First, to answer Greenacres question, .... "
NO", I have only ever owned one (1) dog, the "story" of it I was
just about to "post" in response to Bugwull's post.
And Greenacres, ..... I am a "
science guy", by Degree a teacher of both physical and biological science, .... and by choice, a student of animal behaviors, including the human animal, and thus have great interest in the resolving of the "whys & what-fors" of their evolutionary evolved "personality" traits, as well as both their physical and mental ones. And by Profession career I was a "computer guy". But those are just two (2) of my many interests and talents.
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Bigwull, I once had a kinda “frightening” experience.
I never really wanted an “in-house” dog or cat. That was until one day a good friend at work ask me if I would take his good friend’s dog who could no longer keep it in the City where he lived. I first said
absolutely not. He kept pleading, saying the dog was older, house broken, gentle, kind, etc. and given the fact I lived out in the country, at the end of a “dead-end” road, I finally relented and agreed to take the dog home just
to keep my friend happy ….. but knowing full well that if I couldn’t find someone to quickly give the dog to …. I would just shoot it and bury it out on the “back 40”.
Well now, said dog was far more than how my friend described it. It was a full-grown Registered female Collie of the “golden” long nosed breed and within 48 hours after I got her home, … “Lady”, which was her name, became a full-fledged member of the family. And around me, the wife, my young daughter and the dozens of relatives, friends and neighbors who might show up by invite or unexpectedly, Lady was the best mannered, happy, friendly, pleasing dog anyone would ever want to pet or hug. Lady actually loved it whenever someone came to visit.
And NEVER did I ever see Lady become irritated, grouchy, mean, defensive, threatening, etc., to anyone …… until one Sunny warm day we were outside in the yard and my daughter, who was about 3 at the time, was enjoying her “swing set” ….. and Lady was around the other side of the house doing something. And life “was good” …. until up my driveway (dead-end road) came this older model car ……. which stopped about 50 feet from where I was standing …. and out stepped this grungy looking dude with long hair and carrying what looked to be like a salesman’s folder of papers … and with a smile on his face started walking toward me.
Well now, bout that time Lady came running from around the other side of the house with her tail wagging in the air and a happy n’ friendly look on her face to greet our visitor. But just before she ran past me …. she got a “good look” at that dude and immediately slouched down to an “attack” position … with her tail straight out, … the hair on her neck and back standing straight up …. her mouth open and teeth apply displayed ….and with a low “snarl” emitting from her throat as she headed straight toward that dude. But lucky for him I was close enough to grab Lady by her collar and hold her back.
That dude with a now fearful look of shock on his face says … “What’s the matter with that dog”, to which I answered, ….. “I really don’t have the faintest clue but I suggest you get back in you car and get the hell out of here before she manages to get loose from me”. And to this day I do not know what “trigger” Lady’s reaction. Maybe he had “devious intentions” for harming us or Lady remembered him or someone that looked like him that she hated with a passion. I just know Lady was as serious as a “heart attack” about taking a bite of flesh n' blood out of him ..... and would have if I had let go of her.
