Sunday, August 20, 2006

Could I Be Next?














This is a horrible story. A woman was mauled to death trying to give her dog a bath. My dog is due for a bath soon. She doesn't like baths. What if she's secretly thinking, "If I have to have one more bath...well, I don't know if I'll stand for it anymore."?

I was talking to a friend of mine a few weeks ago describing some odd behavior that Bean was exhibiting. For example, we'd go for a walk and she would lay down on the sidewalk and refuse to get up. She wanted to go on a walk and not come back. I think she got pissed at short walks and was putting her paw down. Or she would have mini nervous breakdowns in the afternoon, start shaking for no reason. So my friend tells me, "I don't want to scare you or anything, but my friend's friend had a pit that acted strangely before he attacked his owner. Not to alarm you, just be careful."

So I looked at Bean, and she was doing her cute face--rubbing her eyes with her paws while lying on her back. But it was a little too cute, as if she had overheard what my friend had said and was trying to make me think it couldn't happen to her.

I soon forgot about that conversation. Bean's behavior is back to normal and everything is cool. Or is it?

I may be giving my dog a bath this afternoon. If I don't show up for work tomorrow, please send someone to my house.

4 comments:

FifthDream said...

Yet another reason dogs should be food.

I've never once heard of a housecat killing anyone.

Tim said...

Laura!

Just about three weeks ago I was bitten by my best friend's dog; a dog that I have known on an almost daily basis since he was a puppy. Indulge me this story:

The dog, a light brown male chow is/was the best natured Chow I've ever known and I've known maybe 5 long term. They are shy and sketchy and as I would later learn register in the top THREE of all dogs for pounds per square inch in terms of bite. Anyway to make a long story short I went to visit my friend, entered the backyard area as I have done about oh three thousand times before - approached the dog, leaned in and pet him as I'd done a zillion times. He was wagging his tail then out of the blue stopped, bit me quickly in the leg and as I jumped back managed to grab my right wrist. For ten insane seconds I did everything possible to get him to let go as my hand felt like it caught fire and finally was reduced to just screaming which got him off. Three weeks later I have a crushed nerve cluster at the base of my right pinky and the nerve damage to my hand will repair itself over several years apparently - that on fire feeling? Going nowhere. The nerves in my pinky and half my right ring finger do not communicate with my brain and though the puncture wounds have "healed" I am still bleeding beneath the skin, the nerves in my hand tell it that it is on fire - frozen, or being stabbed by a thousand pins. And the muscles will never work right again in terms of fine motor dexterity in the end of the hand not to mention accompanying falsely relayed pain which pretty much puts the nix on recreational guitar and piano until who fuckin knows when. In conclusion the dog was not put to sleep and now I'm scared shittless of him and it's had an instant and irreversible impact on my life but all but crushed a sacred friendship.

There's a kick ass show on National Geographic called "The Dog Whisperer" - guy seems to know his shit. He had a dog that was shaking like yours and what it wanted was more exercise so that when it was alone during downtime it was exhausted and could enjoy it. Maybe find someone else with dogs to walk her during the day so she gets two walks. Bottom line, her happiness is worth figuring out. Sorry for the unfunny long rant but may you fucking NEVER get bitten by a dog beloved, strange or otherwise. I've relived that moment I got bit a thousand times trying to look for a clue as to why it happened - I'll probably never know. Could have been the Ode du' Milkbones I threw on after lunch.

Keep us posted.

duboisist said...

I had to remove my dog's bowel obstruction last night and I'm being yelled at because a stray cat came in the house and stole a piece of chicken when I left the door open so the dog wouldn't leave crap all over the house.
I'm not sure I wouldn't prefer a little mauling.

Amadeo said...

"The Dog Whisperer" is the man. He makes me want to own a dog just so I can do what he does.