Crazy Dog Lady

I never thought I would be the crazy dog lady. You know the one, she treats her dogs like people, gives them kisses al the time, calls them cutsy names and even taste tests their food. I'm not like that. I do consider Alex and the girls when I am planning my days out to ensure they aren't stuck in the bathroom for too many hours. I do give them premium dog food but I have never tasted it (yuck!). I do get a little wacky with them once in a while telling them what good puppies they are while giving them a vigorous belly rub but that's about as crazy as it gets.

This evening that all went out the window. I think I may become the crazy dog lady and I may never turn back.

The dogs had been a little wild after I fed them dinner. In and out through the doggy door, barking at every stray breeeze, jumping all over me and trying to get on top of each other so they could lick my face. I had had enough and offered to take them on a walk. Lots of joyful barking and tail wagging while I attached their leashes and headed out the door. I noticed a lone dog about half a block away so I made a turn into another street before any of them could see each other.

No such luck.

The other dog turned into the street we were on and came towards us. I yelled at the other dog to go home - that sometimes works. The girls starting barking and trying to squeese between my legs. Alex on the other hand placed himself at the end of his leash between me and the other dog. Then the other dog attacked Alex. Alex took three body slams to the pavement before the other dog's owner could get him off Alex. It only took 10 seconds for a nice walk to turn into a nightmare.

When I looked up I saw at least six other adults who had tried to come to our rescue and two cars had stopped to render assistance. One of the men checked Alex to see if he was breathing okay and that his eyes were focused - good news on both counts. A couple untangled the leashes and checked out the girls - scared but not hurt. Someone else came over with a beautiful huge bath towel so I could wrap up Alex who was bleeding from several wounds. All I could do was cry and hug him to me.

Two people walked home with me all the while carrying the girls so that Alex and I could be seen by them. I called Paul to let him know what happened and asked him to call the emergency vet so they would know we were coming. I put the girls to bed and carefully wrapped Alex in a quilt so that he would be immobilized for the car ride to the vet. After a couple of hours of being assessed they sent me home so they could operate on him.

He is now out of surgery and they are holding him until they close the office in the morning. He has three nasty rips and one puncture wound that peforated his peritoneum (sic?). Paul picked up the girls so I will not have to isolate Alex from them when he gets home. All I can do is think about how Alex (all 13.5 pounds of him) stood between me and the other dog in defense of his human.

I think I will become that crazy dog lady, at least for a few days. I will give him excessive kisses, call him silly names and taste his food, if he lets me. I won't yell at him when he steals my socks or buries my camera in the garden. And, if he has an accident in the house, I will clean it up without any yelling. I will draw the line at dressing him up in exotic costumes but he probaly will get a new bed while he is isolated in his crate.

Eventually I am going down the street to see the owners of the dog who attacked Alex and give them the huge vet bill I am racking up. If they don't pay immeadiately I will be the crazy dog lady with Animal Control on her cell phone. It will not be a pretty sight.