|
| Moxie
|
|
After visiting the SPCA of Western Quebec on a number of occasions a couple of years ago, I became convinced that a little black, hypo-allergenic, schnauzer/poodle cross, Moxie, was the dog for me. Moxie and I quickly bonded and became best friends. We are now inseparable. We have conquered both city and country. First, porcupines – we had two major run-ins before she learned to keep her distance. The first resulted in a vet having to intervene to remove 17 quills while under anesthetic. Not to be deterred, a second encounter left her with about a dozen needles in both mouth and paws. But this time a friend removed them with pliers while I held her good and tight. I expect that this quill removal process left her with a better appreciation of the consequences. Encounters with porkies are now a thing of the past.
More recently, during one of our excursions into the back country, she attempted to befriend a coyote. And why not? To her mind it was just another dog to get chummy with. The coyote enticed her to follow it into the woods while another, unknown to Moxie, closed in behind her to block her retreat. Moxie caught on not a second too soon and made hasty retreat via a circuitous route back to me. The coyotes followed us for awhile before vanishing into the underbrush.
Moxie has learned through experience and we have learned from each other. Our daily trips both in the city and the country often last for hours and are great exercise. If you should see us on our travels, give us a wave or a toot. Moxie will be in the lead dragging an old guy behind her!
|
Our
experience with skunks has been somewhat similar. One close
encounter was quite enough to ensure that she now gives them a wide
berth. 
More
frightening to Moxie than all of this is close encounters with buses.
The big yellow school-bus or the OC Transpo variety. Moxie tends
to travel with her nose to the ground rather than by sight and, on
occasion, strains on the leash at curb side, anxious to make her way
across the street, when suddenly one of these monsters lumbers on by.
The noise causes her to look up in fright and quickly retreat.
The lesson learned here is that she now holds back at the curb waiting
for me to cross with her on a short leash.