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Welcome to the Rough String, and thanks for stoppin' by!! Grab a hot cup of coffee and sit a spell!
10/22/18 You will see a name change on the blog. Lots of things have changed in my life in the past few years, and I feel compelled to share my story.

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Thursday, January 22, 2009

Happy Gotcha Day Cindy Sue!!

In all the excitement over the Presidential Inauguration, I totally forgot Cindy Sue's Gotcha Day.

January 20, 2007, is the day My Man and I drove 4 hours to Battle Mountain Nevada to pick up our new lil' girl. Her name was Cindy, a 3 1/2 year old Rat Terrier. We'd never met her...just viewed photos of her on Petfinder.com. It had been 10 years since I'd had a lap dog. I was so excited to go pick up this lil' girl that so desperately needed a home!

It was a cold, snowy morning, so we started at daylight with donuts and a thermos full of hot coffee.





Along Highway 78 about 20 miles from home, we came across a nice lil' herd of wild horses. This is the Sheepshead Herd Management Area. They look pregnant and in nice shape.




Well, Cindy and another Rat Terrier had been given up to the Elko, NV Humane Society by an elderly man who said he could no longer afford to care for them. Cindy didn't do well at all in the kennel environment. She had quit eating and was loosing a lot of weight very quickly.

The Elko HS called Monster Rescue, a local rescue in Battle Mountain, to see if they could take these two Ratties and place them. Cassandra is a wonderful person who works so hard to place her rescue dogs in good homes. She answered all my questions via email, and when we got there to pick up Cindy, everything was just as she said it was.

Cindy was thin, but healthy. The vet had given her a clean bill of health. He said that the only thing Cindy was lacking was a home and love. Well, that was easy to remedy for us!! Cindy slept on my lap the whole way home! She just wanted to be loved.

This is the day we got her home...look
at all those ribs and back bone!



But how could anyone resist a face like this one?


Cindy quickly adapted to farm/ranch life. She'd been a city dog before, but she was thrilled to be out running free! Her hunting instincts came into play all too often...her nose lead her into trouble more than once.

I put a goat bell on her collar so I could at least hear her. She is quick and so curious...every hole had to be investigated. When I couldn't hear the bell, I'd have to start calling and searching for her. She wasn't usually too far away, but I don't trust the coyotes one bit.

Her first run in of trouble was with the Great Horned Owls. She got too close to their nest up in the rocks and one of them attached her. She came running down the hill toward me in the round pen, stopping every so often to look behind and bark...the closer she got, the redder she became. She was covered in blood. I couldn't figure out where it was coming from, so I put her in the utility tub to wash her off. She had multiple puncture wounds. I called the vet and told them I'd be there within the hour.

After getting the horse put up that I was working and getting her settled in the truck, I made it to the vet's in 55 minutes. She was in shock by then. They had to sedate her and clean the wounds. She was on pain meds and antibiotics. She couldn't even get up on the couch because she was so sore. Luckily she didn't have any internal damage.

I had assumed it was either a coyote or bobcat that had bitten her. But a local neighbor stopped by and I had him take a look at her...he immediately said those were talon marks...OMG the owls in broad daylight!

The next run in was with a rattlesnake. Bit her on the end of the nose...another mad dash to the vet....and after a shot of antivenin, she was as good as new in about 3 days.



Enjoying a run in the hay field while moving wheel lines.




An expert quad rider...she loves the wind in her face!




Her own bed in the horse trailer.
She loves to camp!




Halloween scarecrow...she's not overly pleased with her mom.
If looks could kill...




More holiday torture.





Cindy Sue receives her very first Valentine
from her sweet lil' Dogster pal Vinny.


When Cindy first came to live with us, for some reason I kept calling her Susie. Susie was a Rottweiler that my mom had years ago. Obviously she looks nothing like a Rottweiler! But that's how she became Cindy Sue.



She loved our trip snowmobiling...she sat
tucked in between us.





A Big Dawg in a lil' dog suit...she's not
one to be left on the porch!





I sure love my brother Cowboy...and Abby too...
sometimes.



So, Happy Belated Gotcha Day Cindy Sue...I love you very much and you are a treasure to me every single day.



"Silly boyz...don't they know trucks are for gurlz?!?"

26 comments:

  1. Such a heart warming tail. Rescued animals of all species have that extra little something special - seems like they show their appreciation to their new families every day. Be careful out there, Cindy Sue.

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  2. Great story! I can't believe how thin she was. She was a lucky gal to find your loving family. I love her folded over-ear! And wow, I know this applies to cats, but she must have nine lives or something. Can't believe she was attacked by an owl and a rattlesnake! What a tough little cookie!

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  3. Aw, happy gotcha day Cindy Sue! My what a story, and what adventures you've had, sweet girl! Give her a kiss from me, Karen!

