A very old stray {The Old Fella Story}

[Dixie_Flyer]

Went camping this weekend at a campground on the lake, had not been there for a few years. Once there I began to walk around looking at the different sites when I noticed a very old dog. He just lay there until I got too close then he got up on three legs and hobbled away. Just judging I would say he is at least 11 years old. Well back to my story. The next afternoon he wanders into camp and just sits there looking. He looked so sad, so the wife got a bowl of our dog's food and put it down for him and he came over and ate. He then walked over to our dog and the two of them sniffed each other over and then they lay down together for the rest of the afternoon. That night he disappeared.
The next morning he was back and was a little more receptive of me. I looked at his injured leg and found that half of his rear foot was gone. It had healed and was not causing any problem except that he was walking on the stub that was left with no foot pad which causes him to limp. His front teeth were gone except for one canine tooth and it looked decayed. His eyes were tired looking and showing his age. He spent the rest of the day just laying around looking for a handout and by afternoon the campground host came around and saw him. I enquired about the dog and was told he had been there for three years and that most of the campers were tolerant of him and gave him food.
So what to do? Do you pick him up and bring him home or do you let nature take it course. He can't harm anyone, he has no teeth and he isn't a nuisance unless you don't like dogs, and no one seems to mind him being there. He is gentle and likes other animals as seen by his interaction with our dog. He still would not let me touch him but he would eat from my hand. Enough said, what would you do???

On June 28th 2008 Old Fella passed away of complications caused by bone cancer. Fella spent almost three years with his new family and became the icon of rescued old stray dogs. He will be greatly missed but his foot prints have been left in our hearts forever.

Now Charlie, the ten year old rescued Golden Lab has come to be a part of the continuing Old Fella story. (*Note, Charlie took his journey to Rainbow Bridge unexpectedly September 30, 2008)Suzie continues to charm her way into our hearts with her antics as she has grown from a puppy into a young lady. Togther they will carry on the Old Fella legacy. Come join us in their daily lives and be a part of the best feel good thread in RV.NET history. The legacy lives on.


HIghways Article Puppy Love

Old Fella Burke County Animal Rescue

[Dixie_Flyer]

What an exciting finish to the Augusta Masters Golf Tournament yesterday! The first home I owned was directly across the street from the Augusta National. Every year it was pandemonium trying to get to work and home again during the Masters. But on the weekends I always enjoyed being so close that I could walk to the game and not worry about parking. People in our area rented their homes to patrons and collected a lot of money for the week.

Okay enough of that. The girls are doing fine waiting for me to get ready for a walk. It is raining here and has been most of the night. The temperature is about 67 so it is nice outside and will be for the rest of the day. My son brought me my golf clubs so I can see if I can play with only one eye. I haven’t played in about 8 years so it will be interesting to see if I can find my swing, Putting on the greens with be a big challenge trying to line up the ball with the cup. Sometime when you have nothing else to do, cover one eye and try to negotiate around the house, then for fun try and thread a needle with one eye closed. When you are parking, pulling up to the line in a parking space, close one eye and when you think you are correctly in the lines, get out and look at how far you are from the front line. Life changes when you only have one eye to look out at the world with.

Okay I have to go for now, Have a blessed day and enjoy yourself as much as you can.

[cimac]

Hope Mama gets better so she can go to Branson. Was hoping to see her one more time but I know how it is with older dogs. I had to put one to sleep two weeks after the last Branson rally. It was his last trip but at least it was a good one.

[Code2High]

Hope you had a good visit with the grandson. You can always scatter some approved veggies around the kitchen for Mama to find. Or add some bulk to her meals with vegggies or even a spoonfull of psyllium powder.

[Dixie_Flyer]

Our grandson came in for the weekend and is leaving going back to his assignment in Kentucky this morning. We are going to have brunch with him this morning and say good bye. He is doing well and scored a 90 on his final exam studying to become a medic in the army. So, we will have a moment with him before he leaves and look at the man he has become.

