Saturday

Ty & Me - Camera Critters #30

We always knew when we moved into a house that we'd get a dog. I wanted a small companion dog. Big D wanted a big dog. He won for the protection factor. I admitted that a big dog would make me feel safer while alone at night. He researched and researched. Finally decided that a Belgian Malinois would be the dog for us. And, as luck would have it, there was a year old rescued dog not too far from us. After an application process & home visit, we were approved. That weekend, we drove to Tyler, Texas to bring our new family member home.

Recently, I read the youth version of Marley & Me by John Grogan. As I was reading about Marley, so much of it reminded me of Ty those first couple of years.

  • We only had Ty a week when get ran out of the house without a leash. We called and called him only to have him ignore us. We'd get close to him and he'd run away. I think I need to mention that this was in June. It's hot in June. Big D took off after him while we wrung our hands at home. After an incredibly long time, a furious Big D came home with a happy-go-lucky dog. Big D chased him all through the neighborhood & by a busy street. Just as Big D decided to give up & head home, Ty's herding instincts kicked in & he herded Big D home.
  • He chewed up everything in his path. Everything. That includes mini-blinds.
  • When Lamb was in 6th grade, it was a rare time that Big D worked days. Intermediate schools start at 9am which is an hour after my school starts. At the time, the only choice we had was for her to ride the bus. Ty could not handle watching her walk down the street by herself. He knew it wasn't right. What's a dog to do when he sees his charge doing something "dangerous"? Why, tear up the blinds & door frame to get to her, of course. So we had to crate him. And, sadly, it was up to Lamb to do the crating. He never gave her any problems.
  • When she was in 7th grade, a dear friend of mine with a daughter Lamb's age moved close to us. We had a car pool arrangement so Lamb would not have to ride the bus. Ty had no problem with Lamb getting into a car with someone else. The crate days were over.
  • Periodically, Ty would get loose. He's a bad doggie and doesn't come when called. However, we learned that if we opened a car door, he'd come running home & hop in.
  • He gets in the garbage. Repeatedly. He also eats kitty litter which completely grosses me out. We had to get Cleo a hooded, private bathroom.
  • When we go out of town & he has to be kenneled, he always comes home with a scratched nose. He tries to nose his way out of the crate and he whines for us.
Yes, all those memories came flooding back as I read the book. And they are memories, for the most part. After the hurricane, I thought to myself: So glad those days are over. Why, I bet if he got outside now, he'd come right to us when called.

Silly, naive me. Last night, Lamb was coming outside with me and Ty, pretty as he pleases, pushed her out of the way & came barreling out. Down the street he went. I called and called. He ignored me. I opened the car door. He ignored me. Bear went after him and he ran from him. I told Bear to walk away, hoping Ty would try to herd him. He didn't.

He darted across our busy street. Bear with a terrified voice begged him to listen and come to him. Ty kept running. Finally he passed a fence (an actual, honest to goodness fence) with a dog in the backyard. The dog started barking so Ty had to halt and tell him who's the boss. It gave Bear enough time to reach him. With me hot on the trail, Bear grabbed his collar and we got the leash on him.
Yes, I almost could have written that book myself.

16 comments:

Julie said...

I have always loved that breed. Great choice and lovely picture

Julie said...

I have always loved that breed. Great choice and lovely picture

Anonymous said...

I just love Ty! You should write a "Marley" type book one day about him! You KNOW I will be first in line to see Marley and Me when the movie comes out on Christmas! Gotta love Owen!

P.S. I think we have the same patio chairs!

Lisa

Patois42 said...

My favorite part? The one that had me laughing out loud? "We had to get Cleo a hooded, private bathroom."

Lilli & Nevada said...

sure am glad you found him. nice post

Jane Hards Photography said...

What a beautiful narrative and sweet image.

Anonymous said...

Loved it! Silly, Ty. He certainly has a mind of his own, doesn't he?

When we had our dog and she got loose, we learned that it did more harm than good to chase her. She just thought it was a game. So we ignored her, she stayed within sight of home (mostly) and came home eventually.

littletoesandcheerios said...

Aw, what a sweet dog. I love the picture of him watching out the window waiting to see some action!

We had a boxer that sounds about like Ty. After he passed away we went with a smaller breed and got our boston terrier "Oscar".

I still love the big dogs myself and plan to have a boxer again someday.

Jillie Bean (AKA Bubba's Sis) said...

Naughty Ty!

I wonder if he'd run away in a thunderstorm?

Juliana RW said...

nice pic

Mine CC post in HERE. Hope you have time to visit. Thanks.

Forgetfulone said...

What a nice pic and a sweet story.

Gretchen said...

He knows his own mind. Good feature in dogs at times, but not so good for you! Our Goldens were never crated, we whistle and they come running. Open a package of cookies and you practically trip over them. :) We always joke we couldn't lose them because they just won't leave home. Aphrodite will walk to her trail, use the "facilities" and come sit on the steps waiting to be let in if she gets lose. Adonis would just lay on the porch and look out the door. He'd never leave the property. Sure miss him.

Tales From the Eurovan said...

I would feel safe with Ty at our house! He's a beautiful looking dog! Speaking of "Marley and Me" I saw the preview for the movie the other day and want to go see it. How's the book?
Take care,
Julie

Anonymous said...

What a handsome boy! It is sometimes worse having a rowdy dog than having a rowdy kid!

Maggie said...

LOL, yes, I'd say that you could probably have written that book! =) Very pretty dog!

We had a boxer once, who was too smart for her own good. Could get out of the kennel by herself. Came home from work on my lunch hour one day and she was out of the cage and had torn up the house, so I put her in the bathroom and went back to work. An hour later, I had a very bad feeling, so I went to check on her again. She had torn down the shower curtain and turned on the tub faucet full blast. The water had filled the entire tub & was just about to overflow into the floor. She had also been working to free herself by chewing the entire bottom off the bathroom door. CRAZY!! =)

Misty DawnS said...

I LOVED Marley & Me, and, of course, bawled my eyes out at the 'inevitable', which I knew was coming and thought I had braced myself for - Yeah, I'm a sniveling wimpy girl when it comes to doggies ;-)

I LOVE Ty... I know he misbehaves, but he's still fabulous!