Well I've been in the house for a week trying
to get everything back in place from the grease fire.
Today I'm chilling...no one around...just me
and my thoughts.
My thoughts are wandering to all the critters
and I think it is time to give praise to our incredible Rika.
Thirteen years ago after alot of searching and
looking at gorgeous puppies, I drove into Drache Feld Kennels at Winchester,
KY. There was this beautiful young shepherd in a kennel--exactly what I was
looking for--bone, color, and a female!! I was thrilled to find she was for
sell because she was a long-coat, which at that time was not allowed to compete
in schultzhund trails Her name Myrika became simply Rika but she was never
simple. She always was ready to play or work whichever you wanted and her eyes
had so much knowledge behind them it was kinda scary. Was I smart enough to
train this dog?
Thankfully she just wanted to please with an
incredible drive that kept her from quitting when I messed up.
When Rika was about six years old she met a new
friend in Mikie Bowen and what a team they made. After working together for a
couple years, I was watching one day and I really think she knew when a horse
wasn't gaiting for Mikie and would nib it's heels to make it go on and start
gaiting again. She was especially in "work mode" when it came to the
stallions. The brilliance of Rika was that when she trail rode with me she was
no longer working just going along with me in case of trouble.
At 13 years old She is incredible and still
tries to help Mikie work the horses. She is the boss of our pack of dogs and
one of -if not the smartest-of all the dogs I've ever owned. She has always
known what we wanted and been uncanny in judging people. Rika is the General of
the farm and every year we share with her is now a gift due to her age. It is
amazing how healthy she has always been and seems to rally when we think age is
catching up to her. Her vision and hearing are sadly failing but she uses her
incredible nose to make sure she knows who you are and her vision can still see
a motion sign to come. Her hips are getting weaker but on a good day she can
still follow a slow horse and definitely chase a misbehaving dog.
Rika is like the Keith Toby song:
"I
ain't as good as I once was,but I'm as good once as I ever was".
There will be other dogs...there will be no
more Rikas
