A very old stray {The Old Fella Story}

[Dixie_Flyer]

Went camping this weekend at a campground on the lake, had not been there for a few years. Once there I began to walk around looking at the different sites when I noticed a very old dog. He just lay there until I got too close then he got up on three legs and hobbled away. Just judging I would say he is at least 11 years old. Well back to my story. The next afternoon he wanders into camp and just sits there looking. He looked so sad, so the wife got a bowl of our dog's food and put it down for him and he came over and ate. He then walked over to our dog and the two of them sniffed each other over and then they lay down together for the rest of the afternoon. That night he disappeared.
The next morning he was back and was a little more receptive of me. I looked at his injured leg and found that half of his rear foot was gone. It had healed and was not causing any problem except that he was walking on the stub that was left with no foot pad which causes him to limp. His front teeth were gone except for one canine tooth and it looked decayed. His eyes were tired looking and showing his age. He spent the rest of the day just laying around looking for a handout and by afternoon the campground host came around and saw him. I enquired about the dog and was told he had been there for three years and that most of the campers were tolerant of him and gave him food.
So what to do? Do you pick him up and bring him home or do you let nature take it course. He can't harm anyone, he has no teeth and he isn't a nuisance unless you don't like dogs, and no one seems to mind him being there. He is gentle and likes other animals as seen by his interaction with our dog. He still would not let me touch him but he would eat from my hand. Enough said, what would you do???

On June 28th 2008 Old Fella passed away of complications caused by bone cancer. Fella spent almost three years with his new family and became the icon of rescued old stray dogs. He will be greatly missed but his foot prints have been left in our hearts forever.

Now Charlie, the ten year old rescued Golden Lab has come to be a part of the continuing Old Fella story. (*Note, Charlie took his journey to Rainbow Bridge unexpectedly September 30, 2008)Suzie continues to charm her way into our hearts with her antics as she has grown from a puppy into a young lady. Togther they will carry on the Old Fella legacy. Come join us in their daily lives and be a part of the best feel good thread in RV.NET history. The legacy lives on.


HIghways Article Puppy Love

Old Fella Burke County Animal Rescue

[Dixie_Flyer]

campingshadow wrote:
I often long for the days when I had a yard and a doggie door!!!!

When we go camping I miss not being able to just open the door and let the fur gang out. I love our new home with all the doors that open to the back yard. When Sue and I get up in the morning we can open the door in the bedroom that leads to the back yard and then go to the kitchen and let them in.

[campingshadow]

Funny about dogs and the cold. Heidi is the original "I love to be WARM" dog. Yet, when it is in the mid 20's and I have on a sweater AND a coat just to go outside to walk her and the cold wind is blowing...she is perfectly content to just go stand in one spot for up to 4 or 5 minutes and just look around and smell the air. Then she will finally get around to doing her business. That can take another 5 minutes. I am shivering in the wind and she seems to not notice it at all. And she wonders why I do not want to take her out more often!!!! I often long for the days when I had a yard and a doggie door!!!!

[Dixie_Flyer]

dogdiva wrote:
Hows Peaches doing??

Peaches is doing good. She has her good days and her bad days with her hip. I have increased the Joint Strong and that seems to have helped.

[Dixie_Flyer]

pjb2rlb wrote:
Welcome to the Upstate Richard, you will get used to the weather not being predictable - just turn around once and it will change. Keeps things interesting though.

I forgot I had a neighbor close by on the thread. Greer is just up the road. Maybe we should get together some time?

[dturm]

Dashonthedash wrote:
Doug, how far are you from Elkhart?

P.S. The indoor-outdoor thermometer reads 51 degrees. It's winter everywhere but here.

We're as far west as you can go and still be in Indiana (about 85 miles). Far enough that we miss most of the heavy lake effect snow, but close enough to get several inches when they are getting feet.

[Dashonthedash]

Doug, how far are you from Elkhart?

P.S. The indoor-outdoor thermometer reads 51 degrees. It's winter everywhere but here.

[agteacher]

Dandy Dan, have you reached the 6" mark yet? It's amazing how much a difference 60 miles can make. We have to be close now and the temperature is dropping by the hour. The wind is really making the snow drift too. No camping for a few weeks.

[dturm]

Dandy Dan wrote:
Gee, I would be happy with the weather that you are going to have Richard. Right now it is 41 with a windchill of 33 and starting tomorrow morning we are under a winter storm advisory. Temp to drop, 3-5" possible with another 1-3 to follow later. By Monday it is supposed to be a little better although the highs for the week will be in the 20's not seeing 30 until possibly Friday. During the week we are to have evenings in the teens with windchill in the sub zero range. Could also have enough wind to give us sub zero during the day. I still think you should come and visit during weather like this and then you would think that your weather in S. Carolina is a cakewalk.:B:B:B:B

I agree Dan. If you want to see what we've got today, tune into the Bears/Patriots football game this afternoon. Blizzard, temps 20 and going down, wind up to 50 mph gusts.

