1895, Bessie with her collie, Bob.
Photo and text copyright Linda P. Van Buskirk, 1997
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1895, Bessie with her collie, Bob. Photo and text copyright Linda P. Van Buskirk, 1997 |
My grandmother, who was born in 1887, was pretty special, since she was born after my great-grandmother had had several miscarriages. But Bessie survived, though she weighed 1 3/4 lbs when she was 2 or 3 months old. She was kept in a shoe box in the warming oven. Bob saved this precious little thing from the bull when she toddled into the bull pasture when she was young. He circled round and round her, barking, until the men could get her away from the bull. So there you have the classic herding dog behavior and the family dog story. He really looks that intelligent, doesn't he? He is from Scipio, New York, where the family lived (overlooking Owasco Lake).