Sad news. Yesterday, Tuesday, I found Bella bloated and already unable to get up - by the time I rounded up the truck and some muscle to help lift her, to go to the vet, she had died … I am heartbroken. There won’t be another like this 140lb, dominant, super maternal, very serious (except with me), protective and loving QUEEN BEE. She was the best momma I’ve ever seen. She’d nurse pups until twelve weeks if you let her, and nurse other pups as well. Bella was gentle and liked babies of all kinds. She was intelligent, calm, always watchful. Bella was not a barker, being more inclined to action, to going after what she perceived as a threat, although not people. She didn’t like strangers around but was tolerant when it was required. Bella was a very athletic, powerful dog, intimidating when on alert. She had unquestionable presence. Her movement was beautifully fluid, straight and true, with a long effortless stride. A cliché, but watching her trot across a pasture was seeing poetry in motion. Surprising agility in such a heavily-boned dog. Of course she had her faults…. Too bossy, although she generally only had to be ferocious with each one once, females or males. They just never questioned her authority again, once they knew her. Then all the other dogs fawned on her. She was the pack leader. Bella was stubborn. And had selective hearing, but don’t many Karakachans? Luckily, our goals were usually the same. She was too large for a female. I loved her size because she moved like a lightly built dog but I know that was an anomaly. She never once showed any signs of gastric problems but I have to wonder now about very large dogs and their higher susceptibilty to bloat and gastric torsion. She was an escape artist. The 4 ft fences were nothing. The electric net fences wouldn’t work with her; even with the tall ones, Bella simply bounded over them. I don’t think she ever knew they were hot. It took a top hot wire on the four foot stock fences to finally slow her down, just the past few months. Infamously, Bella once escaped from my vet’s exercise yard while boarding, during treatment. They said she pulled back and out of the lead line and went over that five foot fence like a cat. That was the last they saw her then because as some of you Karakachan owners have experienced, no way was she coming to strangers. I searched two counties most days, February into March, snow, ice, I was so worried about how she’d eat! But exactly 30 days later, from my vet’s practice nearly 30 miles away, over rough terrain, river and interstate 77, a very skinny Bella trotted into my backyard with her big grin, appearing to say “I told you I wasn’t leaving my farm!”. She might not stay in a fence, but she wasn’t leaving home either! Bella was the bravest dog. Once there were many coyotes sounding off and I saw my young, inexperienced dogs/pups barking back, but not advancing. Suddenly, past me, and through the uncertain dogs, without a sound, Bella flew, with her buddy Max following closely. Bella went over my perimeter fence, Max through a low spot, and into the deep woods they went. A noisy commotion and then no more coyotes could be heard. But it was so funny to see the young dogs find their courage and follow as far as the fence. Bella always went after whatever howled in the woods, and would return about 15 minutes later, sometimes obviously having been at battle, and just flop down as if saying, “Don’t worry, I took care of it.” And that’s what Bella did best. Bella took care of me, and my animals, and my farm. I loved her more than any dog I’ve known, and she will be missed.
Posted on: Wed, 15 Oct 2014 15:39:51 +0000
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