Dusty

We got Dusty I believe when I was in the 8th grade. He was so stinkin cute. He was white with caramel spots, he was a cocker spaniel. I can remember my mom and dad bringing him home, he was so little. We played with him right on the front lawn. I even remember taking him to swim practice one day in my swim bag! Everyone laughed when a dog head popped out of my bag. I can remember not even wanting to swim because I wanted to play with him. For awhile, Dusty slept in my room with me. I can remember waking up to him trying to push my head off my pillow so he could sleep on my pillow. Crazy dog! I think Dusty got the brunt of a lot of my father's rage and anger. I mean, Dusty could just be walking past him and he would kick him so hard. Dusty did not like my dad at all. I loved that dog and he loved me. Do you know that if my father came into the room and walked near me, Dusty would jump up and get in between us and growl at my dad. I think that's the nicest thing anyone has ever done for me and it was a dog! ha! It would infuriate my dad sometimes, he would pick him up by the scruff of the neck and take him in the garage and beat him. It was excruciating to hear that poor dog howling. I think my dad even had a leather thing that he beat him with sometimes. If I was laying on the couch and my dad walked in, Dusty would jump on top of me to get between me and my dad and growl at him and my dad would taunt him...thinking it's so funny...hitting me, like smacking my shoulder to get the dog even more upset, I can remember my mom and I and my sister begging him to stop. I just can't help but feel so sad for this helpless dog. I just cry and cry when I remember him howling and yelping as my dad beat him. I really thought that one day he would kill him out in that garage. It's no surprise that after I had moved to SC...I mean this is years of that dog being tortured in that household, he was outside and my mom wanted him to come inside and she probably went to smack him to tell him to get inside and he lost it, got hit one too many times and he bit my mom's arm and leg. She still has scars, a few of them were deep. And awfully so, I understand why it happened, and I don't ever think (and I feel guilty sometimes about it too) oh my poor mom, getting attacked by a dog. I just think of poor Dusty and how long he hung in there before he lost it. My sister was scared for Dusty, so she said she went and broke into their lockbox and took a credit card and took Dusty to the vet to be put to sleep. I cannot even imagine the courage it took to do that. She said she knew that if she left him there that my dad would come home and kill him with his bare hands. I know she's right. I just love her so much for being so brave and courageous and strong to be able to do that. I can only imagine how hard and painful that was. I still cry and cry when I think of him. I mean he was annoying with the humping. But he deserved a better life and for that I am so sorry for him and so sad. I think this is why I have such a soft spot for dogs. I can't stand to see them needing or wanting for anything. When my parents were visiting in June, my dad shook his head at me when I was doing something with Lucy and I said, what? He said, I have just never seen someone love a dog so much. I can't even tell you how sick I would be knowing that my dad was here alone with my dog. It's sad too to hear my mom and dad say things like lots of people have had problems with field bred cocker spaniels, there was too much inbreeding or something and I just think....are you serious? the dog was beat and kicked and treated poorly nearly every single day of his life. For that I will always be sad. I loved that dog.