A Tribute to Piccolo, the lion heart

We always said Piccolo had a ' lion's heart'. She was incredibly brave and adventurous in her younger years with the typical Jack Russel' s hunters instinct. She has killed the odd chicken and guinea fowl (that was before we taught her, ‘no birds’), chased a massive leguane again and again (he regularly came to the slipway by the river at the cottage where he slept in the sun) and he attacked her one day; her eye was swollen and her face slightly out of joint, but she went  back for him day after day, albeit a bit more carefully. We walked for hours along the river before houses were built there. When Garry worked on the dam project she loved going on the boat with him, going with him to work...anywhere as long as she could go somewhere. 

Piccolo in her younger days

In Cape Town, in her and Skippie's younger years, we walked for miles on the beach and even along the road. They loved the beach and especially Piccolo loved playing games where we had to throw stones which she dug out, only to be thrown again and again, but it had to be the same stone...and she knew the difference.

As Piccolo got older it was the beach and her 'Ons Huisie route' where she could sniff and take her time. We had to walk twice a day; she timed me and made me aware when 'walking time' had arrived.There was no way I could get out of it.

Piccolo searching for 'her' stone on the beach

But, with time Piccolo became mellower and it was only after Skippie passed away two months ago that she indulged in my hugs and kisses. It was as if she had that need and wanted to give me that, which I always got from Skippie...hugs and kisses.

The last while however her 17 years showed, she became frailer by the day, yet she could still run on the beach on days that she felt up to it and she often played a halfhearted little game. Yes, a hunter, a clever professor (as we always referred to her), a major manipulator and yet the gentlest soul you have ever seen in an animal. She motivated me when I learnt to play the piano, as she loved lying with me when I played; she even often went to lie by the piano...waiting...and I had to play. Although her hearing had gone, she somehow found solace in the music that I played. 

Piccolo loved to lie in our bed early evening

It was mapped out that her final days would be by the river. We came here a few weeks ago to spend time with Garry. She was frustrated as she wanted and needed to walk, but we started playing a game by chasing the monkeys (see my previous blog). I knew she was getting frail very rapidly and so wished she could see the sea once more, but that was not to be. The thing she hated and feared most - thunder - caused her to have a heart attack early Sunday morning, and although we tried to resuscitate her, it was her time to go to doggie heaven. As my friend Brenda said in her message to me, Skippie must have been waiting for her and I can picture that as Skippie was the exuberant one and yes, I believe they are together once more and their reunion must have been a happy occasion!

Piccolo and Skippie were the best of friends for over 15 years

We however had a special evening with Piccolo on Friday, one we will always treasure. She was very fortunate to be allowed to accompany us to dinner at a restaurant which is situated in a predator park where there are more than 20 lions and tigers - a rehabilitation and breeding centre. 

Outside area of restaurant

The outdoor area of the restaurant is under-cover and built in a u-shape. At every table there is a huge window with heavily constructed steel bars where patrons can watch some of the animals roaming around or sleeping in the grass. From our table two lions and a tiger were visible.

two of the lions which we could see sitting at our table

I was surprised that Piccolo could see them with her bad eyesight, as the light was fading fast, but we noticed her smelling senses working overtime, obviously getting the scent of these wild animals.  Any barking or noise from her side would have unsettled the predators and we were warned beforehand that we would then be asked to take her away; there was no need for that as she was as good as gold and sat for most of the time on my lap, totally mesmerized.

Piccolo's selfie: she is mesmerized by the lions 

She was a terribly fussy eater and seldom asked for food in a restaurant, but perhaps the wild smells got her appetite going. She was hungry and joined us in eating a chorizo sausage and peri-peri chicken. Thereafter she fell asleep on her mattress until home time. What a special treat for a special Piccolo!

Chorizo sizzling in flames

In the end, Piccolo with the lion's heart had the opportunity to see a real lion, something few dogs have the the privilege to do.

We were truly blessed to have one of God' s special creatures to give us love and friendship over all these years and we trust that she will rest in peace. May God bless her little soul and we trust that she is running around with Skippie and other friends such as Milo, in the paradise of doggie heaven - a place where there is no illness, no fear, no growing old and where love and happiness reigns. I hope she will sometimes still listen for the melodies, as I will dedicate them to her when I play my piano. 

See how Piccolo reacted to the lions, especially as the big one got up:

Chasing the Monkeys

Arriving at the cottage at the Magalies River in North West Province in the latter half of last month was quite a shock to me, and I think to Piccolo as well. We both had so many memories of little old Skippie. Her ‘smells’ and presence were still with us and I felt it very strongly. Piccolo seemed at a total loss and I thought, almost in a depression. She slept the whole day and didn’t seem interested in anything.  I didn’t know what to do with my doggie or how to entertain her, as suddenly there were no long beaches on which we could walk, or run.

But, then something magic happened: the vervet monkeys came to visit in the trees around the house and Piccolo started chasing them; from there onwards she had a ball! It took a few days and then this was the game of choice…chasing the monkeys.

Piccolo on the deck, looking for the monkeys in the trees

Poor old Piccolo is half blind and deaf and half the time she misses spotting the monkeys when they are right above her, but she loves the game and somehow I think the monkeys understand that she is harmless. They started playing with her in the sense of hanging low from the branches and troops would tease her for hours on end. But they are free and live the life of nomads. They go where there is food and fortunately at this time of the year the white stinkwood trees around the cottage have many juicy berries that they love, but they have a routine of moving through the area in the day.  

Monkey in the tree, watching us

 This poses a problem as Piccolo waits impatiently for them to return…sometimes the whole day. She would come to call me with a pleading look in her eyes, as if to say, “Find the monkeys for me” and that was how the game started…

Monkey sitting at the bird feeding tray, eating pieces of apple

I would run out of the house, look up at the trees and clap my hands, calling “Monkeys, monkeys where are you. Piccolo wants to play!” Whether she ever hears me I don’t know, but she soon got into the habit of looking up and when the leaves on the trees move, she believes there are monkeys. Many times there are and she can of course smell them as well. It has become such a game that I think they come to look for her in the day and they tease her. We even found lately that some days they sleep in the trees above the roof, because early morning they would wake us by dropping down onto the roof, making quite a racket. Of course, that means that Piccolo starts ‘chasing’ monkeys from 6 o’clock in the morning. She no longer sleeps in the day.

Sleeping by the fireplace at the lapa after a heavy day of chasing monkeys

But on the odd day they haven’t come and I eventually did the unspeakable and started to put out little bits of fruit for them (I know Garry is going to have a problem when we leave) but I believe it is unavoidable as, ‘anything for my Piccolo.’

We have watched her with delight, but some days we are concerned about her as she doesn’t stop running the whole day and in between finding the monkeys she sometimes chases one of the Emus that belong to the neighbor, but for some reason they like to come to our field of grass. The Emu has a mate, but it was born with deformed legs and can’t really run. I am proud of my Piccolo as she never chases the weak one, but in return I also believe that the monkeys are kind to her as they must surely sense that she is an old girl (17 years). In her younger days chasing birds were a no-no, but she is no match for the Emu and it keeps her busy. What makes me happy is that she is content. The only problem is that I have taken the place of Skippie and have become her companion as some days it is all I do the whole day, namely calling the monkeys; I have lately even started to play my own game with them.  About that you can make up your own mind.

Piccolo, in her younger years, at the river

Soon however, our time will be up here, and once again we will walk the beaches of Cape Town, but before then she surely needs a bath as at the moment she is what we call, ‘a mucky pup,’ albeit a happy one.