DAKOTA

I got Dakota when he was around 5 mo. old. he had just been rescued from it owner for neglect by Tom. (The Breeder) He was underwieght, full of wormes and coccideia. First thing I did was take him to the Vet and then got him settled at home. He responded good to the medication from the Vet and started blooming. He was soon all better and getting bigger then the rest of his littermates.

I remember the first day I took him out back, he was walking around and then he saw the horses in the field behind the house. He went crazy, barking and running back and forth at the back fence. (A product of his sire.)
He was a perfect companion dog. He went everywhere with me fishing, hunting, camping everywhere but work. And that is when he got smart on me. Every time I went to work for a week he would escape from his pen, and explore the woods behind are house. Then he got caught by animal control. (Three times.) That cost me some good money so I started leavin him in the basement/garage.

He didnt care much when we had to move. It took him some time to adjust. I lived in a trailer and he stayed inside most of the time. He was a good house unless you left some food on the counter. I could even leave him alone in the trailer while gone to work. But one day I had to go to the store to get some extras for dinner. Well all my food was on the counter and it was to hot to take him with me, so I figured I would just put him in the bathroom since the trailer was airconditioned. Well when I returned, driving into the driveway, there was Dakota standing in the yard. I thought how the heck did you get out . I went inside, and saw that the bathroom door was still closed. Then I heard the water runing, so I went in the bathroom. He had knocked a washcloth into the sink, turned the water on somehow. So I had about a inch of water on the floor and in the hallway. But I still couldnt figure out how he got out of the trailer. I looked at the window, everything looked fine. Then two days later I noticed that the screen was ripped at the bottom of the window. He had knocked tge wash cloth in the sink turned the water on and jumped out the window with a 10 foot drop. Guess it was his way of telling me not to leave him in the bathroom again.

Well when I moved back to KC. I was in a situation where I couldnt care for Dakota as well as I would of liked to. So my cousin was up visiting and asked if he could have him. I wasnt easy but I agreed. My cousin lives in southern missouri in some of the most remote area you can find, so I figured Dakota would love it. When he arrived their they let him out and the first thing he did was disappear. They called me frantic I told them where they live he would be alright. He returned the next morning. After that they put him in a kennel run, that didnt last either as he kept escapeing, so they let him run free. He was caught chasing horses many time by other farmers but they soon developed a certain bond with him as they always asked John how Dakota was doing. But after about 6mo. Dakota calmed down and started to be a family dog.

Lil Jimmy was John's son he was 5 when Dakota joined the family. Dakota and Lil jimmy had a certain bond that couldnt be explained. Everywhere Lil Jimmy went Dakota was right beside him. When Lil Jimmy started school it drove Dakota crazy, the first day Dakota ran after the bus for about 2 miles. He would walk Lil Jimmy to the bus stop, then about 15 min. before Lil Jimmy was scheduled to return he would go to the bus stop and wait until the bus returned. Everything was going excellent until a tragic event happened.

On June 27, 1997 John and his wife Mary had put Lil Jimmy down to sleep at 9:00 PM and went out to the barn to feed and clean their horses. They were doing their usual chores, Dakota was acting usual at least they thought he was. He was bumping their hand and barking. (That was what he usually did at that time at night, barking at the horses and looking for affection.) Then John heard so noise and noticed that Dakota was gone. He looked outside the barn and saw that his house was on fire. John and mary ran to the house, but couldnt get to Lil Jimmy, the fire was already just to big. Mary called the fire department from Johns truck phone and they arrive 30 min. later. When they finally got the fire under control. It was to late, they found Lil Jimmy on the floor dead from smoke inhalation. Dakota was beside him and had died with his head on Lil Jimmy chest.

Dakota I will miss you buddy.

Tommy, I talked to John this afternoon he said that Dakota and Lil Jimmy will be buried together in North Carolina at Mary's family cemetary. They are also planning on selling their land and moving to North Carolina with Marys family.
Ernie