Watch Dog, Guard Dog, or Assassin?
A dog reflects the family life.
Whoever saw a frisky dog in a gloomy family,
or a sad dog in a happy one?
Snarling people have snarling dogs,
dangerous people have dangerous ones.
 |
| Zelda |
She arrived about 10 years ago. My beloved Labradors had died* and I was heartbroken. While it took some time, I eventually went to the pound and speed dated all the dogs available, this girl spoke to my heart.
Most of the individual runs were occupied by pit bulls or pit bull crosses.** I walked up and down the length of the kennel proper and stopped at one of the strangest dogs I've ever seen. She was as far away as she could get from the gate and hunched over. She had the saddest face. When called she hesitated before coming over to the gate.
All the other dogs were barking, but not her (and she did not bark for three months after we got her home).
Her orange and cream colored coat was wiry except for a soft curly mohawk. "She's part poodle," I thought. "She won't shed."*** But did I want a chronically depressed dog? Well, how could I leave her?
Now, after 10 years, she's become essential. She does keep me moving - walking, picking up anything within her reach (she chews), devising covers for the furniture (she digs down to make a nest - in spite of having many dog beds available to her), feeding, watering, and opening the back door so she can go out in the yard. She loves to bark when someone is at the door, especially when they ring the doorbell or when the alarm goes off. She also will fight if attacked. I have seen it four times.
So I know she is tough. She will not back down from a fight.
And last night she tried to kill me.
It was inadvertently done.
I suspect she had prepared a trap for intruders. She had pulled the edge-binding away from a quilt I use to protect the sofa. The binding now was a loop. The loop was the perfect size for a foot. It was, in effect, a camouflaged snare.
 |
| You can just makeout the loop starting near her front paws. I took this photo as evidence. Not a diagnostic fall. I was snared. |
It worked too - the snare.
I was caught as I walked past the sofa. I went down...hard.
Questionable language filled the air.
An inventory of sore limbs was taken. Ice packs were prepared. Blood was removed (there wasn't much - really just a drop - de minimis as we say). And a quick diagnosis developed - just bruises. An action plan developed -- take some acetaminophen try to sleep and see what things look like in the morning.
Just to make sure I slept, Zelda kept guard.
Morning dawned. One knee complained, but the foot seemed more serious. Probably needed X-ray verification, one way or the other. Great.****
No serious harm, no foul. As I used to tell the kids, "no blood, no tears."
NOTES:
** I know pits are smart and can be wonderful dogs, they frighten me and I am not taking the chance.
*** She is a monster shedder. I could vacuum up a giant hairball a day, but I do not vacuum every day.
****While cleaning my closet shelves I found a medical boot from a surgery a few years ago. I debated whether or not to keep it. Really, when would I need another left boot? I suppose I had a premonition and kept the boot. This does not bode well for future decluttering.
Final Comment: I love my doctor. She keeps a few appointments free in case someone has a need not serious enough for the ER or urgent care, but not something you want to leave for a month. I was right on the line.
Comments
Post a Comment