h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

So I will talk about the dog some more in this entry, but I hope to finish my discussion of this particular dog in this entry.

First though, I Just realized it's 12:30 on the FOURTH day rather than the third. BUT we are Falling Back an hour tonight and I've already changed my clock so it says 11:30. So I'm hoping this can count as my November 3rd entry.

Shel enjoyed the dog park so much and Minnesota had the most beautiful dog parks I've ever encountered. The were often wooded and had miles of paths through varying terrain. Often there was a water hazard. The River, a swamp or pond were popular with some dogs. Shel liked to wade and would chase a ball a little way into the water, but often you didn't really want him going in. It was pretty hard to keep him out though. One time the park by the Mississippi was completely flooded but we didn't realized it until we were already down there. That was fun.

We couldn't go too often cause Shel would get full of himself and more uncooperative about coming when it was time to leave. Around the time it was time to leave, he'd often find another dog he particularly liked and bother (hump) that dog until everyone was quite annoyed with him. Some owners were particularly offended that my dog would hump their dog. I always chalked it up to the owners insecurity in their own sexuality. So we never went more than once a week.

That was Minnesota. Since we moved to CA, dog parks have been disappointing. Small, cramped, over full with dogs. No where to go if you need to get away from some dog your dog doesn't get along with or more likely is obsessed with humping. We did go, but never as regularly as we did in Minnesota.

Since we moved to CA we took several road trips back to Minnesota. Shel was the best dog on road trips. He loved going places in the car. He generally slept in the car. We'd stop for potty breaks and we'd go for a walk when we got to the motel at night. I tried to go at times of year when it wouldn't be to hot to leave him in the car while I went potty myself.

The last road trip I took with him we did have record breaking heat on the way back. I guess July is too late in the season to travel, but I was unable to go earlier. We drove through the South Dakota Badlands cause I wanted to see them, but it was too hot to get out of the car to look at anything for any length of time. We also stopped at Mt Rushmore, but they didn't allow dogs to get anywhere near the mountain and it was too hot to leave him in the car.

Sadly that was our last trip together. In January of this year Shel got sick. I thought he had worms, as he'd had them before. But when I took him to the vet, it was brought to my attention that he was extremely jaundiced and was suffering from liver failure. I felt bad I hadn't noticed the yellowing of the whites of his eyes or his gums before. He was too sick at that point to be saved and I had to put him to sleep. It was a very sad day. My dad cried more than I did. I don't cry much, but I still miss that dog.

This should have been Part 3.

These three accounts have really moved me. Even though he was not well trained he was special.

Thanks Z. He was a special boy.

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Aww