Old Max

Today after I finished working in the yard, I sat on the back porch and Lady practically sat on top of me. This made me think about other dogs the family has had and the different personalities that they had. Old Max was the first dog that I remember probably because he was the family dog when I was born. (Duh) Dad always said he was a Heinz 57 variety dog because we weren't sure what breed of dog he was. He was an excellent watchdog and always let us know when someone or something was around. Since we lived 6 miles out of town at the mouth of South Willow Canyon, we always paid attention to Max when he barked because we didn't see a lot of people. Those who did come were relatives or sheep ranchers who came to get water from the pond for their animals. Max knew most of them and seemed to have a special bark for each one. When I was small, I remember walking near the creek that powered the hydro-electric plant where Dad worked and Max would be walking with me. He would always walk between me and the water. If I got too close to the creek, he would push me away. Mother said that she never worried about me, because Max was always there to take care of me. I guess you could have called him my baby-sitter. He was always there to make sure that I was safe. He would chase sticks and balls no matter where they were thrown. He would even jump into the pond for them and then shake all over us after he got out. He was with us for years and never seemed to show his age except for the gray around his muzzle. Then one day he was gone. I can't remember exactly what caused his death, but he was simply too old to fight it. He was in his twenties which is really old for a dog. I can still see him laying on the front porch with one ear up and one front paw hanging over the step. Dad never really wanted another dog after Max wasn't there anymore. He was not only a good pet and companion, but a dear friend as well. If there is a heaven for dogs, he is probably top dog.