Gone in a Heartbeat

Tonight, I found myself (and Macy Blue) in the upper river bed. This was one of Mabel's favorite spots, especially in the years the creek didn't make it all the way down to our favorite playground. This was a lovely swimmie hole that hugged the base of the mountain before curving Southwest.  This photo by the Rottrover was taken there shortly after Otto joined her pack:

I've written of this spot before... I especially loved the giant car sized boulder that was sometimes in the middle of the stream and often beside it, depending on the flow. I could hang out on it and Mabel would do her thing, check on me and explore some more. Since she passed, I find myself sitting there and it feels like she's just around the bend or having a swim. I know it's silly, but it's like she still there.

Mabel was my scenic lover... she never climbed a mountain that she didn't check out the view. On hikes, she would lie down and look around. It wasn't to rest...she was taking it all in. She would look at me as if to say, "Wow! Look where we are! Isn't it pretty?"

If anything, that dog taught to appreciate the beauty of the world! And being near her favorite swimmie hole, on a boulder I shared many a nap with her just allowed me to feel like my girl is still part of my life.

But...tonight, it was gone.

I haven't been there since our last good rain several weeks ago.  I was shocked when my path there was strewn with dead limbs. The rising waters had knocked dead, water starved shrubs over and they had become entangled in living brush. I had to climb and clamor to stay on my path.

Then Macy dove in the river for a swim...just upstream from Mabel's favorite spot. I noticed the stream got murky and lots of rocks just beyond where Macy was swimming. And suddenly, the stream was jutting South. The path I usually walk was completely underwater. I turned and followed the stream.

The soft sandy banks and deep swimming hole were gone... you can't even tell where the stream was (blue arrow in the photo below) if you don't know what to look for! And that magical car size boulder? Gone.

I stood there in shock. It felt like I was losing Mabel again. I had to do a post mortem on the stream.

I realized the "little hill" ( Red arrow - about 40 feet tall) was not a smaller mountain as I had always assumed but just a cut out. The large gully that comes off the actual mountain had previously  been turning the water to the west. But the water washed away a large chunk of the hill in the last storm, pushing straight through and throwing tons of boulders, sand and mountain debris to the left and right of the opening (hence the blockage where Macy was swimming).

Here's a close up of the hole blown in that hillside:

Our boulder was somewhere in the area where the red arrow below is pointing.

And just like that, our river is totally different.. and my girl's favorite spot, the place I feel so close to her, is gone.

I know she's not there and yet just a few weeks ago, I got the strangest feeling that she is OK.

My hiking buddy had a memorial at the creek. It was NOT one of those funerals that brings you closure. It was jacked up and just WRONG. The hikers were the only ones early. His girlfriend and pup were on time... and the rest of the family was late. We started spreading his ashes after 30 minutes of waiting for the younger daughters (grownass women) to show up...both were waiting on their boyfriends. (Gee, if he can't show up for your father's funeral on time...maybe you should pick better men??? Just sayin...) There was much infighting and just nastiness ... I've been to some doozy of funerals...Southern family dramas but...this took the cake.

Spreading his ashes was fraught with drama and all the fighting had me tense and nervous. I decided to take Macy and hike downstream for a nice long hike...it was a beautiful day and the fighting family was headed to their cars in the other direction. As we dropped into the valley where the river starts is slow descent over lots of boulders...making beautiful water music, my calm was returning. I just wanted to remember my friend as he was there in that spot. Happy!

About this time, I became aware of two women hiking with three dogs across the river. I was wary as Macy can get a bit skittish when outnumbered by lots of strange dogs.  I couldn't tell you two of the dogs' names but the third...was a naughty girl they couldn't keep track of... MABEL!

MAY BULLLL!! MaBEL! MABEL MABEL MABEL.... they called her name a hundred times... no exaggeration... the whole time I was hiking they were across from me looking for Mabel. Only when I got to the swimming hole where we would stop and chat as the dogs swam did I get a break from the verbal barrage of Mabels!

And I had to laugh. How many times had I stood there screaming that very name at the top of my lungs? How many times had my friend said to me, "Don't worry, she's OK. She'll find us." ??

Here I was looking for some relief from my grief over losing my friend and I'm reminded of my beloved dog...a dog he loved so much. It felt like my friend was telling me he had found that Rainbow Bridge and my girl was there to greet him. 

It felt like he  was somehow letting me know... "Don't worry about your girl. She's with me!"

I haven't heard or seen those women since...

But today as I was lost in thought of how we, and the places we love, are here and gone in a heartbeat, I had to remind myself, it's the love that remains. 

The Results Are In!

