Cold Blooded Killers

So now, here’s what happened with the squirrel, as told by MissMuddyPaws (aka Lydia):

Milly saw a squirrel in some underbrush and chased it up a tree. Having always loved chasing and treeing squirrels, and having never caught one, I used this as the perfect opportunity to snap some pictures and watch her play. I’m not sure if something was wrong with the squirrel, or if it had weak nails, or just picked the wrong tree – but while Milly was attempting to climb the tree/barking at squirrel I noticed the squirrel was only half way up the tree trunk. This is a really tall pine – probably 70 feet or higher – and the branches are not until the very top, so the squirrel is clinging to the side of the trunk. The next thing I notice, the squirrel has gone around to the other side of the trunk, Milly and Hush follow, at which point I think to myself what the hell is going through this squirrel’s mind? Why doesn’t he just climb the tree. I decide maybe the squirrel is tried and scared, call the dogs to me, and we head down towards the creek. The next thing I know, both dogs have taken off and are back at the squirrel tree. Then, I see the squirrel. It was like in his little brain he decided the only way out was down, and he could run sideways and fast, and leap into the tree beside the one he was in for better coverage.

At this point, everything goes into slow motion – like I’m watching some predator show on the Discovery Channel and they are slowing down the antelope being attacked by the Mountain Lion.

As if on the count of 3, the squirrel leaps to the ground and starts high tailing (no pun intended) away. Had it just been Milly, he probably could have gotten away. But it was 2 against 1. Once again, like it was some Discovery Channel predator moment, Hush and Milly team up – they move as one. While one chases, the other corners, while one blocks the front, the other closes in on the rear. It was the most natural, effortless, and graceful thing I have ever witnessed. With no way out, Milly pounced onto the squirrel, grabbing him in her mouth on the first try. Proudly she flings her head about, like Miss America immediately after crowning, she has tried for this moment her entire life, and never thought she would be here. Meanwhile, a tear is trickling down my face. I start franticly yelling, “Milly, Drop it!”

I know Milly, and I know she has a soft mouth. This squirrel is alive and alright, as long as she drops it. The next thing I see was heartbreaking. Hush playfully grabs onto the other half of the squirrel, and they begin tossing it about, playing tug of war with it. I want to vomit, and I’m praying they’ve broken its neck. The situation has gone from surreal Discovery Channel to horrifying murder.

Hush wins the tug of war, and they drop the squirrel, but continue to ignore me. I suddenly remember the one surefire way to get a solid recall out of them is to walk away, making them think I am leaving them. I head down the hill towards the creek and dog park, if I can just get them far enough away from this squirrel they will be distracted by the creek. I turn around to see Hush running full-steam ahead right at me… the squirrel hanging from her mouth. I know at this point I should have stood my ground. I should have called her over, made her sit, and removed the squirrel from her mouth. But, I didn’t. I couldn’t.

Instead, I run the opposite direction, flailing my arms about, as she playfully prances behind me flaunting her new possession. My heart is racing. I want to cry and vomit simultaneously. Luckily, Hush has a short attention span – she drops the squirrel and bounds over to people playing in the creek. At this point, Milly is at my side, I grab her collar, and walk her to the creek. The squirrel seemed to be dropped on the edge of the woods, it looked dead in Hush’s mouth; we’ll just leave it there.

That would have been find, had the lab that was playing in the creek with Milly and Hush, yes, the one keeping their minds off the squirrel, not taken off running. A game of chase started, but Milly made a b-line for the squirrel, now the lab is chasing Milly. I look up to see something hanging from her mouth. I yell, “Milly, DROP IT!” And, somehow, SHE LISTENS. The squirrel tumbles from her mouth and she obediently trots over to me. It isn’t moving, I sigh in relief knowing it is dead, and hope it has been dead this whole time.

At this point, the lab’s owner has gotten to his dog; the squirrel is in the lab’s jaws of steel. I grab my dogs’ collars, and head in the opposite direction, putting on their leashes. The dead squirrel now becomes the lab owner’s problem.

We amble away, and I look down and notice blood on Milly’s muzzle. I think it is blood from the squirrel, because Milly is completely un-phased... so I walk down to the creek and let her splash about in it. There is now more blood. Crap.

I wipe the drool off of her muzzle and see two small puncture wounds. My mind starts racing as I think when her last rabies vaccine was, and whether or not I’ve heard of squirrels carrying diseases. I know she isn’t due for rabies for over a year, but draw a blank on illnesses. We head back home, I use the hose outside to lightly rinse the area, head inside, clean it with betadine and e-mail the vet.

“Apply pressure to stop the bleeding. Clean it with Betadine. Keep an eye on it, and if there are puncture wounds she may need to come in for antibiotics.” $$$$’s, The Vet.

I've continued to clean the wound. The swelling is gone, and I'm keeping an eye on the way it looks (and smells)... so far, it is healing nicely, so hopefully a trip to the vet will not be necessary.

More Details Emerge - Dog Dragged Infant From House

I just stumbled across this article, and wanted to share it with all of you as the details unfold surrounding the infant dragged from his crib by the family's dog. This is such a sad story.

