I had to put down Sarah today. She got lame in her hind end and could no longer get up. I think she was 2 years old or so when I got her back in 2012. So that would make her 9 or 10.
I'm not sure if it was hip dysplasia or what. Whatever it was she was completely lame. It's been coming on for awhile, probably the last couple years. It's been getting harder and harder for her to get up from a laying down position.
Last week she got stuck behind some pallets that were leaning up against the barn wall, and couldn't get herself out. I had to remove the pallets and help her stand up. Then 2 days ago she got down and I couldn't get her on her feet. After 2 days of that I made the decision today that it was time. She was in bad shape so that helped my decision.
Sarah was by far my best Kangal Dog.
I still have Lokum and he is doing well but does not live with the sheep. He visits them frequently but I have never trusted him being unsupervised as even now he still gets very rambunctious. Now that Sarah is gone I will probably work harder at integrating him with the flock, but I don't expect too much, however he does seem to know them pretty well.
Lokum sure liked Sarah. Many times I put them together and they bonded well. Sarah never liked him being around the sheep and would act aggressively toward him when he got too close. But anytime I took Lokum to Sarah he would whine a high pitched whine in excitement. It was sad today when I took him too her paddock after I buried her and he was looking all over for her.
Sarah always was kind of a stiff legged dog, not real agile, but she made a fine guardian dog for the sheep as she was territorial and definitely made her presence known.
She will be missed. She already is.
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