THE MOST LOYAL AND MOST USEFUL DOG ON THE HOMESTEAD

RAT TERRIER

3.5 years ago I responded to an ad on Facebook market place. the ad had a photo of a fat little boy with a frown on his face holding up a sad little puppy. The puppy was black and white with a little brown. The ad read FREE PUPPY. 

Well you and I know nothing is free but the look on that kid's face, coupled with the sad look on the puppy nailed it. I checked to see if anyone in the 10 replies said Want and no one had. I typed WANT CAN PICK UP TODAY. I got an immediate response from the owner asking where we could meet and off I went. 

A quick pick up in a gas station parking lot and I was the proud owner of Daisy. I knew her name the moment I saw her. Daisy. She was tiny and shivering. I took her and got back in my truck. For just a moment I stayed there with my arms wrapped around her and told her what her name was and who I was. She stopped shivering and looked right at me as if to say....Will you love me?

Love her I did. Right away I knew what her life had been like in the home of a redneck family who owned several pit bulls and Daisy. The fat boy did not want a little dog. He had wanted a pit like his parents. 

She was very crate trained. Meaning she probably spent most of her life in a crate. 

I took advantage of that however as I was not used to having anyone...even cats...sleep with me. 

Some time later however I became ill and required surgery and a period of time on short term disability. While I healed I could not bend down to put her in her crate so I invited her to sleep with me. And she has been there ever since.

That was when I found how loyal she was. No matter how long I laid in bed she laid with me. When I got up she was at my heal. She never left the property. When she sat on my lap, she snarled at any animal that came close. If she snarled she would quickly reach down and lick my hand as if to say, "I am here momma...I will protect you."

When we walk down the hall, she scoots over and lets me pass to be in front. 

She makes me laugh. I have a large livestock guardian dog who is too fat. There is no way to put him on a diet because she feeds him. She can smell grubs under the ground and digs until she finds it, and then lays it down for Bull to eat. 

I have many such holes in my yard. 

But what makes her more useful on the farm than anything else is her hatred of rats and mice. She is like lightning when she hears one. During their active seasons...spring and fall...she kills more than one a day. She takes her share and leaves the rest for me! Ewwww. 

If I could find a male I would breed her just to keep them all. Hope you enjoy the slideshow of my Daisy dog.