Josey Whales was the best people dog I've ever known. He was extremely biddable and loved us very much. He only lived 9 months before a car hit him. The neighbors' dogs had been coming across the road into his yard and he was trying to keep them out.

He loved Dan and was completely his shadow. He loved to ride with Dan in the pickup and he worked with the cattle because Dan wanted him to. He loved Lane, who was then 2. They played for hours on end. You may have seen that commercial where the kid is digging in the sand and is throwing it on his Rott. Then the dog turns around and digs and throws sand back at the kid. Josey and Lane did this every afternoon while Dan was in the barn. Lane was too young to be left alone in the barn or outside at that time. I felt that I could leave him for a few minutes at a time as long as Josey was with him.

One time I left Lane to play next to the straw pile in the barn while I had to help Dan with some emergency. It was quite awhile before I was able to get back to him and I was worried. When I got back there, Lane was still right by the straw pile but Josey was nowhere to be found. I looked around and could not find him. I called him. Then he came bounding out of the straw pile! That fool had let the baby completely bury him in there! I always knew where Lane was because I could see Josey.

Another time, Dan came in the house late. He warmed up his supper, came into the living room, and set it on the floor. He then had to go upstairs to do something. Most dogs would go straight to the plate, right? Nope. Josey waited for Dan at the bottom of the stairs. He was not allowed upstairs.

He had such a strong guardian instinct. He did not herd so well, but he did try. We let him get kicked when he was too young-it was probably our fault that he did not herd as well as he could have.

Josey, was hit by a car, so I especially kept an eye out. Josey was very loyal to our territory, too. At the milking barn, the neighbors dogs from across the road kept baiting him and coming into our yard. Josey was running them back over into their own yard when he was hit. That is one dog I wish I could have back.

If he had lived in a pen he would still be alive. However, he would have never learned to "dig to China" in the free stall barn with my son, then 2. He would never have learned the value of love of the pack because we would not have had time to spend with him in the pen. He wouldn't have gotten to roll in fresh manure or wade in the creek. He wouldn't have gotten to help make snowmen, chase rabbits in the grass, or lick snot out of the cow's nose. I'm glad he wasn't kenneled, even if he would have been safer. I miss him a lot.

I know that in some instances a dog needs to be penned for their own safety, but it still saddens me to have to do it. That would not be the dog for me. We know a lady who has a husky. Beautiful, wonderful, smart dog, BUT he's never been outside off leash. He would run to the north pole! I think he would be happier if she would just let him! Just think if you were born to sing and nothing in the world made you happier, but the whole world was deaf. Our dogs have a great quality of life. They truly enjoy it. My husband would not even keep a dog that had to be kept in a pen (unless the pen was the house and the dog really liked the house). We knew this in choosing the type of dog we wanted. Another difference between farm homes and pet homes....

Pet people think farmers are cruel for letting our dogs out of the kennel. Farmers think they're cruel for keeping them in!

Sire Comanche Bluff Red Buffalo	Sire Kaschak's Dust-Dee	Sire Wald's Man O'Montana
		Dam Wald's Gal Sal
	Dam Roebuck's Hollee	Sire Boice's Sloane of Creekview
		Dam Roebuck's Katee
Dam Comanche Indian Summer	Sire Toy's Lizelia Fella	Sire Hardway Fella
		Dam Ralph's Sable Toy
	Dam Comanche Hill Mona My Pal	Sire Bud
		Dam Katy