[ SHOWGSD-L ] Re: fine line
- From: Erynbrook@xxxxxxx
- To: hollywoods@xxxxxxx, showgsd-l@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
- Date: Sun, 23 Sep 2007 21:49:19 EDT
I guess I'll share my "fine line" story with you. This is about the fine
line of when to bite (people) or not.
A few years ago I was having a garage added on to my house. Annie was a
house dog - well more like an indoor/outdoor dog. She loved being in the house
with me and she also liked running free outdoors on 8 acres. I think she was
about 6 at the time.
When the workmen began construction I took her outdoors to meet them and let
her see what they were doing and learn from me that I had no problem with
them. (As someone said earlier, our dogs pick up our feelings and act
accordingly.) This ensured that I could let her out whenever she wanted to go,
without
worrying that she would bother the workers.
All week long everything was fine. I had told the workers to let me know if
she got in the way, but all she'd ever do is look in on them and then go off
to more interesting pursuits. The contractor was there off and on and he
thought she was great.
Friday evening the workers prepared to go home. They picked up their stuff,
loaded the pickup, drove off the property, closed the gate and left, just as
they had every other evening.
On Sunday I was chatting with Joe the contractor on the phone, going over
the intermediate inspection results, when he expected to be finished, etc. Just
before we hung up he asked if I'd heard what happened Friday evening. It
seems one of the workers left a tool here and they decide to return for it.
They
opened the gate and drove back up to the house. I never heard them, which is
not unusual. Annie was loose and watching. When one of them started to get
out of the truck she gave them warning barks - after all they didn't belong
there at that time of day. The not-very-bright worker chose to get out of the
truck while she continued to warn him. He then went over to the garage and
picked up the tool he'd left behind. Annie said "You're not taking stuff from
my
house" and when he did she bit him - one very clean bite above the wrist.
I was in a panic hearing this story - was the worker alright, was he going
to sue me, etc.
Joe said the worker was fine, yes she gave him a solid bite, but only that
one, and no he wouldn't be suing because he knew he was wrong - Annie had
warned him. Joe was impressed - as he said to me "She did exactly what she
should
have done. He was the one who was wrong."
And that to me is where that fine line is -- an appropriate response to a
specific set of circumstances. No training required - just a very solid bitch
with great instincts. I sure do miss her.
Susan Casey
Erynbrook German Shepherds
Front Range German Shepherd Rescue
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