In an effort to participate in this “blog?”, I shall press forward and blurt out my musings as it were. I have apparently lost track of how the world has progressed without my help and that disconcerts me somewhat. I know these things happen, progress that is, but I’m a year closer to my oncoming insanity and I far prefer my little “world”. My “world” by the way only really need contain simple things like, house, bed, food, transportation, heat and lights, water, cable tv, and my pets…lots and lots of pets. Which brings me to the subject at hand.

I have found that more of my old kids are passing away and being replaced by rescued dogs. I could easily gone down that trail with the horses by the way, but, an annoying horse means a dangerous horse and they are bigger than me, so I have limited my horse obsession to the “ponies on hand”. The dogs on the other hand are a different story. I used to think that the proverbial show sheltie was the most beautiful dogs on the planet. I still think that but now I have found myself loving the loving grey face of the settled in, older dogs.

An older dog knows me. There’s no demand on my limited brainpower to try to persuade them to my will, rather I find that I am comforted and reassured by the knowledge that they know what to expect from me. There’s no frantic spirit such as what you find with puppies, although the innocence of a puppy is refreshing. An older dog means they feel nearly, well, equal. Like a great old pair of slippers, they just fit, no trouble trying to get them to break in, no pressure to ‘train’ them (or me for that matter), just a comfortable mutual understanding. They ask me usually politely sometimes not so polite, what I would like them to do and if at all possible, they hurry to accomplish a known task based on a time schedule before I need to ask, which would to them by all accounting be somewhat insulting. They know, there’s no need to boss! How comfortable is that for me, that something is done before I need to ask or insist, because it is known what the expectation is. How wonderful. Now if I could only train others to respond, or anticipate my request and follow through. What a perfect world that would be right?

So I have found myself with a mish mosh collection of the most beautiful faces I never thought I’d come to appreciate. The pet sheltie. Not the show dogs which are exciting, energetic, beautiful and carry you away with them in a sea of hopes, dreams and future, but the average joe sheltie. They remind me of my Grandfather Andersons comfortable, happy face, happy lines around his eye’s, my Dad’s smile, and his whispy grey hair blowing up against the wind as he led me on “Judy” the old Palomino horse. He was beautiful to me, and kind, patient. The older dogs walk a little slower like me. They fit like those comfortable slippers. It’s something I never anticipated. I have a whole bunch of sweet little sheltie faces who are as comfortable with me as I with them. My heart will never run out of room. I am grateful.

I am proud and comforted with the knowledge that my participation in Sheltie Rescue matters. Thank you my old kids. I love you too.

Julene