Yesterday, my lovely, sweet little girl was reunited with her pal Tommy at the Rainbow Bridge.
Dixie was 6 months old when she picked us for her new family, she was abandoned on a very busy main road in an isolated area, the nearest house was at least a mile away. The people who picked her up owned the local boarding kennels and after trying to find her previous owners, rehomed her to us.
In all the 14 years, minus a week, that we had her, she never done anything wrong or caused us any trouble. She was timid in strange situations but loved everyone. Her timidness was a problem at first when trying to train her, but we soon understood what would work and what wouldn't.
Dixie was top dog, and was a very good leader, she ruled with a velvet glove over an iron fist. If either Tommy or Joe stepped out of line she quickly brought them back without any aggression, just a look.
Many times Tommy would come and tell me that Dixie wouldn't let her out of the room, Dixie was stretched across the door and only Bill or I were allowed to move her.
She was never aggressive with other dogs, in fact she never had a fight with a dog apart from when Joe was attacked, she took one of the Weimaraners off him and held her own until Tommy finished with the other one and came to help Dixie.
When Merlin was having problems with his tail, she went along for a blood test to keep check of her health, and she stood between the vet and merlin as if to say, "Don't hurt him", which the vet thought was sweet because there wasn't any aggression in it.
Yesterday morning, as usual she trotted ahead of us in front all the way, and when we were passing the farm, she went looking for the kittens to chase. Last week she did manage to chase one, and her lovely off white coat with brown paw prints on was black when she came back and had to be washed.
Run free sweet little girl, reunited with Tommy who will look after you. You will always be in my heart and memories, your sweetness has rubbed off and I am a much better person for knowing you.
