I'm just gonna come out and say it. I am in serious pain as I write this because I think I broke my toe tonight while cleaning the funnel cake booth for the Pumpkin Party this weekend.
Don't ask.
Okay, I dropped a cinder block on it, by accident.
For real. I did.
I know that I should be smarter than a cinder block and generally I am, but it was getting late and I was in a hurry and my rubber gloves that were coated in grease were also wet. It slipped and ... well the rest is history.
Its my big toe on my left foot and it feels like I slammed it in a car door just a minute ago...when in actuality this happened three hours ago. If its still bad in the morning, I'll go get it checked but I don't know that there is much they can do for a broken toe.
Bear doesn't seem to mind at all. He wants to play and that's about it for now. We had a shortened walk this morning because everyone on the hill decided to let their dogs run this morning and when they run, they pack. We've been having a problem with coyote's starting to pack at night on the hill here. This time of year, this is a common thing. The problem with it is that when the coyote's pack like this, they run the hill at night and take all of the smaller pets and livestock. Cats disappear this time of year, along with ducks, chickens, turkey, ground birds and even younger deer. I know it may seem strange to consider the turkey, ground birds and deer as livestock, but people here hunt for a lot of their meat and do consider these as "non-touchables" for predators. Its taken as seriously as if they had taken a calf from the herd, which would be next if the pack gets too big.
So, rather than allow the coyote's to rule the mountain, people let their dogs out at night to drive the coyote's away, which they do with great skill. All of the dogs on the hill know each other and when they are out at night after the coyote's start the yipping, the dogs know what their job is, except for Bear.
Bear hasn't met "the pack" yet. He's still an outsider and has to be for right now because deer season is coming up. One of the things I knew about Bear when I got him was that he could hunt. He's strong enough and big enough to take a deer at this point with no problem and dogs that do that don't last long up here, especially around hunting season. But, he does need to start meeting the other guys on the hill here because, as a dog on this hill, he is expected to be able to defend the houses, kids, families and livestock with the other dogs here, sooooooooo, I've got to work on that end of the socialization pattern with him. I was hoping that Willie would help with this endeavor this morning, but unfortunately, Willie thought that it would be big fun to go play with his buddies and wasn't listening to my thoughts on this issue at all. I think I'm going to have to work on that too...
Hmmm....The toe feels better when I'm not wandering around on it!
Happy wandering!
The Writer...and her dog, Bear
12 years and still going
8 months ago
4 comments:
Ouch! I broke a toe once. I ran outside, after Peanut, because he got out of the yard, stubbed my toe on the pavers that lined the walkway, and the only thing I could do was tape the toes together. Now it's entirely possible that you may have bruised the bone of your big toe. I have also bruised my big toe, and it hurts the same, if not worse than a broken bone.
I know... not much, but it is possible.
I hope the introduction to "the pack" goes well. I know the firt time I took Peanut to the dog park that didn't go to well for him. Poor guy got stepped on by a golden doodle!
Ow!! Hope your toe feels better soon.
I think it's very cool that the dogs on your hill all have a job, although it's hard for me to imagine a coyote taking any gruff from Willie.
I bet Bear will feel really fulfilled to have a "big boy" job when he gets the hang of the pack and the situation.
One morning last winter I saw a coyote in the city in Albuquerque. That was a bit startling, to say the least.
Ow on the broken toe. Let's hope that feels better soon!
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