It turns out little A.J. was three weeks premature, and had only arrived at home on Sunday. Dakota, the dog in question is now being referred to as a wolf/collie mix, and the family is no longer considering Dakota a part of their family (I can't say I blame them, though it is simply a sad situation on every level). They are hoping Dakota will be adopted by another family, but if not she will have to be put to sleep. If she goes to the rainbow bridge I will be praying for her.

The article gives some great tips on how to introduce your dogs to an infant before ever bringing home the baby - you can get the dog familiar with baby smells by allowing him/her to sniff baby oil, baby powder, diapers, etc. I know my brother and his wife allowed their one-year-old Polish Lowland Sheepdog (PONS) to sniff around the nursery quite a bit for weeks, if not months, leading up to the birth of my niece. They have had no problems what-so-ever with Minka (their PONS) adjusting to a new baby in the house.

If the hyperlinks do not work for you you can copy and paste this into your browser:
http://www.wlky.com/news/20141273/detail.html

Do not forget there is still time to enter the second PUPCAKE GIVEAWAY!!! The drawing will take place on July 24th using a random number generator!! Good Luck!! :)

Dog Drags Newborn From Family Home

A 4-year-old mixed breed called a Native American Indian Dog is under quarantine by animal control authorities in central Kentucky. The breed is said to have wolves in its direct ancestry. A newborn baby boy was hospitalized in critical condition after being taken from his crib and carried outside his home by the family pet, authorities said Tuesday.

A family in Kentucky is dealing with a tragedy as their newborn baby lies in the hospital in critical care, and their pet dog is in the possession of animal control. The family’s dog, a Native American Indian Dog, a breed with wolves in their direct ancestry, stole the baby from its crib, and took the baby into the family’s heavily wooded backyard. The father of the baby was frantically calling 911 when he spotted the dog with his bleeding infant child in its mouth (news reports conflict - some say father spotted dog with infant, others say father went outside to look for dog and infant).

The infant, Alexander James Smith, was only four days old at the time of the attack, and was immediately rushed to the emergency room at University of Kentucky Hospital in Lexington, KY. The family had been preparing for a baby shower, when the mother placed baby Alexander James in the crib for a nap, and returned a few minutes later to find the baby and the family dog both missing, and the door ajar. The baby was listed in critical condition today, with two collapsed lungs, a skull fracture, broken ribs and various cuts and bruises, an AP article by Jeffrey McMurray explains.

Doctors are now optimistic the infant will survive, although the day of the attack they (along with a pastor) braced the family for the worst, after having to use resuscitation paddles to get a heartbeat back on the infant.

Like many dogs with wolves in their ancestry, Dakota, the family dog in question, was known for taking items and hiding them in the woods behind the house. He had a history of taking everything from the families dishes to wallets and hiding them in the woods. Michael Smith, the father of the infant, immediately headed outside to look for the dog and baby, but it took about 10 minutes of searching the heavily wooded 2 acre backyard before he found Dakota, with the infant in his mouth.

According to McMurray’s article, no charges have been filed, but the case remains under investigation.

Michael Smith says the dog was not trying to viciously attack the newborn baby, but instead was treating it as a bitch would treat her litter of puppies. He explained, "It wasn't a vicious dog attack," Smith said. "She had A.J. for 10 minutes on her own, and if you look at A.J.'s belly, there's about 100 little marks. All the dog had to do was one bite and A.J. wouldn't be here."

Dakota is a 4-year old dog, and one of three dogs the family has had since puppies. Michael Smith says Dakota and the other dogs have never shown any sign of aggression, even when playing with Smith’s two other children from a previous marriage. The fate of Dakota, who remains in custody of local animal control, will most likely be euthanasia.

I expect to see this story remain in headlines, as little A.J. hopefully makes a strong recovery. Many states already have in place laws restricting the owning of wolves and wolf hybrids, though it can be difficult to determine whether or not a dog has wolves in its ancestry. Almost all dogs are believed to be descendants of wolves (the Chihuahua is thought to possibly be an exception to this rule), and in recent years DNA profiles of wolves have determined they are strikingly similar genetically speaking to dogs. This has come up in court cases where ownership of wolves and wolf hybrids is restricted and the dog’s ancestry is called into question. After the brutal pet Chimpanzee attack, a pet boa constrictor that killed a child, and now a dog with wolves as ancestors kidnapping and critically injuring a newborn all making headlines, I expect to see debate in the media about the ownership of wild animals and exotic pets.

I have always believed that all dogs bite – they might not bite humans, but they bite their food everyday, and they are certainly capable of biting humans. I view even my sweet Milly with this same belief, and always keep in mind a saying my mom told me growing up, “Animals will make a liar of you.” When someone asks to pet Milly, I always explain she has no history of aggression, and will most likely lick the person, but she is an animal with large teeth, and has the potential to bite. The idea that animals have the potential to be unpredictable is an important one to always keep in the back of your mind. If you make everyday, simple precautions based on the potential unpredictability of animals, you will find many potential risks will automatically be eliminated by these precautions.

In this instance, and until more facts are revealed, it seems this was simply a tragic accident, that no one could have predicted, and I pray for all those involved.

Do not forget there is still time to enter the second PUPCAKE GIVEAWAY!!! The drawing will take place on July 24th using a random number generator!! Good Luck!! :)