I was so touched when I read your short stories in regards to your 13 dogs.

I am so glad to see there are others out there like me. I have 9 dogs at this time. I too know about those dog fights I have had to separate mine quite a few times since Dude came into our life. Here is my short story about mine and how I got them and will never let them go. I have always been around dogs ever since I can remember and have always had one while I raised my children.

I had a beagle/terrier named Buddy Jordan Lee he was quite the dog once when he was around I had taken in a great dane/ lab and Buddy was jealous and ran away the neighbors called he was in their garage when we got him home his face was sunk in just like he had turned anorexia we nursed him back and he finally realized we loved him no matter how many there were.. He is gone now I had to put him to rest Nov. 7 1999 he was almost 18 years old. It was the hardest decision I have ever made it was like ending the life of one of my children. When he was around 13 my daughter brought her chow/lab over her name became Pytree Renee Nichole (as you will see my dogs all three names like my children) when she went into her first heat my youngest son and his friends thought it was funny and did not think Buddy would reach, well he did and on December 27 she had 8 babies 3 males and 5 females one male died.

I only found a home for one of them the rest have been with me since the day they were born in my bedroom they are now 5 years old. There names are Rebecca Sue Ellen, Precious Rae Dawn, Sadie Mae Lou, Justice Lynne Marie, Roscoe P. Coletrain and Chance Ray Charles. Maddie Ann Marie I hope is still in a good home, loved and Happy. At one time Roscoe had gone to live with a person I worked with but they dumped him in the pound after I had told them if you change your mind bring him back. Needless to say I bought back a dog who was born in my home.

Then there came the chocolate lab Bubba Lou Moose he was dumped out in the country when he found me he weighed about 40 pounds and my god the ticks he had some in his ear the size of dimes, it took me 2 days to get them all off of him. I am not sure the vet and I think he is around 3 or 4. He is very loveable but very heavy pawed when it comes to wanting attention and thinks at times he owns me and growls at the others when it is his turn to get hugs and kisses making sure no one else gets any. I just had him neutered a couple of months ago and he went from a strong 85 pound guy to well over 100 pounds funny he eats as much as he ever did no more no less vet said it is the hormones.

Over a year ago my granddaughters father gave her a brindle pit bull whose name is now Queen Victoria Sunshine. He had never given her anything she is only 3 years old and I ended up with Queen because her mom had no where to keep her, Then one night after working 13 hours I get home and there was a 3 month old Red Pit Bull puppy in the kennel with everyone. I looked at him and said "DUDE" thus his name became Dude Michael Paul. He looks a lot like a Mastiff with the big saggy face but he is 100% pit bull. When he became part of the family Queen was going through her first heat and a false pregnancy and must have thought Dude was one of her babies and the wars began. She use to spar with the other dogs always play fighting nothing ever serious but all of a sudden when they got around Dude or growled at him she would go off and as he got bigger they both would go after the 6 lab/chow/beagle/terriers and for some reason Bubba who is their big brother and play partner would join in and talk about having a hard time trying to get them off the one they would attack.

They never fight unless I am home the vet said it is because they see me as the Alpha and it is a way to show me they will fight for me because they love me and are going to protect me and a fight for my attention. So far no one was hurt very seriously as far as I can tell and what I have started to do is when they start the fight and do not obey me when I say enough they have to wear a muzzle and depending on how long the fight last and how bad it was sometimes they wear them into the night early morning I am hoping that they will associate if I fight I have to wear the darn thing. Well, that is a quick summary right now all 9 of them plus my daughter, granddaughter and grandson all live with me.

Shari

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