KC's BFF Ellie

Susan our wonderful neighbor giving
KC a birthday present of Dental chew sticks!

God is so good to me!  If you have been my Facebook friend for long, you have lived through our first year of dog ownership along with us! It's been so much more challenging than I expected even though I was the only one in reality about the amount of time having a dog would require. The number one person who has encouraged us and saved us on numerous occasions is our next door neighbor Susan. We moved in nine years ago and she had dogs.  My kids were scared of dogs and through the years, Susan has helped them overcome their fears and would eventually let my kids go on walks with her and even hold the leash!  I was a self-proclaimed dog hater but I grew to like Susan’s dogs because she trains them to be so good and mannerly.  They obey, they don’t jump on you or run away.  (Unlike SOME people’s dogs LOL!)

Ziggy and KC

When we got home from the mountains without KC, and told Susan about her, she was the one who pushed us to go back and get her.  She promised to help us out but I am not sure she knew how much that would involve!  Susan and her dogs, Ziggy and Sadie were there for KC’s homecoming and have watched KC grow up from 11 pounds to 60.  KC LOVES Susan and her dogs.  Ziggy, the younger one, enjoyed playing with KC but then KC got big and would hurt her on occasion with her rambunctiousness.  Sadie just tried to avoid KC all together because she was such a bugger.

Ellie the Water Dog!

KC is known for her romps in the marsh across the street.  I can’t even count how many times, Susan has crawled through the bushes and helped us retrieve that dog.  The worse time ever was the day she got lost in the big marsh in Indian Woods while walking with Bonnie and Bubba.  That marsh is vast and I was very afraid we would never see her again.  The kids were in tears and after an hour of us calling and looking I thought all hope was lost.  She loves getting in my truck and we would rev the engine and try to lure her out to no avail.  Dan gave up but Susan and her husband Randy kept looking on their bikes long after dark and praise the Lord, KC finally came out in the place she had entered, all covered with muck.  Randy rode her home because I couldn’t put her in the truck that filthy and once again our neighbors saved the day (and KC!) Even this past weekend, we left the gate open and KC high-tailed it to Hucks backyard and I called Susan in case she saw her.  She was on her way home and picked KC up in her car off of Forest and yet again saved her life!  Talk about patience….geez!

The Lord has done the greatest thing for us.  Susan got a new dog named Elle (we call her Ellie.)  She said Ellie reminds her so much of KC which is probably not a good thing.  Sweet and lovable for sure but wild and naughty as well!   The first time Ellie came to meet KC in the backyard, she dove in the pool and never came out.  It took a group effort to drag her out with her yelping the whole way home.  She is quite the swimmer!  KC was walking around the pool looking at Ellie like she was saying, “What the Heck?  Can you get out and play now?”  They are now BFF’s but can only have play dates in Ellie’s backyard or it will just be a swim fest.  We don’t really understand why KC hates water.  Hound dogs should like to swim. 

The results of play dates with Ellie!

Having Ellie is the best thing that has ever happened to KC and us!  Ellie wears her out and helps us have a good day!! KC requires so much exercise. If Dan doesn’t ride her on the bike for 5 miles than she is one naughty dog at home.  She is perfect when she is exercised.  The kids walk her constantly but they can’t do it enough but Ellie can!!  God bless you Ellie and may you live long and play hard!!