Annie

1999 - 3/25/08

Annie at the beach

This winter took a toll on us and the animals. The cold temperatures and snow seemed to go on forever. March was especially cold at the farm and Annie seemed especially affected by it. Even though her last veterinary checkup had been in October when she was pronounced healthy, something seemed amiss. She was exceptionally hungry and, under her thick winter coat, we could feel her ribs. At first, we attributed it to her insistence on staying out at night to guard our house and the property. Since moving to the farm, Annie seemed to go back to the roots of her breed. She so loved patrolling and took it very seriously. She led the charge when she took her position at the gate each evening and her barks pierced the night. Many mornings she was hoarse from barking to ward off what she perceived to be predators or threats to our safety.

After taking her to veterinarians and trying medications which did not seem to help, a trip to the emergency hospital confirmed what we suspected. She had lost even more weight and was given a battery of tests which showed cancer in her stomach.

Annie was even tempered, loyal and protective. She was an enigma. She was quiet and asked for very little but she was known to paw other than pets. You never had to worry when she was introduced to strangers or other dogs. As our only female dog, she was not competitive nor food-motivated and waited patiently for her meals until the others had been served. Annie was always there, content to be in the background, stalwart and stable. She is deeply missed.