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Quite a few years ago I was asked to take this sad, sweet, elderly pit bull. Really, we didn't think she would be around long. She flew from New York where she had been in a shelter for two years. The night I picked her up from the airport she seemed to be everything they had told me. I should have realized I was in trouble later that night when I went to crate her for the night and I could have sworn she tried to bite me.
She spent most of day two relaxing. Then she started pacing. She kept going to the door and whining. I kept letting her out and having to coerce her to come back in. Then as the day came to an end I went to crate her again. Yup..this time she definitely tried to bite me. This was the beginning of a beautiful friendship and a huge learning experience for me and my family.
Kya was not human aggressive. But she was strong willed and determined to get her way. She threw temper tantrums when we would close her kennel. Or otherwise tried to change things up. She HATED being in the house. HATED it. I would force her in when the weather got really bad but otherwise, she liked her outdoor dog run.
The summer Kya was about 13/14, we started training her to do weight pull just trying to burn off some energy. She was a wild one. Walks and runs didn't cut it. and fetch wasn't her bag because once she went and got anything, it was hers to keep.
Over the years Kya was sick a few times..scared us quite a bit, but always prevailed. To the point my vet told me "This dog is going to die when she's ready. And not a day sooner. Would you stop running her in every time she has a rough day?" Kya was kind of a pain in the ass at the vet. I didn't blame him. We stopped removing lumps and numps after awhile. Stopped paying for biopsies. None of it mattered anyways. Kya was pushing 17 years old and aside from a few rough patches, was still going strong.
Kya was dangerous with other animals. And the older she got the worse she was. But her unfailing good mood and sweet nature with us made it worth it.You could NOT be around Kya without laughing.
Kya had a large pen in the yard where she loved rutting in mud like a pig during the summer. She would literally dig herself a trench and roll around in the ensuing mud. My *responsible owner* side decided if someone saw this, they would probably report me to animal control for my poor dog living in such muck. (mind you..this was a very small section of the dog run. It just happened to be the part she loved most) I decided to cover the mud. SO out Kya came from the kennel to go tear around the yard while we laid flooring. When I went to put her back in her kennel Kya was PISSED off. It was the first time I thought she was seriously going to hurt me. We had a brief come to Jesus moment. I won. sort of.
Kyas favorite thing in the world was fresh hay. When I brought home new hay or went to put fresh hay down in the kennels she was beside herself. She tossed it into the air and dragged tons into her already well padded dog house and was just joyful over it. Such a simple pleasure.
When we got new kennels and dog houses, I decided to upgrade Kya. Since there was astro turf, we werent going to use Hay except in the winter. So Kya got her new dog house. And a bed. Upon checking out her new digs, Kya was quick to share her opinion. the new bed was promptly pooped upon and drug out of the dog house. Then she went back into the dog house and left another pile of poop there. Then for the next two days, Kya barked non stop. I finally gave up and returned her old, chewed up,, ratty looking dog house and filed it with hay. She immediately went and laid down and slept for a full day .
I never turned Kya into a house dog despite my best efforts. I never got her to be comfortable with dog beds. Never got her to walk properly on a leash unless she damn well felt like it. She listened when she wanted to and ignored us when she didn't/ She was opinionated and stubborn and sometimes downright obnoxious. Kya liked big knuckle bones, rope toys and tennis balls. She hated other dogs, being inside and dog beds.
The last night Kya spent with us I put a nice comfy dog bed in her kennel. She was thin and clearly losing ground and my human side just HAD to do something..we knew decision time was upon us. But as usual, Kya did things her way. She used the new bed for a toilet and contentedly laid next to it and died. It was her final message to us.."MY way people..I do things MY way!"
Rest well you crazy old broad. Our world feels much emptier without you. Please don't poop on the other dogs beds at the bridge.