A memory of best friends lost

As I set here on the last night of 2010 thinking about the animal adventures of the past year and wondering where Kruisin' Kritters and the animals will take me this year. I want to thank all my friends that have been supportive of Kruisin' Kritters this past year. With out all your help and support the past year would of been tough as 3 of my oldest dogs passed. Thor, 14 years old, an Akbash,  Riley,  14 years old  Anatolian Shepard, and my baby Cassidy who was a 14 year old American StaffordshireTerrier, and my heart and soul.  Riley came to me when he was 18 months old, thin weighing 30 lbs every rib showed.  I found him in a yard tied to a tree where a much larger dog would not let him get near the food or water. The owner wanted to put Riley down. I looked at  Riley's soulful brown eyes and knew there was a proud not down trodden Anatolian within. ^6 months later Riley was the proud Anatolian I knew was within. Riley was my ever present nocturnal guardian taking his place on my highest hill and watching every night to protect me and his 2 horses and 2 donkeys, yes he thought they were his, so I never told him otherwise! At 6:00 a.m. every morning Riley would be at the front door waiting to come in and fall into his bed for a deep sleep until 6:00p.m. He slept so deep that no one including myself could wake him up very easily. Exactly at 6:00 p.m. he was at the door for his night duty. In his last 5 years I did not leave Riley out at night due to his age, however every night and morning at his exact times Riley would go to the door so he and I could walk my 5 acres completely making sure his charges were ok. I miss our morning and night checks and that big white fur ball always blocking the door way. Thor came to me at 11 months after being found abused and mistreated in a breeding kennel. He was a mess unkempt fur, full of parasites and not knowing what to do with the sudden attention placed upon him. An Akbash is also a nocturnal guardian and once Thor settled in he figured out his heritage very quickly. Thor's nickname was "Grumpy" as from the first day he had a invisible boundary  that only Thor knew but if you crossed it he would bark or give a low growl, not to bite just to let you know you were invading his space.  Thor was my big solid pillow as when he was on his bed his boundary would disappear and I could lounge around on him while he gave me licks on my nose.  I do miss my living pillow especially on these cold nights.  Cassidy, what can I say about my baby boy, he was very very special, he was my 7/24 day dog and companion. Anyone that knows me never saw me without Cassidy in 14 years. Cassidy was dumped on a dirt road (The road I live on) on a November rainy night. He was  about 7 or 8 weeks old. scared wet, and beat up. He had been attacked by some other dogs. I was coming home from a Kruisin' Kritters job around 10p.m. in my van. All of sudden I saw this small puppy run out in front my van, I slammed on my breaks and heard a loud thud. My heart sunk, I thought I had killed this little pup. When I opened the door to check I was startled by  this jump of a muddy, wet,  stinky,  kissing,  tail wagging pup that I had hit. Cassidy had rolled under the van and had gotten only minor scratches. I took him home and fixed him up and he jumped in my bed  took his front paws on each side of the pillow and squeezed it with his paws, rolled on his back and took over the bed snoring louder than 3 humans and passing the worst SBD's all night, a pattern he continued for his whole life and we fell asleep.  Cassidy's bond with me was instant and never wavered for our time together. He was the ambassador for Kruisin' Kritters delighting and wagging his tail for all the kids and adults he ever met. I still tear up when I speak or think of him. I still feel his presence when I get into my car. In future posts  I will share some of the funny and fun adventures with my "Boys". I hope everyone  reading this will have a great new year