The Sun is Out!

For the first time in three days, it's a nice day for my boy to bask one last time and feel the sun's warmth seeping into his old bones, and speaking of bones, they've all just had another one, the remaining crew will be getting fat from all the spoiling that's going on!

Joe is tired today and our photo's are reflecting that, so lots of cuddles today!

Joe was sold late by the breeder and then due to health problems with the new owner donated to the Police. Joe failed miserably (he wouldn't bite a fly!) and if they looked carefully they would have seen his dodgey hips anyway. He was then given to a recent "ex" cop who was quite simply abusive too him. Fate stepped in and led me to Joe when I gave the ex cop a lift home from a Friday night police bar session, and the next day he rang me asking if I wanted him.

I went and picked him up on the 23rd of December 1996. We did obedience competitions, and agility too, we've got loads of ribbons and trophies. Joe and I shifted to Golden Bay in 1997 and in December of 1997 we got Zak while on a trip home from the West Auckland pound. (Zak is pictured below at the beach, the other black and tan boy).

Zak was a horror child, very strong willed and only 9 mths old so pushing every boundary he knew! We'd walk down to the beach most days and the boys would have a ball, swimming, chasing birds, just running around like idiots. Joe would come home a kilo heavier with all the sand in his coat which would promptly fall out all thru the carpet hehehe.

2 yrs later we were in Blenheim, dear hubby entered the equation and the puppy collecting started!!!! There were times we you could see in their eyes that Joe and Zak wished they were the only 2 again, but Joe never complained although he fought hard (quite literally) with Tai our Great Dane to reign supreme. Tai won eventually and Joe settled back into "nothing to prove" mode which suited him better. (We lost Tai 31st July 2007 to bone cancer, aged 5 1/2). At one stage we had 8 dogs here, being looked after or rehomed etc.

Joe has outlived 2 other babies, Elmo our baby bull mastiff rescue who died at 8mths with kidney failure due to the stress on his tiny system from being lost in the bush for so long, and Tai, my big beautiful boy, both pictured above.

Joe has never once not wanted to get out the gate into the paddock with us all, even when on forced rest, he always wants to be by my side and has the patience and the dignity of a saint.

Elmo and Tai will meet you my darling, and we will talk still......