Logan

 

As my Facebook friends may already know, Cody was euthanized on June 29th.  Almost 14 years of the best dog ever and it crushed me to come home from work to find him lying in the hot sun completely paralyzed.  That brought us down to five dogs, all females.  We had a really good pack – they stayed home and didn’t roam, they all got along well, and they were all really well behaved.  Just don’t tell Calypso I said so.  I’m sure my generous mood will pass soon anyway.

Then came a call to a friend about a Great Pyrenees dog that was no longer wanted.  His 80 year old owner told her son to take him out into the woods and shoot him.  Thankfully, the son couldn’t bring himself to do it and made some calls trying to find the dog a home.  I brought him home Monday and he immediately took an interest in Lucille.  Oddly, the interest was reciprocated.  Lucille sniffed him all over and lipped his fur, then hung out with him near his tie while I put up a kennel for him.   She also shared his dry dog food coated with bacon grease and loved every bite.  Why is my donkey so odd??

 

The poor dog is terrified of people.  Every time I raise a hand within reach of him he thinks that hand is going to come down on his head… hard.  If I’m carrying anything in my hands when walking past him, he cringes in expectation of a beating.  I can’t get near him without him barking and growling at me.  Once inside the kennel I could corner him and approach slow and low and could eventually pet him.  It does not make him happy to be touched.  He is constantly on guard, tense, and ready to spring at the slightest hint of violence.

Yesterday was incredibly hot and muggy, and although he has shade in his kennel, I thought it might be a good idea to bring him in the house and let him hang out in the A/C with the other dogs (who all adore him, by the way).  Once in the house he felt trapped and afraid, so I left him alone to be in another room in hopes that he’d explore and eventually settle down somewhere near.  Instead, he busted the plastic latch on one of the swing windows in the living room and jumped out.

I thought he’d run off (he’s not neutered, of course), but he just wandered around the yard, got a drink out of the pond, sniffed the chickens, then settled down at Lucille’s feet.  I’ll be honest – with the recent coyote sightings in the back pasture and the Great Chicken Massacre of 2011, I’ve been a little worried about Lucille.  She never leaves the yard, but apparently the coyotes and foxes know no such boundary as the dead chicken carcasses in the yard will confirm.  The last time I saw a fox lope across the back yard Heidi and Calypso were right there with me, watching it go.  Thanks girls, you’re a big help! 

Now that he’s loose he no longer barks and growls at me as soon as I step out the door.  He follows me around at a safe distance, but it will be a long time before I’m able to catch him again.  Eventually, he’s going to have to buddy up with me because I want to get him neutered, vaccinated, and wormed.  He’s also a mess of knots and matted fur and I’d really like to give him a bath and a good grooming.  But that’s not happening any time soon!

 

For now I’ll just have to content myself that he’s happier.  He’s spent his whole life tied up to a chicken coop, barking at passing four wheelers.  It seems a guardian dog needs something to guard and Logan has found something very much in need of protection.  We might just have another happy ending on our hands.