A Big, Bad........Great Dane

Welcome to the animal stories portion of blogging hour.

So last Sunday, a truly magnificent day, I crawled out of bed to take my dog for a walk around the block. It was so gorgeous that instead of just going around the block I found myself gravitating towards the park behind the Abbey. I can't even explain how this park is pituresque.
A fountain with a beautiful bronze statue in the middle, check.
Hundreds of blooming daffodils hanging their heads and swaying in the breeze, check.
First full t-shirt and sandals spring day, check.
Huge beautiful centuries old cathedral and abbey in view, check.
Huge trees surrouding the circular park, check.
Metting fellow dog-loving life-loving friend with friendly dog so Manteiga can run and flop about, check.

My happiness was perfectly in place.

But I'm drifting......

So, as dog owners do on beautiful days they take their dogs out. As my fellow dog-loving friend and I were chatting away and our dogs were having a spring romp, another dog comes trotting along (with his ower a half-leash behind).
Enter Herod, the droopy-eyed, huge hunk of Great Dane. And his owner, whom I shall call young, skinny blond guy (because I don't know his name).
Big male dog entering picture, I quickly put Manteiga on his leash.

So, as enlightened dog owners do, they want their dogs to socialize as much as possible, so I tentatively propose, If you want to try, I'll give it a try. Meaning, on the count of 3 we let them off their leashes to see what happens.

So, one...................................two..................................... and three!

Here is where everything is a blur. What i remember is my voice attaining a pitch I never use consciously, and big dog pinning Manteiga down with his muzzle between his shoulder blades.
And who knows how long it took blond, skinny guy to pull Herod off. It seemed like forever.

In retrospect, after the adrenalyn had calmed, I remembered that there wasn't even any butt sniffing. nothing. they charged each other like two rival high school bullys fighting for the head slut cheerleader.
No butt sniffing, can you imagine! Not even any canine 'how do you do?'

Dogs on leashes, Herod getting a whopping from his owner and Manteiga firmly planted between my legs, his tail between his.
I notice the huge tuft of hair floating along in the spring breeze, heading for the daffodil hedge. But think nothing of it.

Herod, after a little "wow, that was impressive" mutual conversation, they leave.
And Manteiga goes about playing with his smaller-more-non-threatening-canine-companion.

So here's the kicker. As I leave some time later, I see something between Manteiga's thick fur. I dig a bit deeper and
HOLY MOLY!
He's missing a huge chunk of skin, about the size of......well, big. Big enough to warrant three stitches.

Of course, off to the emergency vet. (it's sunday in france) The very nice young vet says "wow" and suggests the course of action.
As I wait in the car, he knocks out my 30 kilo dog, shaves the area in question, and stitches him up. As Manteiga comes to (they have fast acting and fast fading anesthesias now- who knew?)
the sight is pathetic. simply pathetic.

And it's here - as he's panting terribly fast - with a huge patch shaved between his shoulder blades - with a pool of drool all around his head - too groggy to lift his head - and a bandage around his left leg - it's at this moment that i have to concentrate on not crying.
It's here that I realize how much I love this dog. Too much maybe. If you're a buddhist, definitely too much.

But he came around from the anesthesia and got to come home with me.


You want to see the grusome pics ? - I get it.
Here you go. You can really see where Herod clamped down.


The black things on the upper right hand side are his 3 stitches.

And it's so strange for him to have this 'window ' in his coat. He is so hairy. and in this hole, he's not.







So, if there is a moral to the story, having your dog attacked is one way to learn about canine epiderm layers (not at all like a human's), doggie antibiotics, what the lack of butt sniffing means, and ultimately, what happens when two testicularly endowed canine males come together.
Sure hope Manteiga will learn to stay away from Great Danes now. but i doubt it.