[Dueller]

King is a purebred Australian Shephard. His dam abandoned him for whatever reason and the professional breeder was preoccupied with other matters so King was never socialized with humans or other dogs. The breeder turned him over to my brother, a veterinarian too compassionate for his own good.

My brother took King to my parent's farm where he hoped the open spaces and the small herd of Black Angus Dad hobby farmed would bring the dog out of his neurotic state. King was in herd dog heaven. He instinctively set about his duties obsessing over the cows. King would stand vigil over his herd watching their every move. When a cow would go into the small stand of woods on the backside of the farm to drop a calf, King would be by her side like a nervous expectant father, pacing constantly until the birth. Or perhaps he was just anticipating the placenta left behind which was a nutritional treat for him.

When a cow would be in breach, King would shed his neurotic fear of humans and come to the house raising hell no matter what the hour. Dad knew it was time to call my brother to come help the cow and calf in distress. King would anxiously wait until my brother's arrival and lead them to where the ailing cow was in labor. This was as close to human interaction he ever came. Once the calf was on the ground, King would take over.

When it was time to bring the herd to the feed barn in the evenings, Dad would call out to King and he would faithfully discharge his duties accounting for all of the cows leading them from the far end of the pasture in a tight pack. Dad would set out a bowl of dog food and maybe some table scraps for King, who would only eat after making sure the cows were settled and Dad was a distance away.

King last felt the touch of a human over thirteen years ago when my brother released him in Dad's pasture. He's old now, and getting slower and a bit more neurotic but he's happy having served so dutifully. To take him away from his farm and herd would certainly be his demise.

In many ways, Dad and King are of the same ilk. Dad was abandoned by his mother as a child, emotionally and physically. He never learned the touch of a caring human as a child. He was a mean and angry young man which may explain why he was such a good soldier after enlisting in the army, lying about his age, a week shy of his 16th birthday. Infantry. Airborne Ranger. A military career that included a tour in Korean conflict and two tours in Vietnam. Three purple hearts. Silver Star. Bronze Star. Oak leaf clusters. None of which were ever discussed after his retirement at age 40 with over 24 years service. No ego wall in his den; all awards and medals and comendations stowed away in the attic. He was devoted to his country and his family and not much else. Little in the way of socialization.

As with King, moving to the farm in south Georgia and raising his cows in relative solitude were a respite and salvation for Dad. Like King he's slowing down now. Though physically in remarkable health, he's been diagnosed with vascular dementia. The psychotic episodes are not frequent thanks to the medications. He is very alert and lucid most of the time, but there are frightening episodes on occasion. We know its only a matter of time before they can't be controlled. And that day where he no longer can be safe on his beloved farm will unfortunately come when he still is lucid enough to realize that he will never go back. And it will be his demise.