Jill stretches and sniffs, but does her job FAST.

[dogdiva]

Hows Peaches doing??

[pjb2rlb]

Welcome to the Upstate Richard, you will get used to the weather not being predictable - just turn around once and it will change. Keeps things interesting though.

[Dixie_Flyer]

According to our local weatherman Mother Nature has changed her mind about the rain and snow for Monday, just going to be cold with lots of sunshine, high 33, low 16. I remember as a kid cars coming from Florida sometimes didn't have heaters as that was an option back then. You could install a Sears Roebuck after market heater for $75.00. When my Dad was in the car business he oftern got cars from Florida and put heaters in them. I once had a 1956 Ford Sunliner convertable without a heater. Drove it from Jacksonville to Augusta in December, bought a heater when I got back and installed it myself.

[Dandy_Dan]

Gee, I would be happy with the weather that you are going to have Richard. Right now it is 41 with a windchill of 33 and starting tomorrow morning we are under a winter storm advisory. Temp to drop, 3-5" possible with another 1-3 to follow later. By Monday it is supposed to be a little better although the highs for the week will be in the 20's not seeing 30 until possibly Friday. During the week we are to have evenings in the teens with windchill in the sub zero range. Could also have enough wind to give us sub zero during the day. I still think you should come and visit during weather like this and then you would think that your weather in S. Carolina is a cakewalk.:B:B:B:B

[Dixie_Flyer]

Good morning everyone. It isn’t so cold this morning as the temperature was 30*. Tomorrow the weather turns cold again with snow in the forecast for early Monday morning. Then it is downhill again for the rest of the week with high’s in the 30’s and low’s in the teens. By Friday the weather man promises the weather will turn to normal for this time of year. The fur gang doesn’t like the early morning cold so much and will go out, take care of business and then rush back inside.


Peaches’ mother will be here today for a visit. Peaches always looks forward to her visits and when she leaves Peaches will stand and stare as if asking the question, “Can I go with you?” With Robin’s hours at work it was hard on Peaches staying locked up in the apartment for 10-12 hours each day and in the mornings when Robin would take her out to take care of business Peaches would always want to walk and explore and sniff all the bushes which takes her a long time to get down to what she needed to do. So some mornings Peaches wouldn’t finish her job and end up going back inside where she would relieve herself in the apartment.

Since coming to live with us she hasn’t made a single mistake as Sue and I have the time to spend with her. She is such a sweetheart and is the smartest of the four. She loves Suzie better than the others and they have become bosom buddies.
When we go camping Peaches loves the couch and the rocker recliner. When Sue and I go to bed at night Peaches will take the recliner for her bed, during the day she will spend time on the couch close to Mama, not by choice as Mama also likes the couch and parks her big old body up there and leaves just enough room for Peaches to squeeze in. We always take along a couple of dog beds and put them on the floor for Hobo and Suzie. With the new camper we have a fireplace, Hobo’s favorite spot to lay down. When the fireplace is turned on Hobo will lay on the floor nest to it even if the heat isn’t on. She likes the effect I guess. Hobo is such a child in so many ways, never achieving adulthood, but always living in some other world all of her own. She is so simple in many ways, always looking for Mama to take care of her.

When we go for our walks she likes the open fields where she can run free, but always looking to make sure we are close by with Mama somewhere in the mix. Okay I need to go and get ready to face the day. Christmas is almost here and Santa is waiting in the wings with his gifts for the children. Mama, Hobo, Suzie, Peaches and Izzie wish you a Very Merry Christmas.

[Dashonthedash]

I have never had tank heaters before, but I will on the new unit. I still won't be doing camping in the winter (snow is the big issue), but they should allow a bit of an extension of a short camping season.

[campingshadow]

My goodness, I am surprised you did not check out what the weather would be like in that area before you built there. If you are tired of the cold already, it is going to be a long winter for you. Guess to get that beautiful view you have to put up with weather you are not used to.

Gary, thanks for the info on the tank heaters. I am not of a mind to close the gray valve as the tank will fill fast and knowing me, I will forget to open it till I am in the shower and it is backing up on me. It has not been an issue for the last 2 winters so I will just keep the interior of the trailer at 70 degrees, keep the water running and hope for the best. Good thing it does not go into the 20's too often. Makes for filling the propane tanks a lot more often! Luckily I have the fireplace so that relieves some of the burden on the propane.