Yesterday, Loki & I had the house to ourselves. Joe went snowboarding with friends at A-Basin & Chris went to a Blue Knights meeting & ride.
Since I needed fish food in the worst way, I figured I’d take Loki with me. No, I wasn’t thinking. The store was crowded & since I wasn’t thinking, she wasn’t wearing her muzzle. So I had to pay strict attention to her & people walking through the aisles, lest she bite someone. I did have enough of my brain engaged to put her shock collar on her & her short leash. I did remember to take the control to the collar, at least. She’s a strong dog, with her weight at 80 (at least she’s a small one) pounds. She jerked around on my back pretty much the whole time we were there. She did pretty well though, no lunging at anyone, very little barking & no fur raised. Then we got to the checkout line. When it came time for me to sign the ticket we had an issue. Ding Dong didn’t want to be still & people were showing her treats. The lady behind offered to hold her for me, but I couldn’t allow it. I didn’t know how Loki would respond to that. I explained why I couldn’t let her do it but the lady wanted to pet Loki. She got another treat for her, then snuck her hand up Loki’s muzzle while Loki was distracted. She was good enough that she got a new bone & a frisbee. Business was taken care of & we were out.
I returned a call when I got home & rested my back that was aching. Got up & wanted to tend to the leaves in the front yard. Loki had her bone, she was content to take the “No, you stay” answer when she wanted to follow. I raked the leaves off the rocks that outline the yard (Chris, those rocks will be gone in the spring!) then used the lawn mower to bag some & mulch the rest into the grass. Chris got home so Loki was allowed out. She was good for about half an hour, then a crazy little male dog got out of his house, which was down the street. She took off like a rocket, after him. Chris was on the phone so I had to chase her.
This little dog, maybe 15 or 20 pounds, made Loki’s lack of behavior look good. He had to be chased down. At one point, his owner told me to let Loki get him, that he’d get what he deserved for running up on a dog 4 times his size. I wasn’t about to let her hurt that little terrier looking thing. She chased him to his garage, where his owners MISSED grabbing him & he was off again. Loki tried to follow but once I got a hand on her back, she knew to stop. She was made to sit, to see if the male would come back to her, then I could grab his collar. Nope, he knew freedom & wasn’t going to be caught. Loki was walked back home, pulling on my already abused back even more. Chris was still on the phone. It took the man, his wife & their oldest daughter to catch their little beast after he got himself trapped between our house & next door. (This is why I won’t have a terrier.) By the time he was caught, Loki was in our house, resting. Dumb dog.
After the bag of leaves was put up, the lawn mower put in the garage & a trip to the store, my back felt like it would never stop hurting. Four Advil did nothing for it. That’s when I figured out the problem.
I wasn’t made to run. I’ve never liked it. I don’t do it. I may walk fast, but I don’t run. It’s not dignified. Plus, I’m over 50. Too old to be chasing HIS stupid dog while my husband stands there, talking on the phone.
His dog takes off again after something, he can chase her. If it involves running, I’m not doing it.
