Sarita

The K-Bar Ranch is all about animals, but the animals that rank the highest,(after humans,) are the dogs. There have been a few really outstanding dogs that have lived and worked on the K-Bar, a few descent ones and a lot that we fed. Sarita is on the edge between descent and outstanding. If longevity has anything to do with it, she is outstanding. Not bad for a mangy, stray, one eyed, fat girl.

We have always had dogs, but Dad was dog less several years ago when Sarita wondered on to the place. She was a mangy starving pup, and a female. We usually don't do females. The breeding cycles of dogs are too much for us to handle. Dad was desperate, so he took what God provided. We covered her coat with old crank case oil to help with the mange and fed her. It took years to get rid of her mange and to put real weight on her. Eventually both happened. Now she is a little on the plump side.

She originally had two good eyes, but not a good since of what a Suburban can do while backing up. Mother backed into her while she was not much older than a pup, (but right after Dad took her to a real vet to get her fixed. Dad never took dogs to a real vet, and when Sarita got backed into he thought this was a sign.) She recovered completely except for loosing her eye. Who would have ever thought a dog with this kind of start would ever survive for long on the ranch, but Sarita may be the oldest dog to ever live on the K-Bar. Go figure!

Her best attribute is her protectiveness. She is a very good guard dog. She is also very tough! She rules the ranch and all the places next to it. Sarita is the queen of the area. Interesting thought is what if Sarita outlives Dad? This could be a problem. Mother is not as attached to dogs as Dad is, and she sure isn't as attached to the place. Ten years ago I would have not worried about this, Dad was in great health and his dog was a one eyed fat girl with a desire to fight coyotes and a history of hair loss.Now she is a fixture.