Having spent all but her first eight weeks in our loving home, Dixie grew quite attached to us and to her surroundings. This, combined with the energy and excitement of a typical Labrador, made Dixie a very active and anxious dog. Often this manifested in destructive ways, including eating many bedspreads, putting holes in the carpet, and one evening while we were away at a James Bond movie, chewing a three foot hole in the wall. Dixie's actions, though shocking at times, were always forgiven. Her sweet gentle face beamed with happiness and relief when we would come home and rescue her from her loneliness and fear.
Dixie was incredibly intelligent. In her prime, she learned to recognize the meaning of well over 50 words and many hand gestures, and was able to execute several commands in a row. We often talked about how Dixie would had been a good police or guide dog...if she wasn't so afraid of things like birds, squirrels, puppies, and just about non-human thing that moved. Dixie's fear probably stemmed from an attack by a neighbor's Pit Bull when she was just about six months of age. Her fearless daddy pulled the two apart and and clamped onto the Pit Bull using a wrestling-type hold. Forever after, Dixie held her daddy in the highest of esteem as her savior. She always sat by her daddy's side (unless I bribed her with a little treat).
My role as mommy was to provide Dixie with a comfortable daily routine. I stayed home with her, and played games to challenge her intelligence and to release some of her energy. When she became agitated, I would sing her favorite song. My voice always calmed Dixie down. I never finished the song because she stopped me with kisses.
A two-time cancer survivor, Dixie found fighting off crippling arthritis and a failing heart to be too much of a battle. She closed her eyes for the last time surrounded by her mommy and daddy, and the sweet grandma that rescued her and brought her to her forever home.
Dixie received the country burial through the Bubbling Well Pet Memorial Park.
Dixie was incredibly intelligent. In her prime, she learned to recognize the meaning of well over 50 words and many hand gestures, and was able to execute several commands in a row. We often talked about how Dixie would had been a good police or guide dog...if she wasn't so afraid of things like birds, squirrels, puppies, and just about non-human thing that moved. Dixie's fear probably stemmed from an attack by a neighbor's Pit Bull when she was just about six months of age. Her fearless daddy pulled the two apart and and clamped onto the Pit Bull using a wrestling-type hold. Forever after, Dixie held her daddy in the highest of esteem as her savior. She always sat by her daddy's side (unless I bribed her with a little treat).
My role as mommy was to provide Dixie with a comfortable daily routine. I stayed home with her, and played games to challenge her intelligence and to release some of her energy. When she became agitated, I would sing her favorite song. My voice always calmed Dixie down. I never finished the song because she stopped me with kisses.
A two-time cancer survivor, Dixie found fighting off crippling arthritis and a failing heart to be too much of a battle. She closed her eyes for the last time surrounded by her mommy and daddy, and the sweet grandma that rescued her and brought her to her forever home.
Dixie received the country burial through the Bubbling Well Pet Memorial Park.
Having spent all but her first eight weeks in our loving home, Dixie grew quite attached to us and to her surroundings. This, combined with the energy and excitement of a typical Labrador, made Dixie a very active and anxious dog. Often this manifested in destructive ways, including eating many bedspreads, putting holes in the carpet, and one evening while we were away at a James Bond movie, chewing a three foot hole in the wall. Dixie's actions, though shocking at times, were always forgiven. Her sweet gentle face beamed with happiness and relief when we would come home and rescue her from her loneliness and fear.
Dixie was incredibly intelligent. In her prime, she learned to recognize the meaning of well over 50 words and many hand gestures, and was able to execute several commands in a row. We often talked about how Dixie would had been a good police or guide dog...if she wasn't so afraid of things like birds, squirrels, puppies, and just about non-human thing that moved. Dixie's fear probably stemmed from an attack by a neighbor's Pit Bull when she was just about six months of age. Her fearless daddy pulled the two apart and and clamped onto the Pit Bull using a wrestling-type hold. Forever after, Dixie held her daddy in the highest of esteem as her savior. She always sat by her daddy's side (unless I bribed her with a little treat).
My role as mommy was to provide Dixie with a comfortable daily routine. I stayed home with her, and played games to challenge her intelligence and to release some of her energy. When she became agitated, I would sing her favorite song. My voice always calmed Dixie down. I never finished the song because she stopped me with kisses.
A two-time cancer survivor, Dixie found fighting off crippling arthritis and a failing heart to be too much of a battle. She closed her eyes for the last time surrounded by her mommy and daddy, and the sweet grandma that rescued her and brought her to her forever home.
Dixie received the country burial through the Bubbling Well Pet Memorial Park.
Dixie was incredibly intelligent. In her prime, she learned to recognize the meaning of well over 50 words and many hand gestures, and was able to execute several commands in a row. We often talked about how Dixie would had been a good police or guide dog...if she wasn't so afraid of things like birds, squirrels, puppies, and just about non-human thing that moved. Dixie's fear probably stemmed from an attack by a neighbor's Pit Bull when she was just about six months of age. Her fearless daddy pulled the two apart and and clamped onto the Pit Bull using a wrestling-type hold. Forever after, Dixie held her daddy in the highest of esteem as her savior. She always sat by her daddy's side (unless I bribed her with a little treat).
My role as mommy was to provide Dixie with a comfortable daily routine. I stayed home with her, and played games to challenge her intelligence and to release some of her energy. When she became agitated, I would sing her favorite song. My voice always calmed Dixie down. I never finished the song because she stopped me with kisses.
A two-time cancer survivor, Dixie found fighting off crippling arthritis and a failing heart to be too much of a battle. She closed her eyes for the last time surrounded by her mommy and daddy, and the sweet grandma that rescued her and brought her to her forever home.
Dixie received the country burial through the Bubbling Well Pet Memorial Park.
