Hi gents. The thread about German Shepherds made me think about a dog we owned when I was a kid. He was a Shepherd/Collie mix. This is one of the best mixed breeds you could ever want for protection, good nature with kids, and uncanny intelligence. I know, Collies can be weird. I have family who owned them and they were odd I'll warrant. Kind of grumpy actually. But the mix of the two is good. So I thought I would share his story with you.
We had one when I was a child and he was the best dog I have ever owned. His name was Khaki because that was his colour. Actully he was kind of honey coloured with hair not as long as a full Collie. He had black eyebrows and muzzle and had a kind face. None of the dark eyed intensity of a Shepherd. He was given to us by an older couple who were moving to a new apartment in their retirement and dogs were not allowed. That was quite common years ago. He was so well trained you could leave a plate food on the floor and he would not touch it. And neither could anything else while he was around. He was also gentle and protective of everything around the house. Including the kittens our old mama cat had abandoned. He would let them "nest" in his long coat till the last one had woken from its nap to go play. He would not move while they lay on him. He had been trained not to bark so as not to annoy apartment neigbours. Quite a feat but it was unnverving to strangers and other dubious characters who showed up unnanounced at our rural property. If he did not like their looks or scent, he would simply stand and stare at them. Not even growling. It was spooky. He was VERY protective of kids and women. My dad could not lay a hand on us out in the yard. He didn't even raise his voice much because the dog would instantly get between him and us. At four or five years old I didn't catch it but Dad told us years later. He loved that dog and it tore him up when he was killed by a car. Very odd because he never left our fenced yard. Except one time.
He had chased off a number of bums over the years. We lived on a secluded stretch of highway about a quarter mile from railroad tracks. As kids we never knew how close we were to danger all the time. The dog did though. Mom only heard him barking and growling one time and it scared her near to tears. She looked outside and a dubious looking gent was standing at the gate with his hand poised to open it. Khaki was showing full teeth, growling as low in his throat as he could and barking every few seconds. Mom said the growling raised every hair on her body. Still the bum didn't move away from the gate. He was yapping all the way about needing to use the phone because his car was broke down and was basically ordering mom to remove the dog. Uh...right. Mom was very scared. None of us were there at the time. She told him she would call someone but not to come in the yard or attempt to open the gate. He promptly told her he was using the phone and grabbed the gate handle. Uh oh. Khaki was at the gate in an instant showing full teeth, standing up on his back legs and looking right over the fence dead in the guy's eyes and standing firm. Mom knew something was very wrong when this genius didn't move away from a very angry, 80 pound dog. Mom finally got Khaki to stand down a bit but he did not back two feet away from this clown. If mom would have given the word he would have killed him. She said he was so upset at this guy that slobber was drooling out of the sides of his mouth. He wanted to attack and that was NOT his way. This guy was dangerous and Khaki sensed it. Mom finally told him to leave or she would loose the dog on him and grab her .45 automatic. She also told him the only call to be made on her phone was to the sheriff's office. He beat a path to his "broke down" car and left. She called the sheriff.
It was odd because the dog died a few weeks later when he jumped the fence and was hit by a car. He NEVER left our yard. Ever. Mom heard him bark for only the second time since we owned him and then a thud as the car hit him. She believes to this day the same jackass came back and Khaki recognised his car and just figured it was self defense and was going to take the battle to the enemy. That was forty years ago and I still remember her telling us about it when we got home. She was nearly in shock from the loss. Lord knows how many of the other bums and hobos he saved us from. Most of them could deal with that stare for about ten seconds and then they had other counties to be in I suppose. A more perfect family pet I have never seen. He gave himself up in the line of duty so to speak. I still think of him from time to time, that whole incident, and that he likely saved my mother's life that day.
Regards, Todd
We had one when I was a child and he was the best dog I have ever owned. His name was Khaki because that was his colour. Actully he was kind of honey coloured with hair not as long as a full Collie. He had black eyebrows and muzzle and had a kind face. None of the dark eyed intensity of a Shepherd. He was given to us by an older couple who were moving to a new apartment in their retirement and dogs were not allowed. That was quite common years ago. He was so well trained you could leave a plate food on the floor and he would not touch it. And neither could anything else while he was around. He was also gentle and protective of everything around the house. Including the kittens our old mama cat had abandoned. He would let them "nest" in his long coat till the last one had woken from its nap to go play. He would not move while they lay on him. He had been trained not to bark so as not to annoy apartment neigbours. Quite a feat but it was unnverving to strangers and other dubious characters who showed up unnanounced at our rural property. If he did not like their looks or scent, he would simply stand and stare at them. Not even growling. It was spooky. He was VERY protective of kids and women. My dad could not lay a hand on us out in the yard. He didn't even raise his voice much because the dog would instantly get between him and us. At four or five years old I didn't catch it but Dad told us years later. He loved that dog and it tore him up when he was killed by a car. Very odd because he never left our fenced yard. Except one time.
He had chased off a number of bums over the years. We lived on a secluded stretch of highway about a quarter mile from railroad tracks. As kids we never knew how close we were to danger all the time. The dog did though. Mom only heard him barking and growling one time and it scared her near to tears. She looked outside and a dubious looking gent was standing at the gate with his hand poised to open it. Khaki was showing full teeth, growling as low in his throat as he could and barking every few seconds. Mom said the growling raised every hair on her body. Still the bum didn't move away from the gate. He was yapping all the way about needing to use the phone because his car was broke down and was basically ordering mom to remove the dog. Uh...right. Mom was very scared. None of us were there at the time. She told him she would call someone but not to come in the yard or attempt to open the gate. He promptly told her he was using the phone and grabbed the gate handle. Uh oh. Khaki was at the gate in an instant showing full teeth, standing up on his back legs and looking right over the fence dead in the guy's eyes and standing firm. Mom knew something was very wrong when this genius didn't move away from a very angry, 80 pound dog. Mom finally got Khaki to stand down a bit but he did not back two feet away from this clown. If mom would have given the word he would have killed him. She said he was so upset at this guy that slobber was drooling out of the sides of his mouth. He wanted to attack and that was NOT his way. This guy was dangerous and Khaki sensed it. Mom finally told him to leave or she would loose the dog on him and grab her .45 automatic. She also told him the only call to be made on her phone was to the sheriff's office. He beat a path to his "broke down" car and left. She called the sheriff.
It was odd because the dog died a few weeks later when he jumped the fence and was hit by a car. He NEVER left our yard. Ever. Mom heard him bark for only the second time since we owned him and then a thud as the car hit him. She believes to this day the same jackass came back and Khaki recognised his car and just figured it was self defense and was going to take the battle to the enemy. That was forty years ago and I still remember her telling us about it when we got home. She was nearly in shock from the loss. Lord knows how many of the other bums and hobos he saved us from. Most of them could deal with that stare for about ten seconds and then they had other counties to be in I suppose. A more perfect family pet I have never seen. He gave himself up in the line of duty so to speak. I still think of him from time to time, that whole incident, and that he likely saved my mother's life that day.
Regards, Todd
