Dogs

Those of you who know me will get this. I love dogs.... here is a brief pictorial history of ours from the last two decades (and aren't you impressed I have pictures of all of them on my computer!)

 


Lola 1996-2004

Lola started out as Hayden's dog, and ended up as mine. She was very smart and knew the difference between shake, high five and down low. My belief is the Lord took her early because he needed a really good dog!

                                                                


Doris 1999-2012

Doris started out as Slade's dog and ended up as mine. She was Lola's niece, and not as smart, but very sweet and loyal. She went everywhere with me. Jack always thought I treated her better than him. She did always love my cooking and agreed with everything I said!

Gertie and Pearl 2012- up to Slade and Shaela !

 Labradoodles. Gertie (red) was Jack's idea and after we had her a couple of weeks, I knew I couldn't run around the yard all day to try and wear her out so we got Pearl (black). Gertie is smarter than me and very conniving. Pearl,not so smart, but very sweet. Slade and Shaela have them while we are in Bolivia. Since we have been gone they have gotten into the porcupines 3 times so bad they had to go to the vet for quill extraction, lost both of their shock collars for the electric fence, which had to be replaced. Before the new ones came, they got loose and started fighting with the neighbor's dogs. Recently, Gertie bit into a hot electric cord. Luckily, Slade remembered his CPR skills and was able to revive her. Last week they, as a team, tore up a bean bag chair...and these are just the things Slade and Shaela tell us! The girls spend their days looking up into the trees for squirrels. Sometimes they get lucky.Right before we left, Pearl brought a dead squirrel in the house and left it in front of our bedroom door. They were so proud!

 Love 'em to death!

 

This is one of the things I absolutely love about Bolivia. They love their dogs! And they have a LOT of dogs. Translated, this says,

"Please don't run over me! I cross the street with the innocence of a child...as if I were your child."

Bolivia has named this the "Ceendee' Meella" Campaign (phonetically correct) a.k.a. "Save our damn dogs"



Here are a few of the dogs I have met in Bolivia, ranked in order of esteem:




Gaucho

Gaucho is the dog of our good friends Nacho and Claudia. He was born in Eagle Mountain, Utah and immigrated to Cochabamba for the weather. His owners moved into an apartment that didn't allow pets, so now he is Claudia's dog and she is afraid I am going to take him back to the States! I thought he was a Labradoodle until he got his dreads shaved off. Either that or a poodle. Very smart and has a cute personality. He is neutered and isn't allow to roam the streets.



Rocky. Rocky belongs to the people who run the tienda across the street from the temple. He sticks pretty close to the tienda. The owners have pictures of him taped to the candy counter inside and were honored when I asked if I could take a picture of him.

These two live next to the salon where I get my hair cut. The first time I saw them they were dragging a dead chicken around and left it front of the salon doorway. Morning nap time.

This was a dog I saw in Potosi and I thought it was so cute that he jumped up to the tienda door like he was going to buy a Coke. He wasn't as impressed with me.

I just saw this little Samoyed puppy today in the park in front of the temple. Chances are, he won't ever look this clean again when he gets too big to carry!

Highway Dogs. We have traveled though out the country on some pretty nice new roads. No matter where you go, these dogs are there, spaced at even intervals all along the highway hoping someone will toss a bone their way.These dogs were located between Tupiza and Potosi

 

Temple dogs. As much as I like dogs, these are annoying. They spend their days asleep in the grass in the park the temple maintains or in the middle of the sidewalk so you have to step over them. They have to sleep all day so they will have the energy to bark incessantly all night.

They have staked out their turf and will fight newcomer dogs!


I woke these two up from their nap for the picture. They still barked all night.

Park packs. This was in a park within barking distance of the temple. We drove by one night and were so amazed to see 12 dogs that we had to drive around the block to get the picture! We had the windows down and it sounded like they were building up for a big turf war. That night, we heard a lot of barking off in the distance in their direction. 

 

Bolivia is mostly Catholic, and their teachings on birth control carry over to their dogs. Very few are spayed or neutered. Bolivian dogs are doing their part to multiply and replenish the Earth! Cochabamba has no leash laws and no noise ordinances. If you see a pure bred dog, it will most likely only be for one generation! We have seen some litters that have just grown up together on the streets, 3 or 4 dogs that look just alike and travel together! We have seen some pretty odd combinations. One had a German shepherd head and body with 6 in legs. You hardly ever see dogs hit by cars or dead on the side of the road. The joke is Bolivians yield for dogs, but not people. The first Sunday we were here in June they had nation wide vaccination day. After the dogs were vaccinated, they tied a piece of yarn around their neck. At least it puts peoples minds to ease after they are bitten to see the dog's yarn collar! Bolivia might love its dogs, but I love how the US has a few regulations that make it better for people and dogs.