Wally and Auntie Kay had their share of dogs on the farm. Shortly after I was born, a relative gave them a Hound cross named Buster.
The relative had spoiled him by allowing him to ride in their car. However, with wife, four children and himself, Wally had little room left for the dog, so Buster had to stay behind. Buster took to following the car until he was no longer able to pick up the scent then returned to the farm to mourn his loss. One day, after returning from an outing, Wally discovered that Buster was missing. The family never saw him again.
The next dog that I remember was a black Lab cross with a politically incorrect name. I don’t remember what happened to him.
We got another give away named Penny. She was an over weight curly haired something or another and spay to boot so no puppy worry. She was a city dog and dumb as a post. She repeatedly antagonized skunks. Once she got too close to a porcupine and got a snout full of quills. When Wally started to remove the quills she tried to bite him. Somehow he immobilized her and removed the quills. Her demise came on Highway 97 when she was killed by a vehicle She was one of a number of dogs and cats we lost to the Highway.
On December 25 our next dog was born on the Gudlaugsson farm. He was a Collie Shepherd cross. When we got him Wally called him Nicholas Ferguson Gudlaugsson Gallager Shep. The dog answered to the first two names. The other three were just for conversation. We didn’t have him neutered so he would disappear for two weeks every spring. When he returned he was always a mess from fighting. He lived with us for 14 years, the last 2 were difficult for he was suffering from arthritis. Nicholas died at his own choosing one spring day.
I have some fun stories to tell about Nicholas, so they are yet to come.