Bark, Bark...My Angry Remarks

 

I am basically a rule follower. I never even cheat in the 12 items or less line at the grocery store. If you didn't notice by now, also, I am an animal lover. I am down to 3 cats and 2 dogs right now having just said goodbye to my 12 year old rabbit that served as a classroom pet and friend to many of my students over the years.  

When I got my current two rescue dogs a bit over a year and a half ago, it was after my 17 year old Pomeranian, Gizmo, had passed away the winter prior to when I adopted Auggie, a Yorkie and Chihuahua mix, and Shelley, a mix of what we were told was Chihuahua and beagle, but she kept growing and looks more like a yellow lab and beagle mix....she has no Chihuahua traits other than her lap dog attitude. Gizmo had a beagle German short hair pointer who was his sister/housemate for six years before she passed at 15 and before her was Cobie a purebred German shepherd rescued from a puppy mill who was very sickly but had a short happy life before heading to dogie heaven at only 5. Before that it was Barney, named before there was ever a purple dinosaur, a black lab mix that weighed 120 pounds and lived to be 10. I couldn't possibly list the long line of feline family members, but Hobo does deserve honorable mention for going potty on the toilet...swear to God! I have loved them all and most other animals that I come across that are not even mine.  I even have health insurance on my current t dogs a by product of Gizmos impressive life span and trail of medical or rather credit card bills.  After all this babbling, you are probably wondering where I am going with this and where my angry remarks from the title come in.

Well, Here goes: Once my kids were out of high school, I replaced sports watching with dog walking. I walk my dogs on leashes. (I may let them loose in the yard when supervised, although some, like Auggie will probably never earn the trust because he chases everything including dead leaves floating on the breeze.  Anyway, back to the point- I carry my Poop baggies, and I walk my pups on a leash multiple times a day.  The first time IT happened, I was walking Gizmo up my street which is at least a mile- I was at the far end. My arm was in a sling because I had broken  my shoulder while skiing.  Out of one of the yards came running a loose Boston Terrier and before I knew it he had my tiny, screeching Pomeranian by the neck.  I was trying to free my poor dog from the jaws of the attacker with one hand when luckily, my septuagenarian neighbor from back down the street had been out walking and ran to my and Gizmo's rescue. Gizmo only received a scratch and for me it was no more walking on that end of the street. 

We have beautiful rail trails in Salisbury, Newburyport, and Amesbury that I do not live far from, so I began walking on the old train track trail called the Ghost Trail near my house with Gizmo after the first incident.  I was just entering the main trail from the little path leading to it from a side street near my house on a sunny, early November day. As I often, do, I encountered other walkers with dogs.  This time it happened to be a women and her young daughter with two dogs. one a greyhound and the other looked to be a small poodle mix.  All were leashed. Before I pass by people with other dogs, I always ask if they are friendly so I know it is safe to cross paths  The reply in this case was yes, but it should have been a resounding NO as two minutes later I was shell shocked as I tried, with my bare hands, to pry her large dog's jaws off of my squealing and bleeding pet. At this point the child was screaming and her mother began to assist me.  Finally the jaws loosened, and I grabbed Gizmo and ran for home, blood dripping and his poop running down my leg.   I was crying and running when neighbors passed us and gave me a ride the rest of the way home.  At this point I was inconsolable, and my husband wrapped Gizmo in a blanket and we drove him lickity split to the vet.  He had to have surgery, a drain embedded, and 12 stitches in his side.  He was 10 years old at the time, not a spring chicken.  For my part I was traumatized to the point that after Gizm0's lengthy recovery and quarantine from me reporting the incident to the local authorities- no I did not stop to get her name, and she did not seek me out to offer assistance after Gizmo was pried out of the greyhounds jaws., I could not prove her dog had a rabies shot and even though mine had one, he still had to quarantine- After that I could not walk anywhere without picking Gizmo up when ever another dog approached, leashed or unleashed  Fast forward 7 years and I adopted Auggie and Shelley to be my new walking companions.  I had calmed a bit but was always cautious on the trail.  The 3rd week I had the pups, in early May we set out on the trail and were almost in the exact spot of Gizmo's attack when a bulldog came running, unleashed, and attacked. The man walking with the dog came running before any major damage was done. Shelley, who is the larger of my two pups, got a scratch where he tried to sink his teeth in and a case of fear of other dogs that has persisted to this day which makes her bark and growl at any dog bigger than she is.  In tears, I asked, "why no leash?"  No reply.  I carried my smaller pup and headed for home with Shelley on her leash. Next thing I know, the dog  was chasing us again and it knocks me down, my glasses breaking in the process. At this point I am screaming for help, and the dog owner was trying to re-tackle his dog.  He achieved his goal, but blood was running down his forehead.  A man who lived along the trail came running out and helped me to his home after he called the police. When the police arrived the bleeding forehead, vicious, dog's owner and dog was gone, and I got my very first ride in the back of a police car (did you know there is no seats, and it is like a cage and smells bad?) because they deemed me too upset to walk home on my own.  Surprisingly,  when the police tracked him down, he did have a leash, and it still was not on the dog.  He got a citation because it was the dog's second offense.  

At first I did not go on the trail at all, then I bought dog repellent, and found a walking companion who also walks her dog and is much braver than I am.

So here we are at February 19, 2021 and Sandy, my brave dog walking companion,  and her dog Bella, a beautiful Sheltie,as wel as Auggie, Shelley and I start off on our daily walk.  We get to the SAME  spot, now known as my attack spot, and coming toward us is a giant and loose Irish Setter.  I immediately start requesting that the owner leash the dog, women this time. She just ignored me and said he was friendly.  I asked her to leash the dog again, but she just kept walking. I told her that Shelley, who at this point was freaking out as the dog continued to come closer and closer (all this as I tried to back up, telling the woma my dog was not friendly, and again she did nothing.  Finally, Sandy, my dog walking friend, reached out and grabbed the approaching dog as I struggle).d to calm Shelley down and hold on to Auggie at the same time. I very nicely (well not that nicely) informed her there was a leash law, and it wasn't for her friendly uncontrolled dog, but for the rest of us. Again, no response.  Yup those are my angry remark!

I love all dogs, but I do not like being attacked or watching my beloved pets be attacked, or for that matter any animal getting hurt.  I do not understand why people cannot follow the rules.  You never know how any two dogs will react to each other so why take chances? The trails are so beautiful, and for everyone to share, but if only some of us follow rules, not all of us can enjoy them.  Well that is my rant.  I feel better now so I will not start in on the number of poop bags people drop on the ground.  Have a nice week!