One morning around 8 years ago I received a call from a neighbour about a mile away. He had woken up that morning to find a German Shepherd Dog tied up to a tree in his garden. I asked him if the dog was alright. He told me he was afraid to go too close to her!
It was absolutely teeming with rain that morning, so dressed for the weather off I went. When I got there, I could see that the dog had been tied up with a rope and a chain and she was soaking wet. I was able to undo the chain but the rope had formed a very tight knot from where she had been pulling at it during the night.
I had to go off in search of a knife to cut the rope. As I went to walk away this beautiful Shepherd girl gave a heart-rending cry. It translated to me as a 'please do not leave me' cry.
Once I got a knife I had to cut very carefully around her neck to release the rope, she was so good. She just sat there patiently waiting for me to finish. When I had the rope off, I put her on a lead and walked back to the car. All the way there she wagged and wagged her tail and gave little cries of joy.
When we got home I put her out into a kennel with some warm food and plenty blankets. At that time the roof over the kennel's run was off as I was having it replaced. Instead of going into her nice warm inside compartment with the blankets to eat her food, she stood out in the rain looking in at me. There was no choice, she had to come inside the house, she had already had a thorough wetting. Enough was enough.
I called her Tanya, but she has a pet name, 'Ranni with the Waggly Tail'. Her tail never stops wagging, so much so that now, as an older dog, she has quite bad arthritis in her tail. She stayed here as I couldn't find a good home for her as a pet dog.
About a year ago, Tanya seemed quite unwell one morning. She wouldn't eat her breakfast, which, for her, is a big deal. I knew there was something serious wrong with her and called the vet immediately. X-rays showed that there was a tumour on her spleen and she was scheduled for surgery the next morning to have her spleen removed. Within minutes of the operation starting, the tumour ruptured, and Tanya was in serious trouble. Thankfully she made it through to operation and made a full recovery. Now she is back to her old Ranni self.
She thinks she is never going to get fed, never going to get that biscuit or treat! It is all very worrying for a little German Shepherd girl!! Sometimes I pretend that the treats are all gone when it gets to her turn. She is so funny, she all but talks as she does a little four pawed dance in anticipation!
