Of course that doesn’t end the story, because truthfully there will be a lot more stories in the future I’m sure… but at least for now, I have one more. And it ain’t pretty people.
My biggest fear in moving to Costa Rica was that the dogs wouldn’t take it so well. They are a mother/ son combo, though you could never tell by looking at them, and really haven’t been around too many other dogs outside of each other. Well Puerto Viejo is like one big dog park, with owned dogs and strays running around freely EVERYWHERE. I was and clearly now rightfully so, worried about how the dogs would handle all of the new friends, or foes, around them.
After we got to Puerto Viejo, we decided to rip the band-aid off so to speak and let them meet Niki and Khalil’s 2 dogs, Kobe and Taco. IT WENT FANTASTICALLY! They were smelling and sniffing and running around like they had been there the whole time. Gemini and Bentley LOVED being in the ocean and in fact we could barely get Gemini out. It was fantastic. I was so relieved. And then yesterday it changed.
The bar was closed for the day, like every Wednesday it is, so we were all just hanging out. The dogs were all within eyesight but were just playing in the water, having fun, being dogs. Well unfortunately at the end of the day that is exactly what they are… dogs. The next thing I know, we hear this unbelievable sound and it takes a moment or two to realize it’s dogs fighting… our dogs. Something must have happened between Bentley and Kobe because they were going at it big time… and Bentley was winning, not an award I ever wanted him to own. Bentley got on top of Kobe and Gemini teamed up and they looked like they wanted to kill him. They were pulling at him and it was horrible. Admittedly my next actions were stupid, but they were instinctual and I jumped in there and started beating Bentley and pulling them apart. Niki is screaming in the back, the guys start running up, and even some neighbors come running, one with a shovel in hand… I’m glad it didn’t end that way. I was finally able to separate the three, covered in sand and a few cuts myself I realized later, I swear I thought I was going to throw up and have an asthma attack at the same time. Abasi took both our dogs into the backyard and locked them up and I ran upstairs to see if Kobe was ok. And turns out Thank God that he was. In fact aside from his ear being cut, he was all smiles and seemed in good spirits. I still think he’s scared of me now, but we shall see.
I go downstairs and just sob. My worst fears have come true, our dogs within one day couldn’t handle it and had not only fought a dog, but our families’ dog. It was heartbreaking. Anyone that knows Bentley and Gemini know they are the most loving dogs that would rather lick your face off than bite it. I simply couldn’t understand it. How could our dogs be sooo mean?
I showered up and did the only thing I knew how to do at that point… Googled it. Turns out, and I guess I knew all along, that it doesn’t matter how sweet your dog is, he is still a pack animal at the end of the day. Instincts will take over if there isn’t enough control and I guess it got the best of them. Not defending them AT ALL, but this move has been different and new for them… our house was continuously changing the last couple months we lived there as we slowly sold our possessions. I’m sure they could sense the change and then an 11-day trip through so many different places probably put them on sensory overload. But still it isn’t acceptable for them to fight. So, I am now their pack leader. Laugh at me all you want, but I’ve watched enough Cesar Millan, and after reading through his website last night, realized that while the dogs listen to us, they still have control. And that won’t happen anymore. I was very different with them last night, my actions, my words, my presence was stern and commanding… and they listened. I think it will still take a lot of time, and they won’t be off their leashes in public for the indefinite future, but I know my dogs aren’t malicious. I understand dogs aren’t humans and don’t compute things the same way we do. But if they feel I am their leader, which every human should be to their pet, and I will protect them, they won’t feel the urge to be the pack leader themselves. I hope this works, I pray it does, because last night was a horrible feeling and I don’t ever want to look at my dogs with such sadness ever again. I love them, we love them and they love us… now we just need them to know who rules the school around here… and it is us.
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