[Code2High]

Failure.... It's a good thing! At least the foster kind.

[Dixie_Flyer]

Spring has finally arrived! We are having some very nice weather here in the Deep South, Has anyone been watching the Masters in Augusta? What a beautiful golf course. After the tournament is over the people who worked there during the Masters get to play the course. In 1992 I was invited to play there in May. What a wonderful time I had. I had the score card matted and framed so I could proudly hang it in the house.

Mama is losing weight and it seems to be helping her with her hips. She is getting around somewhat better and is sleeping better at night. I am still afraid she won't make the trip to Branson this year for the Old Fella Rally. I know she will be heartbroken but right now I think it is for the best. This also means we will be coming straight home when the rally is over instead of going on to California.

The other girls are doing well, happy and content. Izzie, the only boy in the pet family is still the boss and has been following us close at heel since we got back from our camping trip. He has been talking to us none stop and jumping into our laps every chance he gets. It is hard to get a good night's sleep with a 25 pound cat on your stomach. Our grandson Joshua is coming home today so he can take his girlfriend to her prom tonight, what a beautiful girl. We will meet him for brunch tomorrow morning before he leaves. He made a 90 on his final exam this semester. Now he moves on further in his training to become a medic.

Okay I need to get moving. Have a blessed day and hug your fur babies for me.

[whimstock]

Dixie Flyer wrote:

whimstock wrote:
So nice to check in here sometimes and hear about Mama, Hobo, Peaches and of course, Izzy and Old Fella...and the rest....and remember way back as they each joined your family.

Lots of good memories...........

🙂

Glad to hear from your and how is you family?

We are all fine, Rosie and Happy especially so. Like Mama, they are "on a diet" and both have lost a healthy amount of extra weight.

Nice to see the Branson Rally is still in full swing.

[Dixie_Flyer]

I am sure Shadow will be very happy with his new home. So I guess we will get to meet him at the rally in Branson?

[dogdiva]

Congradulations......How is Shadow doing? has he learned to live in a house?He is such a good looking guy

[Dashonthedash]

Well, it was bound to happen, I failed fostering. Meet the newest member of the Shapiro family, the Dog Formerly Known as Brent, now renamed Shadow:

[Dixie_Flyer]

whimstock wrote:
So nice to check in here sometimes and hear about Mama, Hobo, Peaches and of course, Izzy and Old Fella...and the rest....and remember way back as they each joined your family.

Lots of good memories...........

🙂

Glad to hear from your and how is you family?

[Dixie_Flyer]

Code2High wrote:
How is Mama's diet going? Losing weight can make it a lot easier for her to do things... and easier if you need to help her.

Mama is sticking to her diet and I can see she is losing some of her weight. She is driving us crazy begging for food.

[Code2High]

How is Mama's diet going? Losing weight can make it a lot easier for her to do things... and easier if you need to help her.

[whimstock]

So nice to check in here sometimes and hear about Mama, Hobo, Peaches and of course, Izzy and Old Fella...and the rest....and remember way back as they each joined your family.

Lots of good memories...........

🙂

[Dixie_Flyer]

The nice weather continues here with a high today of 86 degrees. The girls are doing okay. Mama continues to struggle with her hips but she is eating well and she manages to get done what needs to be done. Yesterday I used the ramp that we use for her geting into the truck to help her get up the first two steps into the camper and that seem to work better for her. But I know it is just a matter of time that she isn't going to be able to climb into the camper. I am afraid this is her last camping trip.

Other than that we are doing well and enjoying Modoc. The water is not too low and the fishing seems to be good. The people next to us have caught a large number of Striped Bass with one large Small Mouth Bass.

Yesterday afternoon we had a visit from Bonnie and Clyde the people who would fix breakfast for Fella when he lived in the park. We had a nice visit and talked about the Old Fella days and remembered Ninna and her husband Wally who managed the campground back then.

Okay I have finished my coffee and breakfast so I need to get moving. Have a blessed day and for the follks who are still having winter, come to the Deep South South my friends the weather is fine.:B