Feeding a Family

Being a single parent of 2 young boys and a Rhodesian Ridgeback hound created lots of "lean times" for all of us. Cisco was a big dog, but he always ate, even if it was from our table. He could "fly" over our chain link fence, so keeping him in the yard was a big problem - not for our neighbors, us, or him, but the city animal control people insisted on it. I tried to tie him up, but no matter what collar I bought, he could break it or just lay down and pull his skin over his head, collar and all. If you know your dogs, all hounds have lots of loose skin.

One day, during a really lean time, he was gone for the day when I got home from work. While making some cornbread to go with our crockpot of beans, my youngest son came running in, yelling,"Mom come see what Cisco has!" I hoped it wasn't a dead animal or some other "treasure" of his as I went to the front porch. Well, my sweet Cisco was gnawing on a raw hunk of beef roast that must have weighed 8 lbs.! Well, we got to eat meat that week (after I washed it WELL!) and Cisco got his portion plus!

I never did find out which neighbors' windowsill he stole our dinner from, but I didn't hunt for them, either! I was too embarrassed to admit our dog fed us by thievery!!

We loved that dog for 11 years and still miss him today.