, weighing in at a hefty 13 pounds, qualifies for Weight Watchers! Pixie is the laughter in Elizabeth's life. When Pixie sees dogs on TV; she runs completely around the TV set, then puts her front paws up onto the cabinet. She turns to Elizabeth with a puzzled look in her eyes, "Can you help me? I can see and hear dogs. Please explain, why I can't smell or find them!" Elizabeth knows that Pixie is either a fur-clock or telepathic. "Pixie 'knows' what I am thinking and where I am going, whether it is time for bed, her potty time or lunch etc. She goes ahead of me, exactly where I am going, before I get there." As cute as Pixie is, she is a also a guard dog. "Pixie's guard tower is the back of my couch. As people approach, she sounds the alarm by barking! As soon as she sees a friend she gives them a special little welcoming bark. If the person is new to her, she jumps into my lap and watches their every move. Pixie monitors my body language to detect if they are friend or foe," relates Elizabeth. She fondly reaches out a hand and gently strokes Pixie's soft black ears. "She is my very best friend." "Pixie is so spoiled," Elizabeth says with her beautiful hazel eyes sparkling, "and, she thinks she is entitled to ANYTHING I eat. She insists on one bite. So, of course, Pixie gets one spoonful at breakfast, a bite of my lunch sandwich, and a bite at dinner." Pets are wonderful companions, at any age, the love they offer is priceless. During doggy-dinner hour, Pixie goes to her dish, fills her mouth with kibbles, and then runs over to where Elizabeth is sitting. Pixie sits in front of Elizabeth and keeps her company while eating like a little tea-for-two doggy party. Recalling one last thing, Elizabeth laughs, "Pixie loves lying on her back, with her legs high in the air. She scratches her back on the rug, like a little bear without a tree." TIPS Atira reads Tips 'n' Tales in Seattle and recommends, "At the start of the school year, it is important that
children pay extra attention to their pets. The pets are missing their
children when they leave for school. Pets days are lonesome without the
children to play with. Buy your pets squeeky toys/catnip toys and take the
dogs for short walks before school. This will help prevent pets from becoming
depressed."
Pat, a Tips 'n' Tales reader in Chehalis, Washington, "When trimming matted fur/hair balls off pets, hold your fingers between their matted fur and your pet's skin. Or, slide a comb under the matted fur that created the hairball, and cut on top of the comb. Also, a Furminator comb helps eliminate the dead undercoat that contributes to furballs." Update An April Tips 'n' Tales, mentioned that 92 year-old Theo, a volunteer for the Humane Society store, was in need of a new bed and chair. Within two weeks, he had both! "The new bed is even more comfortable than my old bed," happily exclaims Theo. "Now, there is enough room for both me and my six cats to sleep!" Everyone in town who knows Elizabeth, mentioned above, knows of her generous heart. After reading about Theo's need for a new chair, she immediately offered him her spare chair. In the process, Theo found a new chair, and we found a new Tips 'n' Tales story! Theo's eyes lit up the minute he nestled into the chair, "Oh! What a wonderful chair! It is so comfortable!" A week later her reports, "My cats like the chair too. Sometimes I find two in it at the same time!" Read Theo's story and see him in his new chair:
http://www.angelscribe.com/tnt_061709.html
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Mary Ellen, Pet Tips 'n' Tales Newspaper Columnist with Miss Wings Ready
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