Character Witness
It has gotten to the point I won't bring my dogs out together. Having Jupiter around makes Petey feel tough and they encourage one other not to listen.
Let 'em both out and, next thing I know, they're MIA for twenty minutes. Just running at large, in the woods, and probably bothering the neighbors. It wouldn't be AS big a deal, if Petey hadn't been mauled almost unto death by a small pack, down the way, a little over a year ago.
Gawdz! That was scary! When I found him he was a MESS! Jupiter had saved him, because she's a Big Billy Badass, but the vet still said "he dodged a bullet and, if he didn't have SO MUCH extra skin around his neck, he wouldnt have made it to the office." Poor guy was bleeding out of his blue eye and everything! It was horrible. Jupiter only had one small puncture wound on her hind end. But, even that was only because she was outnumbered 3:1.
Take Petey, by himself, and hes like, "I'm cold, this sucks, I know I only peed on one bush, but let's go back inside!"
Alternatively, Jupiter's attitude is more along the lines of, "I got this, relax. Go ahead and smoke that whole bowl of those marijuanas. I know you're tryna do that quitting thing, but go ahead and have a cancer stick, Stoopid. You know you don't wanna go back in, either, Ma. Just relax. Hark! I hear vehicle! False alarm. I'll stay on the porch, promise! Sit back down."
They're both rescues.
Petey came from kind of a puppy-mill situation and had spent the first six years of his life in a kennel. He's NOT stupid, but he seems that way, because he missed out on so many good potential learning years. He's been with me about seven or eight years, now, though. He's come a long way, but is still kind of neurotic and a little bit derpy. He's a bit annoying, but needs me, and probably loves me more than any living thing ever has.
Jupiter came from a loving family that didn't want to get rid of her, but they were expecting twins and Jupe was already having behavioral problems: escape artist and dominant female; she formed her own small pack of neighborhood dogs and was leading them to kill chickens and stuff. When she bit an adult male neighbor, they thought they were going to have to put her down, even though they trusted her with children, so were frantically trying to find her an appropriate home.
They were trying to give her away, for free, and because of the types of things that often happen to free dogs, I begged them to ask at least $20, so they would know her new person at least WANTED her! Particularly because they were already her third or fourth "family." When they told me they didn't have time to find someone with cash, and she came with dog food, I offered to foster her, for a week or two, while we tried to find her a suitable arrangement.
The first time we met, she came in; took a lap; and sat at my feet. My heart was instantly enchanted and my immediate response was, "Oh, this bitch isn't going ANYwhere." The bond was formed that quickly. She's been with me for three or four years, now.
As much as Petey needs me, I need Jupiter. And, I didn't know what they were, when Jupiter came into my life, but it turns out she's also a seizure dog.
The litany of issues I was warned I might have with her have by and large been NON-issues, but she DOES still like to run-off from time to time, mostly because she doesn't like to poop in her own yard, and totally feels like she can get away with it when her brother is derping along at her side.
Her worst habit is getting into the trash, if she thinks she can get away with it. She hasn't bitten ANYone since she's been with me. The only dog fights she's been in have been to save her brother, or because she was confused and there were too many people/excitement. Even so, they were brief; because I'm a responsible pet owner and, even if I'm afraid my arm will be ripped off, I'll reach into a ball of flying fur to grab something, or "someone," the second I can reach that thing. I'll aim my hand for a collar, but I'm willing to grab a fistful of skin and fur, if I deem it necessary.
I expect other people to do the same, so, if they don't, I'm pretty likely to kick their dog.
The random issues have been pretty few and far between, because I don't typically put her in that position.
I USUALLY have my dogs with me, though, and have assumed things would be fine if there have been a past introductions between pets. These occasional issues typically only occur when there are intoxicated males present, however. And, even with warnings of past infractions, expect better behavior out of her; and, I usually, get it.
Ol' Pete, though. He is like a stunted 14 year old that wants to push new boundaries, even though he's trapped in, like, a 70+ year old man's body. Gawdz, he's a cute little old man.
I have him wearing a sweater and he hates it. That blue eye has always been prone to infections, even more so since the attack, and it's looking irritated, again. He's probably been sticking his face directly in his sister's pee stream. Nasty habit of his. I had better pull some of his drops back out.
I wish we AND THE NEIGHBORS had fenceS around the property alottments our dogs are technically allowed to be ON!
I'm getting ready to move back onto this property, next month. I hate how they started feeling like they could go down there since those dogs came up here for the first two tussles.
This is the main and biggest concern I have about moving back. They used to stay on the property even without a fence. I may have to start leashing them for every potty excursion, like a city dweller, so, hopefully, the training techniques I've picked up over the years will work, and I'll have time, energy and willingness for the consistency required.
Which might, then, require a phase of retractable leash training for Petey. He clearly forgets when he went through that phase on basically every camping trip ever. Or thinks he owns this whole hill.
Oregon hill, Kansas mountain. I consider it a big hill, but I guess it's a small mountain.
I like to use the phrase "Stay Close" a lot, so this will just not be tolerated, Junior! Nor the truck chasing, Jupe!
We've obviously ALL developed some bad habits we're going to have to work on, but this year is starting off a lot better than many others for all of us.
💜♠
#pets
#furbabies
#journalingforsport
#interactivejournaling
#characterwitness
