Willow, again

Back about 14 years ago when Willow adopted us, she was a different person than she grew to be. When we adopted her the humane society told us she has been returned twice, and somehow insinuated that was her last return..... meaning gulp! Back then she did not care for me. Any time I tried to pet her she would try to avoid it. At times she even snapped at me. Finally, I think, she figured out who fed her, and she changed her attitude towards me. At times she had clawed my arms,leaving lines of bloody scratches. I think a human male in her previous life mistreated her. And then, it appeared as if she was mistreating me. In time we became the best of buddies. I knew she had finally accepted me when she started sleeping on the floor on same side that I slept above her on the bed. Willow was a very good hunter. I have seen her lying quietly in the yard waiting patiently watching a bird hop around looking, or a chipmunk, or a squirrel smell around and got too close to Willow and it was too late. She pounced suddenly and the poor animal did not have a chance. I have seen her chewing on birds, squirrels, and rabbits and I think she used chipmunks as junk food. One time I saw her chewing on something furry and I got close to get a better look and it was a squirrel’s tail. I never saw the tailless squirrel in the trees in our back yard. It probably found a safer residence. I think as the years went by Willow’s reputation prevented little wild animals to dare venture into our back yard. They didn’t want to be snatched up and swallowed by the magnificent Willow the Dog;. The animals could smell or see her lying in the back yard soaking up sun, so they stayed away. What they didn’t know Willow had retired from hunting. Her bones ached, she was mostly blind, and I had to manually help her go up steps. Now Willow is no longer with us. It took the wild animals two or three weeks to figured out she was gone for good and not pulling a fatal trick on them. Again, in the back yard many little wild animals are playing and chasing each other in without fear.