Dog lowdown

So I’m sure that the world is on the edge of their seats waiting on hearing about the root of the problem that I have with my dogs. Well, Grace wanted this really cute Chow, her excuse being that I would be “gone all of the time” (expecting superstardom as we do…like winning the lottery!) and she would make a good guard dog. She was kind’a cute and even though I didn’t want the responsibility of a dog I gave her my approval (all the while knowing that I would be painting 75% of the time!). So we named her Dixie and it wasn’t long after she had grown into her own personality that I realized that she was a true bitch. We REALLY didn’t get along and yet I still had to feed her, which made it that much worse.
So I put up with her for years and years (I think she’s about 12 now).
At about the age of 2 (plus) she had a litter of youngin’s. They all got snatched up purty quick and I saved the best for last, meaning that I wanted to keep the cutest one. We did and his name was Ringo. As he grew, NOT did his legs! So evidently, Dixie had gotten nasty with…a “HOT DOG” DOG! She had to squat REAL low…Oh..nevermind!
I got attached to Ringo and yet hated his Mom. This went on for years (and I think Ringo is about 9 or 10 now). I fenced off a huge area in the back yard for them and fed’m good. I’d let’m out for a run every week or so and Ringo would always willingly trot right on back inside just happy for the opportunity. Dixie, on the other hand, had to be CAPTURED! This was not as fun as it sounds. I literally had to LASSO her ass one time! So one day Ringo digs out. I catch him and lead him back in. I think I have found the escape route and so I fix it, but again the next day he’s out again. This goes on for days and weeks and finally I give up. Since he’s not in the pen he doesn’t get fed. He’s starts hangin’ out with “the wrong crowd”. And then finally one day he never came home. I miss him but my Dad said he saw him over at his place one day so I haven’t given up hope that he’s still alive.
I knew Dixie would NEVER go back in so I finally tore down the fence. She wanders aimlessly around the neighborhood now. I thought she was a gonner yesterday. I was leaving for work and as I was backing up the minivan I went over a “speedbump”. It let out a yelp! And sure enough she ran right into my rear view mirror looking at me like..”why in the Hell did you do that!” I felt bad but she had her usual hobble (nothing more) as she walked away and I assumed that she was OK. Unfortunately that WAS the case! Still waiting…but not (knowingly) helping along her demise.