Sister Celebrates a Birthday 1989

My best friend recently had a birthday, but without a party.  As I remember it, she is ten years old and her name is Sister.  Sister is a mixed breed – a clean dog with short hair.  She has many characteristics of a German Shepherd; however, her head is too small.  Somebody put her mother out here (when she was very heavy with puppies) on our secluded dirt road in the fall of 1979; and she gave birth. under this house, to nine pups.  Sister was the only female and the only pup to reach maturity.

When John and I were living in Georgia and Sister was living at the farm, we came in unannounced one day to find what we thought was abuse toward Sister.  That was the last time for her to live away from us.

She traveled many miles between this farm and our Marietta home — always sitting between us in the cab of the truck.  She could always tell when we were loading for the trip and was anxious to assume her position.  Her bathroom habits are above reproach – she always “took care of business” at the last minute when we were traveling.  We never had to stop on her behalf.

Sister is a quiet dog, but she demands a certain amount of tender loving care.  When it’s TLC time she nudges an idle hand for back scratching or other petting.  Sister and I are satisfied with each other.  She listens when I need to air my problems, and if I have tears she tries to soothe with sandpaper kisses.  She gives so much and asks so little.

Another thing that is a must for Sister is a daily walk with people –with body language. she nags unmercifully until someone goes to walk. Usually it’s John and they go to the pasture to check on the cows, but if I get my coat and hat, she cannot be still – excited!  Her favorite walk is to have both John and me along.

Sister hates noise.  If there is a hunter in the area – and of late we have been having dove hunters – she is frightened to the point of wanting us to pick her up.  At 75 lbs. that is out of the question.  I’m sure Sister hopes there will be no vacuum cleaners and guns in dog heaven, as she detest them both.  She sees absolutely no point I running the vacuum and always slips away to another area of the house when it’s in use.

When Sister and Jill go hunting, they sometimes bring back a rabbit.  In fact, when I got up one morning last week Sister had a large one at the back steps. She can kill a groundhog in a matter minutes.  John and I witnessed such a fight between Sister and a groundhog one morning several years ago.  We could hear the bones being crushed as those jaws clamped down on him.  One groundhog she and Jill dragged in weighed 14 pounds.

As I’ve said before, I can’t imagine life without Sister; however, I know that time will probably come. In the meantime, I’ll continue to tell her — as I have a million times — she is my dog and I love her.  Sister is definitely an important part of my country living.

********************************

Note:  This was the best dog I’ve ever seen and I’ve owned quite a few.  To lose her was like losing a relative.  Our present dog has the name Sister, too, but she can’t hold a light to the original Sister.