When Animals Attack

One of my pups, Pele, has an arch enemy around the corner for some reason. It's a big ol' Malamute and they just can't stand each other. It's too bad, as their owners are the nicest couple, but all we can do is say hi on the way to our cars, since we basically have to plot out separate routes to avoid each other when walking the dogs. I cannot even walk the dogs around the path I'd taken for the months before they moved in. One of the kids left the door open once and Pele ended up tearing out, barking at the dog, going crazy. And if he gets near the apartment he lunges and barks at it, crazy dog.

So today I'm meandering along, and this giant blur comes tearing over, jumping on Pele. I swear he had Pele pinned down, just biting away (note, not really biting, just the way really aggressive dogs play). A year ago I probably would have run away screaming, today I held my ground, keeping a grip and just waiting for the poor owner to come get his dog. Okay, I got a small injury, I believe it was an invisible leash burn. The owner apologized profusely, but I waived it away. I've seen this dog around my kids, he's the calmest thing you've ever seen. One of those gentle giants. I really wasn't worried. No idea why Pele sets him off, but I suspect he's one of the few who would dominate Pele, and if they could just get it out of their system with a 10 minute romp, they'd probably be great friends. Don't think either Brian or the other's owner would want to take that risk. Pele was just tired after, not phased at all.

It's amazing how much more tolerant of "fighting" I've become since I've gotten dogs and now with the boys. After this little episode, Pele was wiped out. That is truly amazing exercise, even play fighting. The sounds and nips the dogs do scare some people (like my family) to death. I can't imagine what they'd think if they saw the wrestling going on around here ("talk to me when you're bleeding or stop playing" becomes my reply after the 5th complaint of injury). We can't take Pele to the dog park anymore, what with the homophobes worried their dog looks gay when they are being mounted by a male dog, to the ones who bring injured dogs then get all bent out of shape when another touches their precious pooch. I've been asked to move to another side of the park and my dogs have been yelled at so much we stopped going. It's too bad because he just can't get that kind of playing in the apartment or on a leash. I admit, Pele can be scary looking and sounding. He loves to bark, and when a tiny little battery powered version of a dog starts yapping away, he just has the look of "I could so eat you in two bites." As long as he doesn't have to establish his dominance he's cool, but he's got that little issue to resolve first.