#21 A Big Boozer...

He came to us by chance.

One hot summer day, a neighbor rode into our stable yard. She was an older woman who lived on property a few miles down the road. Her horse was a big and incredibly beautiful dun Quarter Horse gelding that she bred and raised but who was now dancing around with great agitation.

The reason why was apparent.

Strung over the saddle was a puppy, a very large puppy, who was twisting and squirming. I could see her dilemma clearly... a young unhappy horse and a young unhappy horse sized dog.

She said she found the pup alone and lost in the desert and couldn't leave him to die. If lack of food or water did not kill him, coyotes would. She asked if we wanted the pup. Her ranch already had five dogs and another was unwelcome. We agreed, much to her relief, and thus began our life with this giant dog.

Over the next few days, we found three more pups, if there were more they were lost to the desert. Living as we did in the country but still close to a large city, people would often dump unwanted pets here. Thinking that the animal in question would run free and thus, on their parts, avoiding the inevitability of killing them. Death was a fact and the animals in question were doomed, but death in the desert was often long and painful and filled with terror.

Homes were easily found for the three additional pups but the first puppy, the one who rode into our stable yard and into our hearts stayed with us.

He was an unusual color, a brindle. His body was tan but he had black stripes running from his spine down his rib cage. His face, ears and legs, all had black points. He also had the biggest feet I've ever seen. Little did we know at that time, that those dinner plate-sized feet would belong to a giant of a dog.

That first day the cowboy's all fussed over the big gangly puppy. He almost stumbled over his feet and he lept around joyously. He was fearless and tumbled over himself in his play. The day was almost over, the horses were fed and everyone was enjoying those last moments before leaving for the day. Everyone had a cold beer in hand and were rehashing the day's events.

Someone set down a beer and was busy talking when they discovered that the new pup was now downing that same beer. He lapped up the golden brew with an enjoyment I've only seen on cowboy's faces when doing the same thing. Thus the big pup found his new name... Boozer.

Boozer, we discovered, grew to be a Great Dane. A giant of a dog but with a heart so filled with love and a soul filled with play. He loved to romp and his great joy in life was to chase something. He didn't really care what... a rabbit, a cow, a horse or even his own shadow.

We almost lost him in such a chase.

A rabbit led him away from the stable yard and into the midst of a group of coyotes. To them he was an easy dinner but the big dog fought hard and somehow, by the grace of God, escaped. We heard the fight and went to his rescue and had we been a few moments later, the result may not have been the same. He survived with a bloody throat, bites and a torn ear. In the melee, a coyote had grabbed his floppy ear and torn a large chunk from it forever marking the event.

Boozer survived but in his dog's memory, he developed a hatred for coyotes vowing payback until his dying day.

We allowed the ranch dogs to accompany trail rides. The dogs would run alongside, occasionally and fruitlessly chasing rabbits but always returning to the ride. Unknowingly by doing this we gave the dogs much longer lives. The exercise and the running developed strong lungs and strong hearts. Great Danes as it turns out lack both. Their great size produced a weakness in their hearts and a much shorter life span, usually 8 years or so. Boozer was a healthy active dog until his passing... 14 1/2 years later.

Dogs came and went in our lives. Found castoffs lived with us until placed in new and more loving homes. Some like Boozer... stayed forever.

Boozer as a puppy.