... carrying them one by one around the side of the shop ...

Harold, Sandra, and Donald with puppies.

One of the photos I most regret not having is one of Spot, MY dog.  At least I considered her my dog, whether anyone else agreed or not.   Spot and Dot, who I assume were sisters, would have puppies at the same time.  Spot would have hers in the back of Daddy's shop and Dot would have hers under the big mower.

Spot and Dot would carry their puppies from one location to another when they wanted to move.  They'd grasp a puppy by the scruff of the neck and, head lifted high, carry it to the desired location.

We could watch Spot steal Dot's puppies, carrying them one by one around the side of the shop, putting it in with her puppies.  Well, we assume her puppies. As we watched, Dot was stealing Spot's puppies, carrying them one by one out to the mower. Unless we watched them being born and marked them all, we wouldn't be able to tell which puppy belonged to which dog.  They traded back and forth often.

Donald with puppies

I spent many hours with Spot. She must have been tired of me.  With all us young'uns around, she had plenty of loving.  I have no idea why Spot was so special.  Dot was so much like her.

It was so long ago that I can't be sure, but the dog in the background was probably either Spot or Dot.  

One day I called and called and Spot wouldn't come. I looked and looked but I couldn't find her.  After a long time searching, I asked others if they had seen Spot.  No one would say they saw her. I would ask Daddy, Mother, brothers, and sisters.  All replied that they hadn't seen her recently.  For a couple of weeks, I'd go out every day, looking and calling for Spot.  Eventually they told me that Spot had ran out from behind the tractor shed just when someone was driving the tractor around the end.  Neither could see the other and Spot was killed by the tractor.  

Sandra and Stanley with puppies

My parents never lied (we always called it 'told a story') but this was the closest they came.  I'm sure they hoped I'd forget about Spot and wouldn't have to tell me about her death.  'Recently' obviously could mean 'in the last half-hour!  I don't remember ever missing an animal as much as I did Spot.