Unpredictablility - You Had Me at Hello!!!

My husband just told me that THIS.....

WAS THE MOST UNPREDICTABLE THING I HAVE EVER DONE.

And he is probably right!!!

Thirteen years ago I had to put down MY Australian Shepherd because she was suffering so. Pepper, a blue merle aussie, was 16 years old. She was blind, deaf, and very arthritic. She winced in pain every time she moved. I couldn't watch her suffer any longer, so I made the hard decision.

My husband and son missed having a dog so even though I wasn't ready, I gave in and we brought home Puppie, a Blue Heeler, on Mother's Day 1998. I love her. But she wasn't my idea. Then in February 1999, Mike brought home an Australian Shepherd puppy and presented her to me for Valentine's Day. I sooooo did not want another dog. Sydnee is definitely Mike's dog. Most of the time, I think she doesn't even like me. Occasionally, when she is in the mood, she will grace me with her presence and wiggle a little.

Both of our dogs are getting up there in years. Puppie has a definite limp. She hurt her back leg a couple of months ago when she was running the fence with the German Shepherd next door. It has never fully come back. So hiking with us this spring is out of the question.

Saturday morning, as we were getting ready to go hiking at Palmetto State Park, I was sitting on the floor with Puppie. She knew we were going out and she had that look in her eye. I looked at Mike and said, "what are we going to do when she isn't with us any more......"

So we went hiking alone. Coming back through Lockhart, TX, Mike spotted a pickup truck along the highway with puppies in the back. He couldn't tell what kind they were. He said, "I wonder if they are Australian Shepherds?" We couldn't tell at 65 mph and there weren't any good signs that we could see.

About a half a mile down the road, he decided to turn around. I said to him, " you know, if they are Australian Shepherds, it will be hard not to take one home.....Don't go back."

Mike said, "I just want to see...." I said, "Well, I'm not getting out of the car."

So we turn around and go back. And I got out of the car as soon as I saw a little sign on the side of the pickup truck that said, "AUSTRALIAN SHEPHERDS"

There were LOTS of puppies. At least 8 or 9 of them. Lots of tricolor, like Sydnee. There were 2 Blue Merles, and 2 Red Merles. One of the blue merles caught my eye first. I picked him up and carried him around for awhile. Mike asked if I really wanted a 'boy' dog. We had never had a boy dog before. I put him down and looked at the others. There was a really friendly tricolor that kept coming to us, but I really didn't want another tri. I was just about ready to leave without a puppy. And then it happened.

This little red dog walked up to the tailgate and made eye contact with his beautiful baby blues. I said, " well, Hello there cutie." He cocked his head one way and then the other, never taking his eyes off mine. HE HAD ME AT HELLO!!! I picked him up and said, "That is intelligence....."

Mike said, " it is, isn't it?"

We took him out to the grass and played with him a couple of minutes. I knew he was coming home with me. I told Mike, " His name is Rusty Blue and I need you to go get some cash......"

HE HAD ME AT HELLO...........