Smokey's element

Our Smokey dog came to us about 8 years ago. When we brought her home she was 6 inches long! In her younger years she dug up rhodies, brought in bunches of grapes into the house (from the grapevine outside), and once brought in a dead bird and "Buried" it under our loveseat.

On her first vet check, we were told she was the product of a bad breeder. She has too long a spine, too short of legs, and demadectic mange (non contagious to all our doggy friends out there). The vet said we'd be lucky if she lives to be 10.

She has nearly died, or was almost put down SO many times. She had a severe allergic reactions to vaccines 3 times and had to have benedryl and steroid injections in doggy emergency. She ate an entire bowl of chocolate. She injured her spine (could not use her hind legs for over a month). She has eaten several poisonous things. She has also stopped eating for greater than 3 days on several occasions. Let's just say that the money we saved on her upfront was not worth the money we've had to put into her over the years! And she has food allergies.

Smokey now spends most of her time curled up resting in a towel by the vents in our house. She slowed down several years ago, after the spinal injury. She was also sad to lose her friend Bandit (our dog that had to go live with other friends because he started attacking baby Luke).

BUT...when she goes to the beach it is non-stop puppy energy all over again. Here are shots of her running back and forth. She also enjoys the laying in the hot sand and sunshine after a good run. Second to this is camping in the woods. She loves to track animals. But, she does not like how cold it can get.