I would like to thank everyone for their kind words, condolences and memories of my much-missed girl.
The little love had one prominent peculiarity, one that seemed to define who Her Ladyship was, gave her a character and style all her own, and that was her stubbornness! When Thrills did not want to do something, go somewhere, or leave someplace, she would use her bulk, all 165 pounds of it, and make like a stump. With deafness encroaching, then finally in the last few months, totally deaf, Thriller’s stubbornness became more entrenched as she could not even hear her devoted dad’s increasingly desperate entreaties for her to move.
When Thrills was sitting/laying in the paddock, I could waste an hour or more trying to get Her Ladyship headed back to the house – especially if there was something of interest in a neighboring paddock, or some scent wafting in on the breeze to the ridge where we shared so many happy times.
The matter often exercised what few remnant brain cells are left to me. Then around mid year, there appeared a possible solution, or perhaps more of a compromise since Thriller would not get up. Once the “secret weapon” was organized, it was saved for an appropriate time. The “solution” was a thin sheet of shiny/slippery MDF board six feet by three feet, holes in from two corners with a long rope tied to each hole with which to drag the board.
First use was when Her Stubbornness had spent some 90-minutes staring down at neighbor Kasia’s place. Her daughter was visiting, and had brought her German Shepherd cross, Milo, out to run about the acres. Thriller wanted to gaze at Milo doing all the things Thrills sadly was no longer able to do. Thriller was somewhat “frustrated” in that she was unable to get up without my lifting her rear end. Once up, Thrills could walk quite well so long as I held onto the loose skin (from muscle loss) over her rump to keep everything in alignment. If I let go, Thriller lacked the musculature back there to maintain alignment and could walk only a couple of steps before either sitting or toppling over.
So, this day, each time I’d try getting Thriller up to return home, she would try heading downhill to see Milo, and her mean old dad would sit her back down again. After 90-minutes of this, the “secret weapon” was brought into play. The thin sheet of MDF board was placed along and slightly under Thriller as she lay on the grass. Then the little love was slid easily onto the board with Thrills pondering “events”. She knew something different was going on, only knew not what. However, Thrills was satisfied that she was still laying down and therefore not going anywhere. Or so she thought!
Once Thriller was all aboard the board, I started my draftwork using the rope “handle” to haul the board over the grass up the slope toward the house! Thriller was shocked at this sudden development looking about wondering how she could be moving while still laying down! And her dad was shocked at how out of condition he was with the effort!
At least Her Ladyship had become totally distracted from her interest in Milo!
Thriller kept looking about for a minute or so, then realized that she had been completely outmaneuvered by the unexpected tactic her sneaky dad had employed!
Once the shock of moving had worn off, Thriller was gracious enough to accept “defeat” and acknowledge a superior strategy. She even started looking about, big Newfie grin on her face, like she was enjoying the novel experience – gliding along on her very own “flying carpet”!
Doubtless, Miss Thriller spent many a long hour evolving countermeasures to her dad’s subterfuge. Happily, she did not subsequently deploy said countermeasures seemingly content to glide home while her aged dad huffed and puffed making it happen.
Or perhaps my huffing and puffing was Thriller’s countermeasure!
Arthur Witten
Thriller (now with wings) – gliding on a magic carpet is the only way to travel, however, mine needed very much more dad-power!