Way Down Yonder With the Catahoula

Friday morning, I sat on the end of the living room coffee table, in front of the window, tapping away on HIPPIE. Our La-Z-Boy replacement has not yet arrived. Hick and The Pony act as if nothing is different, but I don't feel like having my ample rumpus pinched every time I get up from that chair.

Anyhoo... while laptopping, I absentmindedly starting sweet-talking my Sweet, Sweet Juno. She claims that area of the porch under the living room window. Juno always looks in as she comes to her post, tail wagging. Then lies there like a sentinel, where I can just see the top of her head.

Something was different. I took attention off of HIPPIE's screen, and glanced outside.

"PONY! I have been talking to Juno on the front porch--and it's NOT JUNO! There's a strange dog laying here! Come look!"

The Pony trotted to the front door. Flung it open. And was immediately beset with a jumping dog that clawed his arm and ran inside!

"I can't help it! He came in. Hey! Come here! Get out! OUT!"

His actions got the dog's attention, and it ran to jump on The Pony some more. They went out onto the porch, where more jumping occurred. Every time The Pony tried to get back in the house, that dog got halfway in.

"You'll just have to shove him out with your foot! Close the door in his face!"

"I'm TRYING! He's strong. No. No. NO! GET BACK!"

The Pony finally won the battle. His arm was scratched seven ways to Sunday. That Dog galloped back and forth on the porch, all excited to find PEOPLE. He went to the metal chair where The Pony had left some wet Adidas slides after a wade in the creek with his friend. Tried to grab one to chew on, but it got hung up where the seat joined the chair back.

"You're going to lose your shoes unless you bring them in!"

"I'm not going back out there! It will be hard enough when I leave for town later, to meet 2nd Bestie for our visit to the Mineral Museum."

Indeed! That Dog tried to get under The Pony's car. He finally made a getaway. I sent Hick a text about a strange dog.

"I know. It jumped in my truck with me this morning. I like to never got it out. I'll deal with it tonight. I'll put it on our Facebook group, to see if anybody lost it. It has a collar and a tag."

Here's a picture Hick took a couple days later. Of course he caught him with his eyes closed. He looks like a Catahoula to me. Hick thinks maybe a mix with a Great Dane. He's still a pup, about half grown. All gangly and goofy.

Here's what we found out from Hick's inquiry.

A lady who lives behind us, across the creek, said she stopped at the mailboxes because she saw the Bad Hay-Baling Lawyer's kids parked there in their side-by-side (a cross between a 4-wheeler, a golf cart, and a car).

"I thought maybe they were broke down, and needed a ride. They said they were waiting to see if a man came back for his dog. That's it. They said he stopped and let it out and drove off."

Now That Dog has found his way to our house, and thinks he lives here. The tag only has a rabies number. Even if we call all the vets in the county, looking for his owner, I doubt the vet would give out that info. Besides, the guy LEFT THE DOG in the middle of nowhere. I don't think we'd have much luck reuniting them. We really can't keep him. He's going to be WAY too big. I don't think we have the energy to deal with a typical Catahoula.

Hick put his picture and description on the county Lost and Found Pets.

Found, young male dog, neutered. Has collar and rabies tag. Friendly, gets along with our dogs and cat. Was abandoned at low water bridge on Thursday, June 25, outside of Backroads. We can't keep him. I will take him to the animal shelter if no one can give him a home. [It's a no-kill shelter.]

He's had 19 comments so far. One lady wants him, but knows that her other dog won't get along with That Dog. I printed a color picture for Hick to hang at his Storage Unit Store this weekend. FREE TO GOOD HOME. We're hoping somebody wants That Dog. He's the kind that country dudes like HOS (Hick's Oldest Son) would like. Don't even think of HOS taking him, now that he lives in town!

That Dog has stopped jumping on me (after one dose of Big Old Purse to the ribs), and Hick (after many swats from This Old Hat to the neck and shoulder). The Pony is still Jump Target #1. Nothing he does seems to dissuade That Dog from jumping.

That Dog seems pretty smart, even though he's young and stupid. When I get sharp with him as he leans back for a jump, he sits down and looks at me like "I'm so sorry. That won't happen again. I don't know what got into me. Love me. Just love me. I need people. Don't go! No! Let me in!"

Hick has trouble driving the Gator. "That Dog didn't get the memo that he's supposed to bark and run along with them other three. He JUMPS IN the Gator with me, and I have to push him out."

He's just too much dog for us, especially after he's full-grown. He's a broken hip waiting to happen, and/or a pending lawsuit. If he's as aggressive with other dogs as his online breed description warns, he could really hurt my little Jack, who's a bit temperamental himself. Jack currently gets along with the youthful version of That Dog. Juno doesn't want to come out of her house, but I DID catch her sniffing noses with That Dog yesterday.

Sheesh! It's hard enough to get packages delivered and repairmen to come with Copper Jack the neighbor dog baying at them. I can imagine how heads might explode if someone drove up and saw Copper Jack AND That Dog waiting for them to get out of their vehicle.

Meanwhile... I feel like a hostage in my own home.