I didn't enjoy my trip!

The tragic story about the Rottweiler and the elderly man has been praying on my mind today. I was told that the owner had collapsed and his dog was trying to drag him home, but managed to kill him in the process. The dog still got shot though, but I guess people saw the blood and it was the obvious conclusion that he had intentionally savaged him. What a very sad story.
This morning I was bringing the shopping in from the car while chastising myself for forgetting to buy the milk, when I missed the step, my dodgey ankle buckled and I ended up on the floor thinking about that poor man and his Rottie.
My foot was starting to hurt at lot and I was trying to figure out if I was going to be able to stand up or not. There was no one home and no neighbours to shout to. My phone was still in the car. (I managed to break my ankle just a little bit when I was eight months pregnant and it's never been the same since. I was coming out of a Dogs Today photoshoot carrying a big box on top of my very large bump and surprise, surprise I didn't see the step! Frightened the life out of everyone it did, think they thought I was going into labour in the car park. I seem to fall over a lot more than other grown ups and I don't even drink more than a glass of wine. Perhaps it's because I only see properly out of one eye - it throws my perspective out! My world is pretty 2-d and steps just don't make any sense to my brain! )
Anyway, while I was rolling around on the floor in a most undignified fashion I was 'helped' by Oscar the Beardie licking my face in a most concerned and intense manner. His beard was, of course, beautifully filthy as ever.
It really freaks dogs out you being on the floor outside especially if you're obviously in pain.
I wonder how many people socialise their dogs to deal with this scenario? I don't recommend my example though, simulating collapse would be a much better plan!
What if I had knocked myself out today - what would my doggies have done? Would I have ended up being dragged back into their bed like all their other trophies?
Today's fall made me think about it. Pity I didn't think about the milk when I was in the shops, though as it might not have happened otherwise...
I soon got up, bit bruised, bit muddy, bit less make-up than I started with. What would your dog do if you hit the floor?

Comments

Melisa Wells said…
Chances are she would run over to me as quickly as possible...and lick my face. Perhaps then she would bring me a toy, and then, as I lay there yelling for her to go "get help", she would stand there completely still except for her head which would be tilting from one side to the other, her beagle ears on full alert.

Hopefully I won't fall and need assistance anytime soon! :)
Linda Ward said…
Fred (terrier x) rushes over and licks my face if I'm making a noise. I don't suppose he'd try to get help, but he will bark on command, so as long as I'm awake that's not too bad.

My Greyhound would probably lift her head, then put it down again.
Anonymous said…
My grandmother once fell down a flight of steps in her home and broke one ankle and sprained the other while we were visiting with my English Setter, Cleo. Cleo stayed right by her--never left her side-- and watched over her and was generally very concerned until she was taken to hospital. My grandmother likes dogs, but is the sort of person who feels they have a certain place (ie, NOT on the furniture and ESPECIALLY NOT on the bed)--but from that day on, Cleo was allowed to sleep on my grandmother's bed when we visited. She always had a special place in my grandmother's heart after that.
Beverley Cuddy said…
Ah what a lovely story! And I see Oscar is pretty normal in the "I'll lick you better' approach!

My old Sally was very empathetic, she'd have done something amazing if I needed help. When I used to work long hours in the office she was always at my side. Many people know how she used to help me with credit control... if you've already heard the story, apologies but it is one of my favourites. I had a very nasty, macho advertiser who owed me a lot of money - it was early days and the magazine was very hand-to-mouth at that stage. We'd printed his ad, but he wasn't going to pay. He came in for a face to face meeting. I am not the scariest woman by a long way and my fluffy blonde Beardie with her hair in a bunch wasn't helping me to look any meaner! He was trying to bully me to take his poxy products instead of cash and it was all getting rather uncomfortable in our broom cupboard of an office. Sally sensed she needed to act. She turned her back on him and sprayed him with noxious liquid poo.
Did the trick, he wrote a cheque and left.
She also spectacularly lost continence when meeting my boyfriend's parents - who thought only woman who couldn't have children ran businesses! Now if I fell down in front of Sally I'm confident that she'd have found a way of getting help - it might have involved writing a message using poo - but she'd have done something memorable! I miss the old girl, what a character she was!
Anonymous said…
Gosh Beverley - you are in the wars lately! I love the Sally story (ahh, she was lovely). I can't say I've ever been injured in my dog's presence but quite a few years ago I had an idiot of a boyfriend who lost his temper and threw me across the room. My little beardie rescue x, usually quiet as a mouse, raced across the room, baring teeth and growling at this towering man. I got rid of the boyfriend. Still have my little dog :-)
...Vicky
Anonymous said…
Decided to find out - my beagle girl just took it as an opportunity to make sure my ears were clean!

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