dumping dogs

My parents are real suckers for those dumped dogs.

Years back, they picked up a whole litter of BMC pups (5 of them) that were born on our deer lease in south texas. The parents were two hog dogs that went feral and we could never get a hand on them - not our dogs, probably outlaw dogs. The bitch disappeared after the pups were taken from her and the dog died despite all efforts to keep him fed. All the pups got vetted, vaccinated, and treated for mange. They were all given to pet homes and my parents kept one "Chester" until he died an old fat dog a few years back.

A few years after they got Chester, my dad passed a heeler cross on the long dirt road headed out to the lease. On his way back to town the next day, she was further down the road and near a couple plastic bowls of food and water. He lured her in with weenies, and got her caught. Months after they got "Scruffy", my parents thought the dog was deaf. She didn't respond to any commands. She ran out of the yard and down the street and my dad hollared PERRO AQUI!. She came back pronto. The dog wasn't deaf, she was Mexican. They started giving her commands in Spanish and it turned out she was pretty well trained. She lived out her natural Spanish speaking life with my folks as well.

A year or two back, a belgian malinois - looking dog found his skinny and heartworm riddled way to my parent's yard. He had a bad attitude and a hatred of other dogs. He is now neutered, well fed, heartworm free, and convinced that a motor coach with white leather couches is the only way to travel.

A week ago on the way to their new deer lease, my parents lured a starving Aussie with a head wound into their coach. They used the weenie trick and the dog climbed right up into the bus. He got vetted, treated for his wounds, checked for heartworms, and vaccinated. Now they own "Llano", a red tri Aussie male with a food fettish. He is learning not to grab food off the counter tops, and that old grumpy retired show horses aren't for chasing. And so it all starts over.....

All of these dogs (except for the one that showed up at their house) were miles from civilization or any habitated areas. They were all emaciated, and you just wanted to kick the people who so obviously dumped them in the middle of nowhere. I'm not saying the dogs shouldn't have caught euthanasia, but my parents love the dogs they got because they gave them a chance when somebody else didn't. My mom is so happy that the Aussie thinks he is her dog. Most dogs naturally gravitate to my dad, and my mom is just the feeder. She is so excited to have one that loves her now even if he does look like he was a skeleton for Halloween and never took off his costume. He will fatten up soon enough.

Cheers
M