Rufus, we will always miss you

It’s been a little over a year without our Rufus. At least one person a week will talk about how much they miss him.  I never would have thought the loss of a dog could hurt so much or last so long. 

Well, we are ready to fill the hole with another Rat Terrier. Easy right? No.
 After calling the people we got him from and finding out they no longer have dogs and the people they got theirs from no longer have dogs we started an internet search. Wow. 
After going through tons of pet sights, breeder listings and classified adds all we have been able to fine are mixes and high priced show dogs or they are too far away. Now a mix wouldn't be so bad but would it still be like Rufus? Do I want a Chihuahua cross? As far as a show dog will he hunt, work cows and sheep and still be a lap dog? Can we justify a $600 price tag on a ranch dog? 

 

 Also what type of Rat Terrier was Rufus? Type A, Type B, Teddy Roosevelt or Decker? He had UKCI papers. Some time in all our moving they were lost. I called the UKCI but they said that a litter was never registered from anywhere in Wyoming around that time. So now what should we do?

Rufus at bout 10 weeks

We were coming to the end of our options when someone pointed out that California might have what we are looking for and a trip is planed for Christmas. Great idea! So our search expanded. That is how we found Jreed. This man has so much information about working dogs. He also said he could help us find a well bred ranch dog. The perfect mix of hunter and fine breeding. We have hope again that another Rat Terrier will warm or bed and kill our skunks. We are learning more all the time about this breed of dog we love so much.

Rufus and Brody. Rufus loved babies.

In CA, he went everywhere with us

Rufus, thank you for opening the door to the would of Rat Terriers!

The only kill I have a picture of

Snow day

Milk Cow Blues

Milky was bit by a snake last Monday, in October! Joe asked how long she has had the golf ball sized lump on her face after he came in from milking. I assured him she did not have a lump yesterday, I would have noticed it. He planed on treating her for lump jaw but the next morning her face was so big her halter barely fit her. After we took the halter off her head really got big. We didn't want to treat her if we didn't have to but the swelling go so bad she couldn't eat. After some Dex she started to look more like herself again. I imagine the draining of puss and fluid will last a few weeks. Poor old girl, what next? 

 

Brody's baby book, 5 years late

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Wallace's baby book

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Family Day

Labor Day was spent at home. We took our holiday on Tuesday. The day was spent at Garnet Reservoir with my parents. We had the wagon along to take the baby on a hike. Turns out we went on a real hike, one that did not allow us to pull the baby behind in the wagon. So what should we do with the wagon? Race it down the hills!! The kids thought this was the best part of the day and Joe had just as much fun as they did.

The trail wrapped  around the lake. It was beautiful and because we went on Tuesday we were all alone.Wish we could go more often before all the trees die.

New friends

Sheepover

We got a few hair sheep this morning for the kids. They begged to get to sleep in the shed with them and finely Joe gave in and said yes. This was how the happy group went to bed. Around midnight they ended up back at the house. Turns out sheep pee on everything! Who would have thought? They will never forget this even if it didn't turn out the way they planed.