We said goodbye to our thirteen year-old blue heeler the other day.
She had lost the use of her hind quarters and was living a miserable existence.
so there wasn't a better option, but it was still a difficult decision.
She was actually my son's dog, but after he moved to big city accommodation, she was adopted by my bride and I because we have a big backyard, and time to provide plenty of stimulation.
She chummed up rapidly with our other dog (a Cardigan Coolie) once a clear pecking order had been established.
She was always top dog, and spent her time disciplining the other pup, and making her feelings about his delight in playing "fetch" abundantly clear. She could see no point in his fetching a ball, which would immediately be thrown again. To her it made no sense at all.
She would bark loudly, and if he wanted to play that pointless game, and the dogs had to be separated to maintain any sense of peace.
When a young dog, she showed an amazing capacity to climb. She would climb trees and fences, providing there was a purpose, usually, chasing possums or birds.
She also loved to walk, and after a short period of training became very manageable on a leash.
She also learned a few basic commands, but would ignore them if there was something interesting going on.
Heelers are loyal, but need a purpose, a job to do.
For Mixie, it was always disciplining the other dog, and making sure he wasn't wasting his time in silly games. Having said that, she always enjoyed play fighting, and even in her declining years, would always get the better of him.
She never hurt him, and would tumble him over, stand back until he's regained his feet, and repeat the exercise until one or both dogs would tire of the game.
Thinking about it, she was one of three Heelers we've owned, and those years of happy companionship became decades for our family.
She always needed a job to do, a characteristic of Heelers.
She was the third Heeler. our family has owned.
