Hello

I love animals, all animals, I really can’t think of any that I don’t like. Take dogs for instance, I have studied, researched, and read everything I can get my hands on about dogs. I even spent a few years writing a dog column for a small local paper. I have spent almost half of my life training dogs (ok, I actually train the people who live with the dogs, just don‘t tell them) most importantly, I have spent my whole life loving dogs. I guess that’s what makes it so unbelievable that I don’t actually have a dog right now. Oh don’t get me wrong, we have three dogs that I love that live in the house with us, but my dog passed away. I’m not ready for a new fur baby yet, but I am going to start looking at all the different breeds and I thought you might want to go along for the ride.

Before we start here is a little about my Rhodesian Ridgeback Kutia. She was almost 14 years old (that’s really old for a ridgeback), it took me five years to find her, she was my best friend and I miss her.                                                                                  

Kutia Maya Spiritdancer

4/10/98 - 12/30/11

Kutia was the perfect dog, I know everybody says that about their dog but she was the perfect dog for me. She was so many things that I’m not. She was willing to give everyone a chance, she might bark at you when she first saw you (something we had in common) but then she would look at you as if to say, “Why aren’t you petting me?” She always expected the best from everybody so if she didn’t like you then neither did I. She was fearless! “Lay on my back and wiggle down this hill, I’m on it!” And she was. Go for a walk in the dark, take a road trip, spend the night someplace new, she was ready to go. She was also compassionate, a great shoulder to cry on, she would listen to you vent for hours and never tell you how bad she had it or that you were in the wrong, she was the best friend a girl could have. And she was so beautiful, she would answer to “the prettiest girl in the world.” Ten years old is about the oldest ridgebacks get, yet even battling cancer Kutia stayed with us for almost 14 years. She had the heart of a lion. Yesterday I told her it was ok for her to go, and so like a true lady, she did. She left behind Raven, Tammy, Logan, Gaia, Artemis, Killer, and a huge hole in our lives. We will miss you.