The results from Macy Blue's DNA test are in...and she's pure mutt!

She is 3/8 pittie, 1/4 Labradork, 1/8 GSD, 1/8 Chow, and...1/8 mutt. I can say I'm not surprised by the results and a tiny bit disappointed she doesn't have drop of rott in her. I've spied the shepherd in her when we hike...she will do the classic pose. The night before we got her results, she let out an unusually long yawn...and I noticed way back in her mouth about 1/8th of her tongue is black, a Chow trait. While she is goofy, she was afraid of water and had no interest in balls, typical lab traits. But lately, she dives right in the water, has no concern of her head getting wet. I got out a ball. It took her a few minutes but soon enough, she was catching it! Hmmm.

I do find it interesting that the mutt mix is from the sporting breeds...more lab maybe? And from the sight hounds...ie a greyhound maybe...I can see traits that reminded me of Mabel.

And we'll, pitties...I know nothing about owning one. Macy's personality is only now starting to come out...she's been so human shy. Just this week she's started walking up to me and demanding affection. Hmmm, maybe she's been taking Rottweiler lessons on the sly?

As for our contest, the winner is Haley and Zaphod. They guessed the closest with rottie shepherd lab! 

Product Review - Merrick Brauts n Tots

Helloooo good pups and peeps of Blogville! Macy Blue here with another Chewy.com review. Momma is back in school again so I I bugged her to get this post up early. Nobody faint cause it's not the last day of the month! And it's been really cloudy so we shot this on the porch sofa...not a bit of California sunshine in this post!

OK Momma, what'd Miss Sydney from Chewy send us this month??

 Well this sounds yummy already! We got Merrick's Grain Free and Gluten Free Brauts - n - Tots  - I'm kinda exictable here cause Merrick makes my favorite training treats but Momma says these are bigger and more of a snackie than something we would train with. 

But that's super cool cause Momma gives me snackies as long as they are good stuff! But we'll get to that in a sec...I need to taste test!! GIMME GIMME GIMME!

As I suspected....YUMMERS! SUPER YUMMERS!!! These are pawsome!!! O.k. Momma, I think I need another.... PLEASE???

I'm gonna enjoy a Brauts - n - Tots while Momma tells you about the great stuffs in these treats, K???

Creekhiker / Macy Momma here: The more I learn about this brand, the more I like it! Macy mentioned her training treats above, and yes, Merrick makes those too. I love those cause she gives me her full attention when I have them. So I suspected these Brauts - n - Tots would be good stuff too and they are! Here's the ingredient list: 

Deboned Beef, Sweet Potatoes, Potatoes, Peas, Organic Cane Molasses, Canola Oil, Carrots, Apples, Flaxseed, Cumin, Gelatin, Mixed Tocopherols (a preservative), Rosemary.

I love when I can feel good about what I feed my girl and this is another winner! Thanks Chewy!! 

Wrap it up Macy Blue:

 Awwww Moooom... can't I have ONE more???  I'll make sweet eyes for you....see??

Thanks Momma!!!

 Macy Blue gives Merrick's Brauts - n - Tots four paws ... and one tongue...UP! Creekhiker gives them the old thumbs up too!

Neither Creekhiker nor Macy Blue were compensated for this review. Chewy.com gave Macy Blue one case of  Merrick's Brauts - n - Tots  to devour...or not.

FINALLY! A Love Bug Appears

I've made it no secret that I love Macy Blue far more than I know she loves me. I loved her the instant I saw her soulful eyes on the Internet. When we still weren't best buds at the one year mark, I started to fear that this dog may never love me. But a convo with the therapy dog handler at the high school made me realize that all Macy has been through makes her need more time. Plus... how do you live somewhere for THREE YEARS, end up in a shelter, get adopted for three days each,  three more times and then expect the new place with the new weird lady is permanent?? No wonder my girl is so blue...

She's made progress. A lot of it is thanks to Sue living here. Macy would always stop at the back door even if we were side by side... I'd get in the house and realize she's sitting there not sure if she should come in. She holds her potties from 5 pm until 10 or 11 the next morning! Even though I take her out, and keep her between me and the door, she's so afraid of being locked out, she'd rather be uncomfortable. Toys and play time were a mystery. 

But Sue... Our beloved Sue passed away in November peacefully at her new Portland home.  But she remains Macy's greatest teacher! And I don't think we'd be where we are today without Sue's loving training!

