14/08/2024
Ruby Gayle Wetzel
Mar 28, 2013-June 25, 2024
We were blessed with Ruby on Thursday, Oct 13, 2016. At the young age of 3, she had been kicked by a horse 3 times, hit by a car, and had buckshot in her. She was a bolter. She only weighed 44 pounds, skinny but mighty!
We were on our way to the doctor, when I saw a woman walking a little boxer. I asked her where she got that beautiful little boxer. (You could tell it wasn’t good, she had her on a horse rope). She told us her friend gave her the dog. I asked her if she planned to keep her, and she just shrugged her shoulders. My husband said, “I’ll give you $100 for her,” and she said yes.
We were thrilled! When we went to pick her up, she jumped in the truck in Don’s lap.
That night, Don said, “Come on, Ruby, let’s go to bed.” She ran and jumped on our bed & laid down. We stood there laughing, but with my feet & leg problems she had to sleep in her kennel. I told Don, “If anything ever happens with either one of us, she sleeps with the remaining one.”
One week later, Thur. Oct 20, 2016, God called Don home. Heart attack. I sat, wondering what to do and thinking I can’t keep Ruby. She needs a man to take on walks and play with her. God spoke to me. All he said was, “Keep the dog.”
Ruby Gayle was definitely a God send! She helped me through the roughest part of my life. She loved me as much as I loved her. We shared the same pillow. I would hold her in my arms and tell her just how special she was and how we acquired her. She understood everything I said to her. She was very smart.
Ruby was always active. I was out one day and my son checked on her, she had carried 5 rolls of toilet paper into the living room. That was 5 trips from bathroom to living room. She would unroll toilet paper to the living room. She never tore it up. Just laid beside it so proud of herself.
She carried a big bottle of Downey into the living room(thank goodness she couldn’t get it open). She carried the heavy dictionary into the living room, she was improving her vocabulary, I’m sure. We were wishing I had a camera in the house. She was always busy.
I bought a tufted bench to go under the picture window, right away she jumped up on it. I just put a blanket on it & she could lay her head on the window sill and look out.
She would grab toothbrushes or anything out of your hand and under the bed she went. That was one of her favorite games.
Her diet consisted of all green veggies. She loved broccoli and all greens. Fruit, strawberries, bananas, oranges, apples-all fruit-no sugar or grapes.
All my family loved her and she loved them.
Ruby had cancer, the vet told me I could probably get a couple years out of her. I was blessed with 4 more good years. She tore her ACL in both legs. Due to her age 11 years and my age 84 years, they were skeptical about me being able to lift her. She was in a lot of pain. I had to realize if I was keeping her here for me or for her. I had to use my head instead of my heart. I was her 5th home. I miss her terribly, but I will not get another critter. First time in my life my life I live all alone except for God’s care and love, but I miss something to hold in my arms and love. The Lord knew after 57 years with my precious husband that I did not want a man in life, so he gave me Ruby Gayle.
Her mission was completed.
Dixie Wetzel
♥♥♥
