The canines (past and present) of Flying Solo Ranch
For the ones who are here and the ones waiting in the next world.
Sailor – Shetland Sheepdog
Sailor is a Sheltie I brought to Texas from Washington State (that’s where my breeder/supplier lives) in September of 2022. When I moved to Texas in 2021 I thought I would be done with Shelties. Their long hair makes it hot for them in the warmer months, and the stickers migrate to every square inch of their bodies. But when I got down to one Sheltie, Margo, I knew I couldn’t ever be finished with the breed. They’re smart, lovable, loyal, my best friends. So I got Sailor. He is a sweet, loving, attentive little boy who makes my heart swell. I smother him with love cuddles and kisses every chance I get, and he’s there to soak it all up. He is, simply put, such a good dog. One of the best I’ve had. Solid, loyal, affectionate as I’ll get out. I am crazy in love with this wonderful little boy.
Punkin – Sheltie puppy
Pumpkin, better known as “Punkin” is a Sheltie puppy and my “rainbow baby.” She was born shortly after the loss of my most precious soul dog, Margo, and I believe was sent here by Margo herself. Punkin took judicious notes from Margo and is living up to her duties as a rainbow baby dog by being the bestest ball fetcher (most of the time), a between my feet napper, bossy flossy girl with many micromanagement skills, a great cuddle bug, and sweet precious baby who just wants to be near me and her big brother, Sailor. I went to get Pumpkin November of 2023 and told her on the plane, as I broke down crying, that she was going to help heal my broken heart. She has. She keeps busy by playing with Sailor, getting the zooms, and reminding me I need to play with her whenever she’s awake.
Daisy – Black Mouth Cur
Daisy aka “Daisy Wiggle Bottoms” is my first rescue dog and first dog I got shortly after moving to Texas in the Summer of 2021. I’d never heard of Black Mouth Curs before, it’s a breed more common in the southern states than the norther ones. Curs are supposedly great hog killers, which is one reason I got Daisy, though she’s yet to capture or kill a hog. Daisy, along with her brothers and sisters, was dumped somewhere as a puppy, to be rescued by a local rescue here in Texas. Her photos were posted on Facebook and I fell in love with her sweet little face. I went to go see her and while she was shy and didn’t want to be too close to me, she couldn’t hide her excitement. Her whole butt and body wiggled when she wagged her tail. I scooped her up and took her home and only days later was she just a bundle of love.
Dozer – Black Mouth Cur
Dozer aka “Dozer Do” is Daisy’s full brother. While I got Daisy in September, I got Dozer months later when he was much older. He was having a tough time being adopted out, as he was quite shy and reserved. Being the softy that I am, I decided to bring him home with me. It took two of us to get him out of hiding and into my truck. He wouldn’t look at me for about three days, but I just gave him space and let him figure it all out. It’s been a few years now and let’s just say no one loves hugs, cuddles, and words of affirmation like Dozer does. He’s a complete love sponge, a total affection junky. He and his sister, though they’ve yet to kill any pigs, have managed to snuff a skunk, two raccoons, one opossum, and have brought to me several opossums that’ve have played dead. Yay?
Margo – My soul dog
2014-2023
Margo, aka “Muffin Puffin” was my whole beating heart. My favorite. The dog I wished could’ve and would’ve stayed with me forever. I had never loved a dog quite like her before and I’m not sure I will again. Nor do I think any dog will love me quite as much or in the way that she did. Margo wasn’t my dog, I was Margo’s person. She loved only me and the love was intense. She went with me everywhere, was always by me, usually between my feet (as in the photo above) and just loved to love me. I would’ve done, and did, everything I possibly could to keep her. She was diagnosed with a transitional cell carcinoma with a urethral obstruction May 31, 2023. I did everything I could for her: radiation, chemo, all of it. We shrunk her tumor 50% which was fantastic news. But not two weeks later, she was gone, likely from a thrombo-pulmonary embolism. A fluke, freak accident that we couldn’t have prevented. I was and am still devastated by her loss, as it feels like I lost her twice. I told her, as she lay still and breathless, to come and get me when it was my time to leave this earth. Because I’ll follow her, gladly, into the next life. I miss you so much, my sweet little Muffin.
Smooch – Mama dog
2009-2022
Smooch, aka “Smooches Pooches” was a retired mama dog, Margo’s mama, who I adopted in March of 2017 after she was done having puppies and needed to move onto phase two of her life: spoiled house dog. It took her minutes to acclimate to the high life of sleeping on the couch, cuddling and snuggling, and going for daily walks. Smooch was incredibly sweet, kind, gentle, and the boss dog without ever raising her lip or hackles. She did and got what she wanted. She was the alpha dog wherever she went, and such a love. When I brought her home I was told by her former owner that Smooch didn’t like to play. But she did, she’d just never played with me before. She loved running with the pack, chasing the ball but never bringing it back, and going on fun adventures with us. She passed after complications from congenital heart failure, even though earlier that day she’d received, and did very well with, treatment for it. She was a great friend to me, and I’m so glad I got to have her in my life as she lived out her second puppyhood.
Riley – Adventure dog
2009-2021
Riley was always a handful, even as a puppy. He had more energy than should’ve been legally allowed in just one small little package. But he was the dog who walked with me from young adulthood into maturity. He was with me when I had nothing and left me when I got everything. He was there in my basement apartment, with me in my first car wreck (in my lap at the time, just a fender bender but it totaled my car), with me in a new apartment, with me on my boat. He came with me when we moved back to shore, when I got a job back in corporate America, to a freelancer again, and then into a whole big career in media. Riley was along for all my big rides, metaphorical and literal. He had such a big presence, always making himself seen and known with his vocals, theatrics, and cleverness. He was the only dog who played soccer with me, by actually rolling the ball back. He got sick on our move to Texas, and I found out 6 days after moving to the ranch that he was in renal failure. I said my farewells and let him go, just glad that he saw me through to my next phase of life. I miss you, my little buddy.
The kids – a highlight of my adult life. Margo, Riley, Smooches, forever and always a part of me and in my heart.
I miss my babies so much, but I’m forever grateful for the joy they brought to my life and the lives of others. We’d stop traffic, the four of us, out for our walks. These dogs smiled wherever they went, and made everyone who saw them smile. They were all such wonderful, sweet, kind dogs and I miss them so much. Each one made it to my ranch, but left me when it was their time to go. I can’t believe, sometimes, how big of a hole they left, but that’s just because they filled my heart to the brim. I keep photos of them in my house and always will. It’s corny to say but I don’t care, these dogs were my family and they made me feel and experience so much love. Thank you, my wonderful babies, for all you did for me and all you gave me in your too short times here on this earth.