Ichiban aka Itchy

Ichiban was born in Brooklyn, N,Y., found on the street as a puppy (covered with fleas and mange) and named Itchy. Eventually she was brought to Minnesota and later (perhaps because of an extreme aversion to men in uniform?) bit a mailman in St. Paul. Quarantined and then given "marching orders" she ended up on our farm in Otter Creek, Wisconsin. After a very brief training period this amazing canine began a distinguished career as a farm dog, and was given a new "handle," Ichiban.

So not only was she beautiful and obedient, able to take Wisconsin winters and other seasons in her stride, but she patrolled a central piece of the property, treed bears and raccoons, killed muskrats, and barked at strangers and other unwanted aliens. She had her favorites among the people who visited, and also continued to show her dislike for uniformed males, especially those she thought to be excessively macho. She got along well with farm cats, but had a tendency to chase and kill fowls early in her tenure.

In her aging process she contracted a disease called Cushing's. which ultimately took a big toll on her activities, work and rounds.
Then tumors spread through her body and ultimately she was brought down by the failure of her lungs, She remained noble and sweet to the end of her life, and we miss her terribly in the week without her presence. To the very end she enjoyed rolling in the snow, and walking what she could of her territory. One of my lasting memories is of her standing on the edge of the road looking intently for a potential intruder. Ichiban, #1.