Last post

I don't know how to say this, but the short chapter of Arie in our lives came to a sudden close early this morning. Little did I know it when I stayed up late last night putting together the video in yesterdays post that it would actually become a kind of memorial for Arie and that I'd be burying her today. My worst fear for her was realized as she got out on the highway and was struck and killed by a car or truck. We can only guess she was chasing a deer some time just before sunrise. A very kind lady came knocking on our door about 6:45 am to see if she might belong to us. It was apparent Arie had been there for awhile. Somehow the electric fence around her 1+ acre paddock did not deter her from getting out. It was working just fine when I turned in for the night and fine this morning so we can only speculate as to why it did not keep her in.

I am deeply disappointed by this unfortunate event. I immensely enjoyed raising Arie and working with her every day to see her turn into such a wonderful LGD. After watching the video I posted about wolves in Wisconsin I can now even more sympathize with hunters who loose their dogs after spending all the time and energy it takes to raise a dog and train it only to loose it in a most unfortunate way. And I've heard many stories over the years of hunting dogs chasing game across a road and getting killed that way. This has happened to me once before many years ago with a female Fila Brasileiro I once owned. The dog bolted from me chasing after a rabbit which went across the road and she too was killed. This morning brought all that back to me in vivid reality.

I had originally hoped to breed Arie a time or two as long as she stayed true to the breed. Yet, there was a point when I considered having her spayed when she was exhibiting aggression toward the stock. However after the summer when she settled down considerably I began to entertain the idea once again of having her bred at least once in order to obtain some more dogs and to perhaps recoup some of my investment. That is all history now.

I can only hope that at some point in the future I can obtain one or more Kangals once again. They are truly some impressive dogs. I'm going to miss Arie for a good long while.

For my own reference and who ever might find interest in the record of this blog I plan to keep it and not remove it from public viewing. Maybe later on I'll post some more of my experiences with Arie that never got put on here.

Thanks for following our posts on our first Kangal Dog puppy. Sorry to have to break such sad news.