Cedar Butte With Kory - Part 2

We had veered off trail and were all now bush whacking through the sage leading up to a small series of hills on our left.

Kory was completely involved in studying tracks............

When I look at these kinds of pictures I am reminded that Kory was only a couple of days away from being put down.

A dog that nobody wanted.

She is such a sweet, loving, protective, curious, athletic, funny dog, but there are millions of dogs just like her that are put down.

Day in and day out, week in and week out, year in and year out all over the country.

When LC and I were surfing around area online classifieds, we saw so many sweet dogs who were being given away because there was a baby on the way, or because people worked too much and didn't have enough time for their dog, or because they were moving and couldn't take the dog with them.

And so many sweet dogs that were being sold for a lot of money because people were breeding specifically to sell.

A freakin conveyor belt of animals that are created in this country, and then bought and sold and abandoned and bred and killed.

I'm just very glad that we found her and that we could bring this dog into our family...........

A look back at the steep and snow covered trail that was to our left when we parked the truck.

Somewhere back that way in a low rise was a white Ford F-250..........

As we continued to pick our way through the snow and ice covered sage, up in the hills I saw bright orange and bright green.

Fungi growing in this quiet environment, on the side of rocks.

We veered in that direction to take a closer look at them............

After snapping a couple of quick pictures we climbed higher..........

When we reached the rise I snapped this picture of both man and pup, as they were both looking out over the desert.

Kory is still a lean dog, but is eating well and regularly and is beginning to fill out.

Last night we yelled at her, and it was as if we had broken her heart.

It was somewhere around 8pm, the sun of course was long gone and whatever small amount of heat it had generated throughout the day was also gone.

It was cold enough outside that there was white frost again covering all the trees, and in the street lights I could see frost crystals floating in the air.

LC and I both grabbed hats and coats and boots, and took Kory outside to pee.  When we got back inside we pulled everything off and put a movie into the DVD player.

As soon as the movie started she began insistently barking again.

Despite our best efforts she would not be distracted from her intent to go back outside.

Boots,  jackets, hats, outside.

A few minutes later we came back inside after it became obvious that she did not have to do anything.

After taking everything off again, LC turned the DVD player back on.

A few minutes later Kory barked insistently yet again.

By this time both of our senses of humor were gone, and LC took her back outside for the third time in less than 30 minutes, growling under his breath "You better f'n do something Kory"

Nothing.

On the fourth trip outside LC finally solved the mystery.

The little yappie dog next door was yapping.

The deer had all congregated across the road from our house and were standing close together looking skittish.

Coyotes were yapping not far away.

There were coyote tracks in the snow beside our trucks, in the front yard, in the side yard, all over the back yard.

Apparently it had been a busy night outside and it had gone unnoticed by both of us but not by our dog.

After putting all the pieces together, LC and Kory wandered extensively in the back yard before finally coming back into the warmth of the house.

Immediately Kory starting hysterically barking again.

Unplanned but in unison, LC and I both shouted SHUT UP!

Our new pup slunk to the floor and lay there looking at us with a heart-breakingly sad face.

While partially watching the old movie Speed, LC and I sat on the floor for a while reassuring our dog that everything was OK and that we still loved her.

We love that she is alert and protective, but she does still have to learn that going outside time after time after time is not gonna fly............

Kory found this blood trail in the snow.............

We had begun our walk headed in one direction, veered off trail to head towards the hills, cut over to the "painted" rocks, walked up and over the hill and were now on the back side, slowly working our way back to the trail from the opposite end.

We saw an entirely new section of Cedar Butte on this trip.

There is still much to see..............

Looking back the way we had come............

Pictures taken on the drive back down off Cedar Butte.............

I snapped this blurry picture when we returned to the house after our trip to the butte.

LC had thrown a piece of hot dog to Kory and she missed the catch and watched as it bounced underneath the little island that we have in the kitchen.

A picture of my pup squeezing her long body under the island in an attempt to retrieve said hot dog.

She got it....................

If a dog will not come to you after having looked you in the face, you should go home and examine your conscience............Woodrow Wilson