"Dog Gone"- but what does that mean?

Dog Gone" - but what does that mean?
Ever since Ezra had his four wheeler stolen we have toyed with the idea of getting a dog. Our neighbors keep telling us that we need a dog. Our landlord had a dog when he lived here, a Golden Retriever named Lester. Lester was a kind dog and loved to be petted through the fence but evidently none of our neighbors ever discovered that and speak of that big mean dog that the landlord owned.
We have actually looked on line in Tucson and considered the shelters for a dog but decided that if we got a dog we wanted a puppy to grow with us. I found a beautiful red Doberman but I do not have a thousand dollars to spend on a dog and I do not think I would even if I had everything else paid for and I all ready supported every missionary I know.
Enter "Solo Vino" or Hobo in English. One day we woke up to Solo Vino who had made his way into our yard. Solo Vino was a wiry mix, malnourished enough to fit through the fence. He also had a very severe case of flea rash or the mange. I took pity on him and gave him a bath with Dawn to help him out and Peggy began feeding him. We were not really sure he was the dog for us but never mind his stay was short-lived and he was gone.
Last Thursday a guy stops by the house and asked if I was interested in buying a dog. Not really I answered but he wanted to bring his dog by anyway. Enter Caramela (an adaptation of Caramel in Spanish) a cute cocker spaniel. The price was right ($250.00 pesos - about $23.00 dollars) - he said he needed money for food. My first thought was that the dog is stolen so I told him we would take a day to think about it. Well, the next day, Friday, I went by his house and found him and his family living in a cardboard shack, so I bought the poor little dog and gave him a little bit extra to help feed his family.
Saturday morning I washed Caramela and pulled out the ticks. She promptly initiated about every rug in the house but by the end of the day had learned to sit and stayed next to my chair. While we were entertaining some quest a family stopped by to inquire about Caramela who was on the front porch. Turns out Caramela is really Princess who was stolen from a family who lived a couple blocks down the road. It was evident their kids knew Princess and that Princess knew them.
Now today we have had two other dogs brought by the house "for sale". So "DOG GONE" but what does that mean? It means that people in our area know all of our business! It means that people are watching us and that they know why we are here, what we are doing and that they are watching to see what our reactions to these incidents in life are. So while we are not seeing them come to church services they are watching to see if Christ is in us. "Dog gone" - but isn't that the cat's meow.
Still looking for a dog though. Anyone have a Rhodesian Ridge-back needing a good home?