Val Really, Really Needs a German Shepherd Pup

Val is about to come unglued and go off her rocker. She's had her fill, and her bile is up. Not-Heaven hath no fury like Thevictorian harmed.

Tuesday, near the end of our snow day, Hick called The Pony out to the garage for some trifling task. The Pony shod himself and threw a jacket over his back, then headed out the kitchen door. He was gone less than five minutes. When he returned, he was full of concern. Yes. I resisted the urge to lift up his forelock and check him for fever. Because EVERYBODY knows that concern about other people and things is not really The Pony's style.

"Oh Mom. Remember earlier, when you sent me to the BARn to check on Dad, and I told you Juno looked like she was limping? Well, now there is a spot of blood on the porch where she was laying. In the snow."

"Maybe she cut her foot on the ice. I'll have Dad look at her."

"Okay. But there's blood on the porch."

Hick came in shortly after The Pony had descended to his basement gaming couch. "That crazy big black dog across the street needs to go. I was driving my Gator, and Juno and Ann were running along with me like they always do. That big black dog from across the road came up barking at us in the driveway. I stopped. Usually he'll run off. But this time he jumped on Juno. He got her down and was biting on her. I jumped off the Gator to kick him away, and he looked like he was coming after me. Then he ran off home."

"My JUNO? That dog bit my JUNO? Is she okay?"

"Her shoulder is bleeding a little. There's a hole in it. I'll check her tomorrow. She's a little sore. She was limping."

"Those dogs get more aggressive every day. They come up in the yard and chase our dogs up on the porch. If they're going to attack, something needs to be done. And I'm not talking about a paintball gun."

"I got out the BB gun."

"They can't even feel that with their fur."

"I'll get out some other shot. It won't go through their skin, but they'll know they've been hit. I'm not going over there to tell them about it now, because her dad is on hospice, and he's staying with them, and she doesn't need something else to worry about. If I see her husband out, I'll tell him. He won't put up with something like that."

"You don't know what those dogs are going to do. They come out in the road and bark at me in T-Hoe. When I stop to keep from running over them, they come over by my door, still barking at me. They might bite people next."

"I know. All I can do is run them off when I'm home."

I'm just beside myself. What will happen to my sweet, sweet Juno when I'm away at work for 10 hours? That dog has already attacked her once. Why would he stop now? It's not like we can call the dogcatcher out here. He only works in the city limits. I guess if that dog bites us, the county might come get it. But then there's all the trouble of those pesky rabies shots. If my sweet, sweet Juno was attacking pets and killing chickens, I'd want the witness to stomp right up on my porch and let me know. That can't be tolerated. What if that black dog wants to bully a kid? Everyone out here lets their dogs run loose. These two are the only ones who cause problems.

That black dog with the brown butt without a tail had better watch out. He's going to bite off more than Hick will let him chew.