Years ago when my 18 year old grandson was around four years of age, he was spending some time with me here at the lake. I tried to give him different experiences when he was with me. We would go to the park nearby and under the shade of a huge willow tree set up camp. Those were happy endeavors, as we could play in the water and even do a bit of swimming.
Occasionally we went to a park which had an emu farm next to it. Also there was a fine walking path, all paved and used by visitors to get in a nice walk or run in a safe area. One day we were walking around on this path and out of nowhere came a vicious dog baring his teeth and on a definite mission to bite one of us. The sight of him plus the speed of his approaching alarmed me so I picked up my grandson and turned around so he would not be bitten. I have heard to never turn your back on a dog, but if I had not, things could have been worse. The dog jumped at me and took a bite. What he got was a mouth full of lavender shorts. I got a triangle shaped wound which proved to be more bruise than bite. My shorts forever had a triangle tear and so did my undies. My screams and the animal growling alerted the owner of this dog. He called to his dog and he retreated to his owner's property.
Going straight home, I called the sheriff's office and a deputy came to my house. I filed a report .He took a picture of my wound and followed up on the incident. The man lied about the dog having had his rabies shot. The county took the man to court and I had to appear. I took the "evidence" with me but the judge did not ask to see it. He had pictures that the deputy had taken. The dog was quarantined for the prescribed time and I stayed away from that park. This was a shame as it was fun to see the emus in the field , walk on the path and for my grandson to play on the play equipment there.
But, it could have been worse so we shall put that aside and focus on the fine qualities of man's best friend. The canines of this world have proven in many ways to be extremely valuable. They can be trained to detect illnesses in humans, serve as guide dogs, to track lost children and evil doers. They make excellent assistants to those who serve to protect us in many ways. Not to mention the companship they provide for their owners.
Some are trained to develop natural tendencies as sheep dogs to herd sheep. My son Jim, had a Shetland sheep dog who was lovable, protective and much beloved by all of us. When his master, as a small boy, would be swimming in the lake this dog swam with him. He impeded Jeff's swimming as he continually swam around him in circles to protect him. He was a family dog and took his job seriously. We all mourned his passing. He lived a good, productive life and there was no replacing him.
As a dog lover you tend to want a dog in your family. So as time passed, they found a Pomeranian. A prettier little fur ball would be hard to find. His master gave him the unlikely name of "Cujo". Cujo is engaging , sociable and so very entertaining. He lives to chase tennis balls. This had to end as it was ruining his teeth to jump up and catch the balls in mid air. Cujo has what I call a prissy walk. His short legs and curled back tail help to convey this appearance.
Perhaps his masters thought he needed another dog to keep him company. So, they found a rescue dog which needed a lot of love and care. She was just a puppy but had already seen the hard side of life. They nursed her to good health and Jim began to train her to be a good companion. They thought to call her by several names but settled on Rocky as her face reminded them of Rocky Marciano.
As I see it, Rocky has one flaw. She cannot resist a roll in a good mud hole. I became all too aware of this the first time I kept the dogs for a week. My daughter and her husband went to New York and brought the dogs to my house. Not too long after they left I let the dogs out for a quick run. Cujo was back in about five minutes. Rocky was not. When she did appear from the direction of the lake she was covered in mud and proud of it.
It was nearing dusk and I could not leave her outdoors so something had to be done NOW. My sister Ruth was here and she helped me get a leash on her. Then I wiped her feet as best I could. I led her upstairs and with my left arm in a cast, somehow managed to get her in the bathtub. With my one good arm I was able to spray her, soap her up and spray again, three times. For she was really muddy and also stinky. When it was all over with, I had a very dirty cast from my wrist up to my armpit. But I also had one clean dog.Since then I have kept Rocky and had no mud incidents. The training collar is a big help. She is able to communicate very well and is a more relaxed kind of dog. Her whine means "let me go out now or you will be sorry". The paws up on my chair says " Get off the computer and pay attention to me as I want to play." Cujo communicates well when necessary. When he wants his food bowl replenished he turns it over with his nose. The noise tends to get your attention.
After the dogs leave my house it seems empty. I feel vulnerable without them to alert me of any approaching cars, or a deer they spy from the front window. They are good at chasing the deer away and that is best for my garden.
I have never owned a dog and do not feel competent to care for one on most occasions. But having one visit from time to time is a nice change. Do I want to have a dog of my own? Well, noooooo. I have too many projects going on now but having a wireless alarm system like Cujo and Rocky can be a comforting feeling for me.
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