Through it all, Noem says, Cricket was “the picture of pure joy ... her state in Congress for eight years, got her gun, then led Cricket to a gravel pit. “It was not a pleasant job ...

Noem said that her dog, who was 14 months old, was a “working dog” and “not a puppy.” “At the time, I had small children ... she grabbed her gun and led the dog to a gravel pit ...