Last night we had something running around the entire property. Wolves, coyotes, 'panthers', wild hogs...I don't know, but they were wound up and had every animal here on high alert all night. They were growling, barking, running, growling growling growling....
Then our lab decided to slip his tether and while he is normally just a big puppy and easy-going with everything out here -- cats, kittens, other dogs, goats, etc. -- being on alert all night took its toll I guess. The shepherd-lab mix was already bedded down under my front steps which tells me he was already spooked by something and when we found out the lab was running amok (he likes my chickens...too much), we headed out to get him back to his place. He came running up the steps, the shepherd-lab growled and bingo...we had a wicked dog fight going on on top of us :o(
Both these boys are big...the shepherd mix actually has a good 50# on the lab, but he was taking the underdog position, being sort of stuck under the steps. Nothing was separating those 2 and they were not going to unlock themselves. I figured for sure we'd be putting a dog or two down before it was all over, and I just didn't want to do that. We ended up taking the yard hose to them. Soaked them down pretty well, but they separated in quick fashion the minute it hit them. The shepherd-mix made a beeline for the barn to hide himself out and the lab just sat there, tail wagging and dripping wet. When we put him back on his chain, he just laid there with his head down watching us. This morning now, they are running around each other playing again, but it does seem to be a bit reserved on the shepherd-mix end of things.
These are good dogs, they are not mean, they are not fighters at all. They are big puppies mentally, albeit big kick-your-butt dogs physically. The only reason they would ever act up like this is if we had a predator on the property and they were spooked big time. These are dogs we have raised from pups. Last night, the dogs from front to back were all going nuts here, barking and running. The Great Pyrs in the goat pasture were on alert, the shepherd mix, and the shepherd female that run loose here, and the lab out front...everyone was barking and running all over last night for most the night. I heard the coyotes move through around us about 11 pm, but the dogs all just kept up with the running and barking. About 1 am they started up again after a short break, everyone growling and showing off front to back here on the property. We loaded the .22 and 410 and planned to go looking around, but honestly, I don't much care for wandering around the dark tree line in the middle of the night when I really have no idea what might be out there. Not that I wouldn't shoot, I just prefer to have the upper hand on some level...like having an idea of what I'm dealing with as well as a general kind of location. Heading out into the dark, gun or not, just isn't something I want to do. We couldn't see any particular area the dogs were stirred up over, and we couldn't really hear much moving around...aside from the dogs...so, we waited. About 3:30 am all of this drama decided to happen.
I should have just stayed up at 5 am but no...I thought might grab a couple more hours of sleep. Thought maybe, just maybe, 2 or 3 hours of sleep would be a good thing. It wasn't. I'd probably have done better without it truth be told. Oh well, I'll pay for it today I guess and know better next time.
As to the dogs, everyone is fine today. We Betadyne'd a couple scratches just to clean them out well with all the dirt and dust out here, but there isn't even what you'd consider a skin puncture on either dog. Surprised me for sure. They were not playing nice last night, and I expected some actual wounds. The shepherd-mix is a bit more on the reserved side this morning, but he's pretty much acting normal. The lab knows he got a bit out of control, he just watches us, ears back and head down. Wagged his tail like crazy when we checked him and did the choring this morning, but other than that he seems to want the company of the cats this morning more than his dog buddies. The goats and all in the pasture are fine as well, off in the next fenced ares, happily nibbling on the brush and grass. Life is back to normal in the daylight it seems. Can't find any tracks, so whatever was running around stayed tight in the timber row and woods it would appear. Nothing seems to have made attempts to get into the pasture fencing or the barn, either.
So all that drama and nothing to show for it. Except being tired. We are going to do some reading to get us started on the new school books, get some baking done up and maybe stash some cookies in the freezer (so they last longer than just the time it takes to cool slightly on the pan!) and see about loading up another compost bed in the garden.
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