Baby Emma & her remarkable ears.
The past couple of weeks have been one of showing just how nasty the Haters of the American Pit Bull Terrier can be and they have demonstrated they have no qualms about killing every representative of the breed including the "pit bull types". (Doesn't matter if they do not have even a drop of Pit Bull blood, they have large heads, close coats and are muscular)
This week I begin a new series in the hopes of showing why I am not going to back down and just what this fight means to me personally. You see I am not a representative of any group, I am not dependent on the good will of anyone but the collateral damage the Haters, including the animal rights groups who fit so well under the same heading, are out to destroy live right under my roof.
Since 1979 I have had some remarkable dogs. I could share weeks of tales show casing a diversity of personalities and abilities which would astound you. In this case I am only going to focus on my three current dogs. I do not expect to change the minds of those incapable of forming their own thoughts.
Experience has taught me those who insist on having their positions fed to them rarely wake up and become free thinkers. We all know those who allow themselves to be programmed and who never waiver until the next position is issued. This is merely a series to share part of my motivation. The sheep are nothing but blind followers and will never understand unless their handler tells them something new.
Emma, a.k.a. Queen of the Universe, came to me from a seizure in the south part of Cape Girardeau in 2008. She was sick, neglected and had little to look forward other than becoming another death statistic. She spent the first two weeks of freedom at a local veterinary clinic. We met when I came into the rescuing shelter to do an evaluation on another dog. While I was hunkered down with the dog across the run, I began to "feel the eyes upon me". When I turned I got my first glimpse of "her highness" sitting very primly, wagging her tail and letting me know her bags were packed and she was ready to go...with me.
The first thing you notice when meeting Emma is she is a very pretty girl. She is obviously female because she is prissy and she carries herself with confidence bordering on snobbishness. Then you notice her ears. When she was a puppy I assumed she would grow into them. I swear they were the same size then as they are now.
Her ears were so big a friend of mine actually offered to pay to have them cropped. Being one who leaves the Terrier ears natural that was not an option and since she seemed quite proud of them, they remained intact. They are still to this day a noticeable feature on an otherwise over the top feminine dog.
The assumption she would be leaving the shelter with me was well founded. One dog went to rescue one dog went to her forever home. In the case of Emma, she rolled in and immediately began issuing orders to the resident male, my last show dog Ricky. He was a go with the flow kind of guy so following her rules was simple especially when someone the size of a small rat with Dumbo ears explained it in such graphic terms. Our journey together began and I can honestly say it has never been boring.
Those who have known Emma since her seizure days are quick to point out no one else could have lived with her but me. For some reason they think our personalities are the same. I do point out here for the record I have never been prissy a day in my life.
This is a dog that thrives on showing off. After her first obedience class she had to be carried to the car because she did not feel class should be over. She was six months old; this set the tone of all things to come. She presents beautifully because anything less would be unthinkable for royalty.
She does not believe in getting dirty except in the case of spending time with the horse which dictates one must have at least a little smelly green goo behind ear huge ear. Rain is not to be tolerated. She considers it my duty to insure weather, hot, cold or wet, is always optimal for her comfort. She takes it personally when I cannot address the matter immediately.
This is also a dog who loves to be outside. Her trips to the river whether by kayak or motor boat are gratifying and she is an exceptional boater, except for the getting wet thing. In her mind you should always insure she can disembark without getting her feet wet. She will wade into water up to her ankles but not further. In the matter of chasing sticks and retrieving, she lets the rabble swim out to get them then she takes them away to return to the thrower.
One of her most amazing qualities is the ability to dig a hole large enough to bury livestock in record time. When she has sand to dig in, it is not unthinkable you could have a straight shot to China as the old adage goes. Apparently sand and dirt under her nails does not fall into the category of getting dirty.
Emma is also one of the most amazing teachers of the refugee dogs who have come through our door over the past several years. She is always the one I must consider first when taking on fosters. Knowing your dog and careful consideration of the dog coming in is key. I have stated multiple times I never set my dogs up to fail.
Emma's sense of pack order is exceptional. She has accepted numerous dogs over the years and all have left knowing pack manners. She does not have to be nasty or ugly about it, she simply knows how things should be and that is how they are. It also helps to be able to roll your entire face up to show an impressive set of teeth.
She never makes a sound and she has never gone off on a dog. The only one to have different ideas of how things should run was Mavis the Jack Russell who also considered herself royalty. After dislodging her from Emma's shoulder we all agreed Mavis did not take up that much room and she could also rule as royalty during her stay.
In the matter of Emma not making any sound, she is true to her breed in the fact that she is not vocal. In all the years we have been together I have maybe heard her bark a dozen times. This can be attested to by those who have spent time with her on the Schutzhund and tracking field. She will not alert to save her life. She also does not bark at the door. If you watch her it is a bit like she is pointing to let you know something is up.
This non-vocalization holds true except in the case of her appearance as Sandy in the university production of Annie.
My original plan when I contracted with them to provide the dog was one of the Puppies for Parole graduates. He was visually perfect but sadly he did not have the temperament to stand up to the rigors of the theater. He did a full melt down on me with two rehearsals left to go. I had to provide a dog and the only one I had to fill the role on such short notice was Emma.
The original plan was to dye her brown to at least have some resemblance to the description of Sandy. The first rehearsal when she rolled out under the lights, that idea was scrapped. She was breath taking.
It was decided theatrical license would be exercised and my white patch female Pit Bull would take the role in her natural state. Yes even the cast chuckled over the line when the officer asks Annie what her dog's name is because when she answers Sandy the following line is "oh I can see that because of the color". Theatrical license also dictated the line would not be changed.
Back to the non-vocal point of this tale; Emma, my beautiful girl who rarely makes a sound decided during the Friday evening production, which was the president's fund raiser with every dignitary in the university present, sat down beside Annie and turned the song Tomorrow into a duet. She did this with every ounce of class and dignity she possessed.
There was not a doggone thing I could do about it but let her sing. At the end of the production the walk on part of the judge who granted Annie's adoption was held by my State Senator Wayne Wallingford. He left the stage while I was standing back stage to send Emma in for her final appearance and was laughing because he just knew she must belong to me.
One aspect of Emma's theatrical career was her final scene when she was presented to Annie by Daddy Warbucks. The costumer came in during the first rehearsal and asked if she would tolerate having a giant red bow tied to her? Mind, the prissy little diva lives to wear bling.
Her only problem with the bow was she could not keep it. She had to appear at the end of the final production which was a matinee without the bow during her photo op which lasted more than an hour.
Those who have attacked me as not being an animal lover or having any care of the dangers presented by a breed they have had limited exposure to will not understand the import of what I am trying to share in regards to the oldest member of my present pack.
This is a dog who possesses the poise and confidence to appear in front of four sold out houses, who can sit for more than an hour having her picture taken with individuals ranging in age from small children to senior citizens, who can accept refugees coming into her territory as just the way things are and who exhibits more class than most people.
This is what you would destroy without hesitation. This is what you would destroy all the while cloaking yourself behind your blind stupidity and hate.
This is the first of the reasons I will fight the devil himself which is what the Haters and the animal rights groups represent to me. You blind many with your hate mongering, death peddling ways. I pray you are once and for all driven from Missouri and find no quarter in any other state.
http://www.kfvs12.com/story/8433298/nine...
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