Today my Chihuahua Spanky turns 11.
Together we have been through much, he has been by my side for all of the good and bad times of the last 9 years since I became his owner.
When my husband Tim first brought him home as a puppy I was not happy. I knew Chihuahuas as nasty yappy mean little things. I was to be proven wrong in this assumption.
When Tim got sick all he seemed to be able to do was fret about Spanky What would happen to Spanky. He loved that little dog and he took me at my initial word that I did not.
But it was hard to dislike the small little creature curled in a ball in the corner shaking with huge frightened eyes. His world was falling apart and he didn't know what to do, I could certainly relate to that. The cat Fred known far and wide for his street smart ways and cold heart studied him like a lab specimen trying to figure out what to do.
I petted his head and Fred brought him a piece of cat food. The cat food went ignored So Fred decided on cheese and commenced howling at the refrigerator to make me aware of his decision. I got out the cheese and gave Fred a piece which he promptly ran into the sad little dog. It worked. We feasted on cheese for awhile the cat Fred taking his over and dropping it in front of Spanky until finally Spanky had decided he needed no more cat germs and came got his own.
A friendship that would last many years was cemented that day. From then on the cat Fred could practice his favorite hobby of psychological torture on the neighbor cats with out fear of having the stuffing pounded out of him. He had a pint sized body guard that believed he was always right who would jump in and kick some kitty tail if anyone begged to differ.
Fred taught him may things, how to play like a cat, how to greet like a cat. These lessons remain to this day. It was a sad day for both of us when we buried the cat Fred who had died in his sleep while enjoying the autumn sun in his favorite chair on the porch, he was 18. A few months passed it was the middle of January when Spanky went out and was gone awhile. He returned carrying a small creature in his mouth, a small but rather wild kitten. He brought it in and took it to the heater vent to warm He proceeded to clean it then look up at me and whine. The kitten would hiss, growl and scratch his nose, he would wag his tail and clean a bit more. Finally I told him he could keep it. The young cat who has now taken Fred's place has grown up being batted from around the corner by a dog paw. She is meticulously groomed by her loving Chihuahua parent on a daily basis.
For being small Spanky has the heart of a lion. Less than a month after Tim died he stood by me fearlessly as I watched the 4th of July fireworks from the front yard. He occasionally nudging my leg when something really big lit up the sky. When finally I turned to go inside the relief on his Chihuahua face was noticeable. He had been terrified but he would not let me face the frightening exploding things alone.
It was a summer evening years ago when terror came in the form of a hedge dweller. Spanky and I were out turning off the water when we walked by the laurel hedge. Suddenly he leaped into action snarling erupted then the most horrible squalling I have ever heard. Spanky was in trouble. I leaped into the hedge without thinking only my portable phone in hand. There in front of me was a raccoon, not large but menacing, it had Spanky in its arms. In horror I raised the mouth piece of the phone and whacked the raccoon over the head Spanky was free. We headed to the emergency vet where after much fear and several x rays Spanky was pronounced bruised but healthy. The Raccoon was dispatched to the mountain via live trap. I am told he still lives there one of his legs was never right after his dog attack.
The years have passed and my small friend has gotten a little slower. He is a bit stiff in the morning when he roles out of bed. His face has gone gray yet his tail still wags so fast it looks like it will fly off his butt when he sees me coming.
Recently I brought home a small shivering ball with big sad eyes, another Chihuahua had been orphaned A final wish was being granted Spanky and I would be expanding our family to include McGee. I wasn't sure how that would go
It went okay, there was barking at the refrigerator door, bits of cheese were hauled and accepted, McGee is still sad but shows signs of glee at a family car adventure or walk.. He has learned to bat the cat and rub against it in greeting after returning home. We have made the trip to the wool mill and McGee is now the proud owner of his own made in the USA blanket He has been taught to haul it around, just as Spanky does, so comfort and warmth are within easy reach. Paws are being lifted for booties now the cold weather has come Spanky fought me on this for years, but he passed on the wisdom of having warm paws and a nice warm jacket in the cold to McGee. So the circle continues. Heaven help Frank the neighbor cat now that there are two tiny rough necks playing body guard for a deranged menace of a cat, Celia is shaping up to be every bit the evil genius her predessor was, he truly won't stand a chance