I've known and loved Sue since she was a pup. And the first time she came over, she, her brother Hank and Mabel all made themselves comfy in my bed as Mabel showed them around! I live in a big dog house...there is very little off limits. But Macy Blue had been here 15 months when Sue moved in and she still didn't get it. Macy would pause at the back door and Sue would simply walk around her and come on in. Sue would sleep on the sofas, climb in my bed and come up to me and demand some affection. Sue grew up being treated as an equal. Macy would stare at Sue in astonishment...  You walked in the back door! And Mom doesn't seem to mind...

 

Macy took it all in. But she didn't change...yet.

There was the day that I started getting texts at work...Macy has cleaned out the toy box... and she's playing with toys! Macy loved playing with Sue and seemed to get it when Sue naturally included me and her mom in the games. Oh.... we all play together....hmmmm.

When they left for Portland, Macy and I were both so sad, I took her to the store and bought her a bunch of her own toys. Since she didn't play, she only had one that wasn't Mabel's... and it had been deaded by Macy and Sue. And she let me play with her ... a little bit.

But this past week, it all shifted...in the weirdest way! It started a when for the first time ever, I remembered the school has a late start on Tuesdays. I had more morning time at home with my girl! I was walking from the kitchen to the living room and gave Macy a gentle scruff pinch. I do this to all the dogs and think nothing of it. But Macy screamed so loud and so hard! She always seems certain I'm trying to murder her! I dropped to my knees to offer her comfort, she rolled over and pissed herself! I petted her, I cleaned the floor and spent the day alternating between tears for my sad girl and anger at whoever made her this way!  Momma did not get mad at the pee on the floor...hmmmm.

And just like that, she came up to me a few nights ago and... she wanted me to play with her! She brought a toy! I got on the floor and we played for an hour straight. She even allow me to chase her around the kitchen and living room! And we've played every night since!

But that's not all!! I have gotten a full on sofa cuddle and she even allowed me to hold her!!! She slept in my lap! I've not gotten one of these without fireworks in the neighborhood!

And friends have noticed too... she comes up to them willingly to offer a greeting or to get pets! And, with lots of treats, she is FINALLY opting for a potty break before bed. She knows, no potty, no cookie! And she even asks to go out early in the morning without me walking all the way in the yard...is she trusting that she won't be locked out???  I pray this is permanent...that my girlie is starting to trust and know that she is loved!

Just a reminder of the contest going on to guess Macy's lineage. Please comment on that post.

What Am I? We're Taking Bets!

After spending the last year and a half trying to understand my strange little dog, I've decided to have a DNA test done. I admit it...I'm used to the rottenweiler personality. I like it....love it. The constant, in-your-face, in-your-business, HEY, I'M HERE, petmepetmepetme neediness that the rottweiler offers. I've been loving rotts for over 30 years! 

But the one thing I despise about the breed is their short life span. Eight is average! When you believe in dog rescue and not puppy mills; and considering rotts are the slowest dogs to leave the annoying puppy stage (age 3!), that's not much time to spend on your pup before your heart is breaking again. 

Straight on, Macy looks like a rottie...

 

Mabel Lou was my first mixed breed (and my first and only puppy). I feel this led to her living a blessed long 12 years! There was so much I adored about her, including that tail (another first for me!). When I friend asked me to describe my ideal dog...it was Macy Blue! I love a rott mix...or at least the four eyed cattle dog look; I wouldn't mind smaller as my shoulders are so awful, sweet and a tail! 

Still I was shocked and disappointed at Macy's tiny size ... 55#! I was hoping for more in the 65 - 75# range. By that point, I had fallen in love with her deep, soulful eyes I had seen on the Internet. And she was clearly sweet. But after I got her home, she was so quiet, so unintrusive, it's like not having a dog in the house at all! 

Other times, she looks like  a mutt...

I've never had a dog that did not want to be in the same room I'm in! And her fears! Oh her fears! Running outside when I tried to play with her. Wanting to hide in the car all day. Sheer panic when she couldn't see me on the trail to the point she would run right past me as I was screaming her name and not see or hear me! A complete lack of understanding of toys. 

I just keep thinking if I knew more about what she is, I could help her feel safer with me. We did the test shortly after Christmas. There was much crying and rolling on the floor on both our parts. Macy Blue as certain I was murdering her. I was crying in commiseration. And so, we're waiting.

Her nose can be most pointy at times...

So we thought we'd have a little fun to pass our impatient waiting. Let's play a game!  Just comment what you think Macy Blue is made of and the closest to accurate choice will get a box of Macy's favorite bedtime treats from Sojos!

You can see how petite MB is next to her beloved Otto Rotto

If we get more than 20 entries, I will add a prize for humans too!!!

Da prize (flavor depending on availability at the time of the prize announcement)

 

So, take a guess and let's see who reads body types the best! ;-)