My beloved dog Jack did not have a very good Good Friday thanks to the actions of an idiot yesterday teatime. We live near to a park that is very popular with people exercising their dogs, and between us we have an unwritten rule that if the gate is shut then you don't bring your dog in until it is your turn. This rule works well because you shout over a quick "just a minute" to the incoming dog and its owner before getting the lead back on your dog and allowing the next animal to take his or her turn. Jack absolutely loves the park and the chance to run around chasing his ball and frightening off wood pigeons for an hour or two, usually on a Saturday lunchtime when the park is quiet. In the morning there is practically a queue to get on so I tend not to bother during the week; this also keeps it special for Jack as he gets all excited when I pick up his ball thrower from underneath the coats.
As the weather was nice yesterday at teatime I decided to take Jack over to the park where we were having a lovely time to begin with. I have often said in this blog how therapeutic I find watching Jack running around without a care in the world and it gives me a chance to not think about work for a while. I usually just stand at the entrance to the park with my back to the gate so I am aware of people approaching but yesterday I was walking around the park when an idiot with a Staffordshire Bull Terrier, the much maligned 'staffie', entered the park with no regard for the gate code and immediately took off his dog's lead. I am not saying that Jack is totally blameless in this situation because he is aggressive towards other dogs, Patterdale Terriers are like that, as a rescue animal we have no idea how an eight year old dog became this way. It is because Jack is not very good with other dogs the gate system is something that works to our advantage. Yes, Jack did start it by approaching the other dog barking and growling, but the other dog shouldn't at that point have even been in the park. Neither do I wish to tar all staffies with the trouble maker brush, I know that this is actually a loving and affectionate breed and it is the owner that makes the dog. However, this particular dog was a product of having a twat for an owner who had obviously trained him to be a fighter.
What happened next was possibly the worst few minutes of my life. The tussle between the two dogs resulted in Jack lying helplessly on his back with the staffie's teeth clamped on his ear. Jack was screaming, literally screaming, with a look in his wide open eyes that seemed to be wondering why I, his best friend and surrogate dad, was allowing it to happen. Of course the idiot argued that he was blameless and dismissed my attempt to explain the gate system as bullshit. I left him and his dog in the park and took Jack home leaving him with Mandi who bathed his ear while I grabbed my phone and ran back to the park with two intentions. Firstly I wanted to take a photograph of the man to share on Facebook and Twitter, use for posters warning responsible dog owners to keep an eye out for him, and to show the police because I don't believe he should be allowed a dog. Secondly, I wanted to punch the fucking cunt in the face and break his nose. I know that two wrongs don't make a right but sometimes you should just go with your instincts. In the time it took me to take Jack home and return to the park the man and his dog had gone; we're talking five minutes at least, certainly less than ten. If he thought he was in the right then surely he would have stuck around. I walked around the immediate neighbourhood but he was nowhere to be seen.
Jack was shaken last night and didn't even want to go out of the front door for a pee when I went out for a cigarette, something he usually does and often takes his cue from seeing me take one from the packet and runs to the door. Thankfully this morning he was better, he is eating normally and going for long walks so at least he is getting plenty of exercise and hasn't developed a fear of going out. My only regret is that I didn't follow the man home and that this shit-house has got away with it, possibly to do it again. My office looks over the park so at regular intervals today I have been popping over to the park to warn the regular park users to keep on the lookout for anyone who ignores the gate system. It would be a shame to ruin the park for every dog (and their humans) as the unwritten code is a good one. Everyone I have spoken to (including the owner of a beautiful staffie who let me stroke him and make a fuss, the dog that is) agrees that the gate system is a real thing and thanked me for the warning. I don't feel ready to take Jack to the park yet, especially as he got a little jumpy when we passed the entrance today, but I will take him again next weekend. I intend to buy a chain and padlock, or possibly a bicycle lock, to secure the gate and prevent this from happening again, something that the other dog owners agreed was a good idea.
Due to illness there is no edition of The Sunday Alternative podcast this week.
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April housekeeping
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