Her recently published book, ‘Mama Said: A Collection of Wit, Wisdom, and Deep-Fried Humor’ is available in paperback and Kindle download on Amazon. You can connect with her on Facebook at Mama Said: A Collection of Wit, Humor, and Deep-Fried Wisdom. Sudie Crouch is an award-winning humor columnist residing in the North Georgia Mountains among the bears, deer, and possibly Sasquatch. “I need you around for just another 10 or 15 years or so.” “You’ve got to stick around a bit longer, sweet girl,” I tell her, as scratch her ears and kiss her muzzle, letting her keep the ball. She’s just now realizing how great it can be to be a dog - and not just any dog but a dog who is well-loved and cherished as a family member.
“Punk, I think you’re having a second puppyhood,” I told her. The ball was nestled up against her chest with one of her paws in front of it protectively.
I caught her sleeping with it the other day. That’s the Border Collie equivalent of shunning.īut, Punk has noticed the younger pup’s fascination with a tennis ball, so she made sure she stole one - something she’d never have done when she was younger. There’s even a little agitated paw shuffle bounce that I get that is apparently the canine version of putting one’s hands on their hips to scold someone properly. If I am gone longer than she expects, I am greeted by a rather stern and loud barking fit, accompanied by what sounds like “Where were you?” Pumpkin waits outside the bathroom for me, barking frantically the whole time I’m in the shower, and if I leave the house, I have to tell her where I’m going and how long I will be gone. I used to think she was vigilant about my whereabouts but she’s even more so now. She was never a cuddler as a puppy or even when younger, but now, she thoroughly loves, and maybe even craves, being hugged and loved on.Įven though she has gotten a bit more relaxed on some things, in other areas she’s more high strung than ever. “She’s going to be like those little ladies you see on the news who are celebrating their 104th birthday and when asked what their secret is, they say, ‘I ate bacon and eggs every day, had a snifter of bourbon in the evening, and never married’” I told Lamar. Now, she loves to get on her back and put her legs up, curling her tail around herself delicately - she is a proper little pup after all - as she snoozes. When she was a puppy, I’d look over at her in her crate to see her lying there on high alert with her ears perked up, eyes looking around cautiously. Now, she’s relishing some things she never allowed herself to enjoy before. In fact, I think she’s enjoying kind of a second puppy-hood of sorts, or maybe she’s just finally realizing she doesn’t have to always be in hyper-herd mode as a Border Collie/German Shepherd mix. Normally, she hates any change to her routine - she is a double-herder, after all - but she’s adapted well so far. I’ve also worried she may walk up on a bear before she realizes it, too. She just seems to have a bit of difficulty judging the distance now and may get hurt.
She still thinks she can jump and run like she always has, and for the most part, she can. We’ve limited her to the fenced area to help keep her safe. She can hear the treat jar being opened though, so maybe her hearing has just become more selective over the years. She still has the same spunk and gusto she’s always had, but her eyes have gotten a little cloudy and we’re pretty sure she’s practically deaf. It’s hard to believe Pumpkin’s 14, but she is.