Dogs with jobs are in heaven

There's a storm brewing on the prairies. I watch the clouds billow and the wind ruffle the tall grass as I roll up  my electric fence and reset it for the goats to have fresh grass, my mind wanders to an old dog I had left behind on a different continent 4 years ago. My friend Kim had messaged me to tell me that old Sade was not well and been to the vet and back home, and back to the vet again.
Sade is the first Belgian Shepherd I owned. It came about after I watched an episode of a program called "Dogs with Jobs". That particular episode featured the Belgian Shepherd and more particular, the Malinois variety. These dogs were used in the Belgian Special police force, and they were just amazing! At the time, I was looking for a personal protection dog (living in South Africa kinda necessitates some things, especially on the personal security part because of rampant crime) and the Belgian Malinois looked to be just what I needed. Not too big, athletic, not overly hairy (hot summers). So I started my search to find one. I located a breeder close to where I lived, who was from Belgium and had imported all her original breeding stock. I visited the farm (and got nipped by an enthusiastic Malinois) and Agnes explained the breed to me, and I picked up my puppy. Sade was bred to be a protection dog, and that is what she loved. After puppy socialization, we started 'manwork' classes at about 6 months with a dog trainer from the police dog school. Oh how she loved that! Finally, a chance to sink her teeth into someone (wearing a protective suit, but still!)

It occured to me, as I was rolling up fence on the prairies, that Sade had lived her whole life in heaven. She was bred for protection, and she got to do just that. Every day. She could patrol the yard and bark at strangers every day. She could ride in the vehicle with me and look intimidating. Yet she is a gentle soul with other animals, people she knows, kids... She is 13 years old now, and I know that the inevitable will happen one day. But I will not wonder if all dogs go to heaven. Sade has been in heaven all her life.

Sade at 13 years young, loving life!

I hope to provide that opportunity for my current dog, Spice. Bred for herding, I would like to offer her a life lived in heaven every day.