Birthday: January 1st 1996 Likes: Killing things smaller than myself...my mom hates this about me...but I had to do it to survive before and it's just what I do. Pet-Peeves: I'm a sweet girl and will accept anyone or anything my family asks me to, but I don't like anything in my yard. I prefer to be an outside dog and if it comes over or through that fence onto my side uninvited...I'm killin' it!! Favorite Toy: Squirrels that aren't too bright....mom saw me catch a bird in mid-flight one day... Favorite Food: It used to be small animals. But I don't have to hunt my food on the streets anymore. My family feeds me Blue Buffalo...but I still go for the local wildlife if the opportunity presents itself. Favorite Walk: I like the park, but don't get to go often...I have a heart condition and have already surpassed my life expectancy and mom doesn't want me to over extend myself. I get very moderate excercise in the yard. Best Tricks: I know how to sit and lay down and heel, but I'm pretty much...dumb as a post as far as any common sense, but my family loves me anyway. Arrival Story: We opened our front door one day in January and there in the yard stood this wet, shivering, 70lb. bag of bones with missing hair and a look on her face like, "Please help me!...She was wary of us, but her hunger got the best of her when my daughter brought out a package of lunch meat. When it was gone (about 30 seconds later...LOL) we eased a leash around her neck and led her into the laundry room to get her warm and dry. The next couple of weeks were spent contacting vets and trying to find an owner...we realized she was obviously a purebred once her hair started coming back in and seemed to have a sweet disposition so I was sure someone was desparately looking for their pet...No one claimed her and the vet seemed to think that she had possibly escaped from a puppy mill...she had been bred so many times and he said that the kind of neglect that she had was long term and didn't happen overnight...It concerned me also that he said it looked as though from her fecal matter that it contained small bones and fur which meant that while she was a stray in the streeets that she was probably surviving on whatever she could catch...cats...mice...birds...squi rrels...whatever wasn't as fast as she was. Unfortunately I know that once they have killed like that...you don't usually change that behavior...and that proved true when she continued to kill anything that came into her yard. She's fine as long as the animal is introduced to her outside her "territory" as a new family member...but otherwise...she can be deadly. She was heartworm positive but after further testing she was diagnosed with a heart condition that we were told would more than likely end her life within 2 or 3 years and that her chances for survival through the heartworm treatment looked grim...so we made the decision to make whatever time she had left...years..months...whatever... quality ones. That was 9 years ago and she still acts like a puppy. We never had her spayed because of the heart condition and we are very greatful that she has never had any other illness or injury that would require her to be sedated because it would be very dangerous because of her heart condition. I know one day if she begins to suffer, we'll have a difficult decision to make, but until that day comes...we want her to live a carefree life and know everyday what it is to be loved. Bio: Because surgery was too risky with her heart condition, we were so careful and kept her from ever becoming pregnant again. She had been bred almost to death before we got her...literally. But then "Chico" (my neighbors dog) came into the picture and I came home one day to find him attached to my Ebony!!! Along with the 6 feet of tow chain he broke to come over to be with her...not to mention the 2 fences he had to climb...dragging the chain with him just to get to her! well...the damage was done at that point...all we could do was pray. A little later she gave birth to 9 beautiful puppies...(2 males...7 females) and came through it fine. We were so afraid of losing her. I am so cautious now we bring her inside before her cycle so this never happens again. We've since moved and raised our fence at the new place to prevent this from happening again, but we also kept one of the puppies. There was just something very odd and very special about one of the males...In addition to the fact that he took his first breath in the palm of my hand...it was more than that...I can't explain it, but I knew we had to keep him. we named him Mr. Nat's Capone. We recently celebrated Ebony's 14th birthday!!! She fooled all the vets and has outlived her life expectancy by at least 7 years!! Just goes to show you how far love and compassion combined with a dogs will to live can take them. Forums Motto: If It Moves...Kill It!!
The Dog Show: Who's Your Mama?
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