More dog stuff

This is Penny and Rocky (I think) giving her a kiss. Or, maybe he is telling her a secret?

Talked to RJ earlier, and the 9 puppies and Penny are doing fine. She is eating good, and taking care of the pups. He did say that she seemed really tired last night, but she did have a busy day. Tara is very excited about her puppies...will be coming to see them on Friday, but probably won't pick out the two she wants until they are older. Rj is still partial to the first born female, but it is too early to tell what their personalities will be yet.

Damien...Kirov and Ice's son...was born in 2006. I have tried not to get attached to him, but cannot help it. He is so affectionate and reminds me so much of his daddy...except for the attacking people that approach him when he is tethered. THEN, he becomes a real butt-head.
Not sure exactly what his story is. His previous owner said that he was teased and tormented by some neighbor kids while they were at work...that would explain why he is like a different dog when tethered. It is hard to reconcile that with how he is when I am with him. He is good with other dogs, and I can take food away from him, put my hands in his bowl while he is eating...he is so good...but we cannot trust him because of the way he is when he is tethered.
He had been in a kennel with another dog, but got out of it. We had no idea that he would react the way he does when he is tethered, but after the campout weekend with the grand kids, we saw how he acts. It is still hard for me to call him an "aggressive dog" though I've seen his bad behavior. Obviously, we cannot have a dog that cannot be trusted in our kennel...one we KNOW will bite if approached by anyone, kid or adult. It breaks my heart that I am not able to" fix" him. When he isn't tethered, he seems to really enjoy people, and loves attention...but there is always that tension...will he bite? Ted is afraid that we will lose our kennel, our home, everything we've worked for, if we keep him here...but the ONLY safe alternative is to have him put down. Geez I hate the thought of that, but we cannot pass him/the problem on to anyone else. It is too much of a risk. Wish the dog whisperer were here to help!
The people that own him want him back (they say) when they find a home....Ted thinks they just wanted to rid themselves of a problem. I'm not convinced of that, because I do believe that they really love him. He IS very lovable, oddly enough. When they took him home, he was a wonderfully sweet puppy. His parents are two of our sweetest, most loving dogs...and I do believe that he is only a monster because of a couple of brats that thought it was funny to tease a dog. The only way I know to train that out of him is to expose people to him that don't torment him while he is chained up, and hope that he will re-set his way of thinking. It is a risk, and finding volunteers to risk getting bitten is probably stretching family and friendships too far...not realistic, I guess. Poor Damien.

Jill's mother in law passed away yesterday evening. Jill felt it was coming sooner than later...and was grateful that she didn't suffer. Went to sleep, didn't wake up. I am sorry for Paul, Jill and their family...but she was diagnosed with Pancreatic cancer a couple months ago, and that is not a kind way to die. She went peacefully, without pain. What more could anyone ask for? Jills family is still grieving for Scout, and now for Paul's mother, too. This has been a difficult year for them so far...I do hope/pray it gets better.