December 27, 2010 — Bobby has a rap sheet

So, when something wrong goes down in the canine world, the dog is not the only one to lose his independence. After a very pleasant post Christmas leg of lamb dinner with good friends, we were about to retire to the one room in this house that has wi fi downstairs. At least I thought we were all coming in here to see Elena's brand new movie production featuring her new pet goose, Frances. We actually were watching the crazy people running into the north sea waters on the coast of England where some of our children were congregated. We identified Leah and Mira on a YouTube feature and had switched back to the slow, tentative movements of the lovely new goose. Then, all of a sudden a terrible ruckus took place in the kitchen. Sylvia answered a gesture by Bobby to pet him. I'm afraid she touched an injury on his back and he lashed out violenty at her. In no time she had three wicked puncture wounds on the inside of her elbow. We did everything we were equipped to do for her, but soon determined that because of the swelling which was increasing by the minute, she should head out for the ER. Sad way to end the evening for everyone, especially Sylvia, then Bobby and then all of us. They kindly granted my request to have them phone us when they got home. Sylvia was loaded with antibiotics and thoroughly washed with saline solution and bandaged. By morning when I called, she said she was feeling better. Whew!

It might have been ten minutes before I then received a phone call from the county animal control police. A very nice man named George. He questioned me pretty carefully to make sure our stories agreed and then proceeded to take my vital statistics for what he said would be a permanent record. He already had Bobby's info well in hand including when his shots would expire. After telling him my birthdate, weight, height, the color of my hair and my eyes and whether or not I was still driving with a current license, he moved on to tell me that Bobby would have to be quarantined for a ten day period. My heart sank. Then he clarified that frightening statement by telling me that this could be accomplished by home imprisonment if I would agree to not let anyone pet him or let him leave the confines of our property. Whew again! I think I have Sylvia to thank for this so called leniency. Evidently she could have insisted that he be shipped over to the county seat but didn't. Thank you Sylvia.

Bobby has been subdued since last night's event. Kathy was in the Kitchen when the action took place and she didn't refrain from giving him a serious and evidently loud dressing down for his behavior. He was seen slinking by himself into the living room to nestle in his blanky on the love seat. Over the afternoon he has seemed to get a little spirit back. Kathy and family left early in the afternoon to visit their other Grandma in the Bay Area for a few days. They will be missed for sure by the culprit because he considers that whole family to be his coyotes who brought him out of Mexico several years ago. He had been mawled by a couple of big dogs on the beach in Yelapa and the local vet we took him to asked us to please help him escape. He turned out to be a bit of a "nipper" during his first year here in the north country. But with careful attention and socializing, we thought he was completely over that.

I guess we will have to consider ourselves a half way house. He is out on parole but will be carefully watched. He is such a great little guy and a perfect companion to everyone in our family. I hope we can convince him to curb his enthusiasm in the future. He was a familiar sight driving through the streets of Fort Bragg with Skip in the red pickup. What a pair. I think both dogs are still missing Skip. I hope he can help give them some guidance and help them cope with a life that is missing his steady presence.

AFTERTHOUGHT: By the time I made a second set of corrections to the above text, I was about to publish the post for good when up pops a Google ad for dogbite attorney services out of Seattle or nearby. They don't miss a beat. Surely hope I don't need to follow their lead.