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  4. Aahh she's so cute. Aren't they just wonderful additions to the family? Gotta love them dang dogs!! And...you'd better count your lucky stars she didn't bite you! Just look at that face in the scarecrow outfit!! No points scored for that.

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  5. Great post! I laughed out loud at the scarecrow picture! That was just priceless!

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  6. Awesome little dog. Tough too by the sounds of it.

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  7. Wow, it's a tough world out there for a little dog! She's a sweetie, and looks just like my friend's terrier - Chillie Dog.

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  8. I think CindySue gives thanks right back at you! She surely fits in well with the family.
    We have those danged owls too...I worry as they nest behind the house in the pine trees! I worry more about them than I do coyotes...they are sneakier!

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  9. Fantastic tale! So, when I come visit are ya going to show me where the Owls roost?
    Cindy has a great place to live despite the Owls,Coyotes,Rattlesnakes,Bobcats ect...

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  10. Happy Gotcha Day Cindy Sue!! I love the scarescrow pic, how cute!

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  11. She is just the cutest!! And what a great story! Congrats on your new addition! Great dog....and a wonderful owner!! :)

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  12. She's just Dog gone cute! Lap dog did you say? I'd say she's got a hart as big as the whole outdoors! Loved the picture of her and the scarecrow!

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  13. Happy Gotcha Day, Cindy Sue! Love your little turned downed ear..it's nice you all found each other.

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  14. Happy Gotcha Day to both of you. You both are lucky you got each other :)

    She is very photogenic, by the way. Well except for maybe that scarecrow picture...lol!

    ~Lisa

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  15. Oh my goodness, thanks for sharing her story! Great pics! The scarecrow one is a keeper, she looks p*ssed at you for sure! :O Glad she found her place and gets her TLC!

    and Amen "silly boys don't you know that trucks are for girls!"

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  16. Yes Rat's are something special. Kisser loves to kill birds and cats! When we go to the ranch he loves to chase the rabbits and we've recently found out he's a cow dog! When we got the Kelpie he goes with him to chase the calfs in the cow pen. Hilarious! I call him Shaky dog because he is never still always shaking (actually wagging, it's like his tail wags his whole body!)

    Too bad we can't let Cindy Sue and Kisser meet, they would be great friends and get in lots of trouble together!

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  17. Hi-I'm so glad I found your blog. I am a rat fan. I have one, Charlie, and he's about the best dog I've ever owned.....We've done rattlesnakes, coyotes and mad mamma cows, no owls though. Charlie is a killer (literally) vermin hunter, everything from voles to pigeons. He's a good heeler also and is great help with cattle.All that rolled into a dog who curls up in my lap at night in front of the fire. I'll never be without one again. Can you tell I like my dog?

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  18. Ahhh, what a sweet little dog Cindy Sue is! I too love the Halloween picture, if looks could kill! I don't think she liked being dressed up, maybe she wanted a more prettier costume.
    Hope all them bad critters leave her along now! That would be scary! I have heard of hawks getting little Chihuahuas, oh, that owl injury must have really hurt!
    We had a little feisty 6 pound Chihuahua when we first moved here to the farm. I had to really watch her because she would go out into the field with the cows!!! She thought she was a BIG dog, little did she know she could have gotten stuck between their toes!!! :-)
    Little dogs have BIG hearts.....you go Cindy Sue!!!
    Great story, thanks for sharing!!

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  19. Tag you're it! Check out my blog to play! :-)

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  20. She is adorable!! And I love her "I love this costume, Mom" look she is giving you!! LOL!! She is so lucky to have gotten picked by you!!

    Happy Gotcha Day Cindy Sue!!

    And yes, trucks are for girls!! :)

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  21. Ditto on the 'Happy Gotcha Day' Cindy Sue! You are one cute and special pup. I loved reading your story with the happy ending! =0)

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  22. I would have commented earlier, but blogger wouldnt let me get to this page yesturday.

    CindySue is so cute, I have been thinking a little about what kind of dog I want next, we have an 8 yr old golden and a 14 yr old chuahua mix. I have been thinking a mini silver dapple doxie or a boston terrier, but rat terriers sure are cute! It will probably end up being what adopts me LOL but something small with short hair! both of ours are long haired.

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  23. Cindy Sue is a very,nice girl and sooo cute. So I say:
    Happy Gotcha Day Cindy Sue, wish you the best !

    ((Hugs))

    Cheyenne

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  24. Cindy Sue looks to be one happy dog! And a spunky thing getting into trouble with owls and rattlesnakes........

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  25. It looks like Cindy Sue has found her forever home. What a great story. My daughter has 4 rat terriors. They are great dogs.

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  26. What a wonderful story, how lucky Cindy Sue was to find you. She looks like a real bundle of mischief!

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