This was Shelby's most unhappy time. Even when I
was with her in the other room, she would sit by
the gate and just gaze back at the other dogs.
When they
went outside (she went first) she would watch then
and bark from the inside. She really wanted to be
part of the pack! Here is a very short video I made
of her a few months back, in the backyard with the
rest of the pack playing (this movie is best viewed
through Quicktime):
Shelby
in the backyard barking
One
day I came home and noticed that Shelby was not
feeling well. I took her to the emergency vet and
she had been bitten - the vet said by a large dog.
She had only been around one other dog at home -
Willow - and I couldn't understand what happened
since they generally got along really well. What
most likely happened is that Willow tried to play
with her and grabbed her a little too hard. Shelby
had stitches and once again, I kept her out of the
pack for a while.
Once
again, Shelby was depressed - she longed to be with
the pack. Little by little, as her stitches healed,
I let her play with the others. Once again she started
to come out of her shell - stub wagging all the
time. She was a happy little dog again.
Shelby
used to lay on her side and give me her "belly"
when I asked her. She was so cute - although she
was camera shy - I was able to get her on camera
for a little bit once (just ignore my voice - and
this video is best seen with Quicktime):
Shelby
giving me the belly
On
thursday, January 26th around 11AM - we let Shelby
out with the pack as usual. They were out around
30 minutes - when we went back out to check on them,
they had attacked Shelby. I found her laying on
her side, a big chunk of her belly was missing,
and I saw blood on her face and her leg. We rushed
her to the hospital, and her injuries were extensive.
Her back leg was completely mauled, she had brain
damage and a broken vertebrae in her neck from being
shaken, multiple puncture wounds and a huge gash
on her side. According to the vet, her recovery
- if she recovered at all - would have been long
and painful. There was a chance that she would never
be able to walk again - mainly due to her brain
injuries,
As
much as I wanted her to be treated, the thought
of putting her through weeks and months of pain
so that I would not be without her, was too much
and we opted to put her down. As I write this -
I still do not understand what happened. My dogs,
who did this- are not mean dogs. They are good dogs
- they liked Shelby and they tried to play with
her. For the 30 minutes we were not there, apparently
the play got too rough and the huge difference in
size put Shelby on the losing end.
This
was one of the most horrific things I have ever
had to go through. I love Shelby - I am reluctant
to say loved - because I still feel she is with
me. I look at my dogs - at the rest of the pack
- and they are oblivious to what happened. A couple
of them have been looking for her in the house -
sniffing at her old spots. As much as I hate what
happened - I know that it was out of their control
as well - that this instance alone does not mean
that they are bad dogs. I learned that much like
people and "mob mentality" dogs have "pack
mentality" and even the sweetest dogs can be
overcome by the pack.
I cannot get the image of my dear Shelby laying
like that in my backyard. Had she been taken from
me due to disease or some health failure, I would
have been able to understand it better. But this
was senseless, and I feel robbed, cheated and so
very sad. At night, I reach down in the bed looking
for her - at the spot she used to lay in and find
it empty and I cry. She was my baby, my best friend,
my companion and she will always be in my heart
no matter what.
I
love you, Shelby - may the Goddess keep you close
and in the light of her arms. I will never forget
you my baby...
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