Close Encounters of the Wild Kind

[Cheryl and Finnegan]

I had one of those days today I would prefer to forget!  Finnegan got into it with a groundhog that's been tormenting both of us for weeks! I don't know if he wanted to kill it, torment it until it died, or play with it! He had dozens of chances to kill it :( but he didn't, so I suspect it was one of the latter two. The stewpid groundhog had several chances to make a break for it but chose not to.  The problem was I couldn't get them apart!!

I started out calmly but forcefully calling, "Finnegan, come."  No response!  He was circling that GH at 100 miles an hour. I picked up the closest weapon I could find - a pooper scooper (I kid you not) , determined to knock the GH out or kill it myself.  I missed and broke the silly scooper in half. By this time, I was trying every command: NO! Drop it! Leave it! Come! I couldn't grab him because he was moving too fast and was entangled with the GH.  Basically, I suck as a survivalist!  I had my cell phone so I tried calling several friends, thinking if someone arrived FInn would run to check them out, but no one was home.  Scared the animal could be rabid, I dialed 911. I told the dispatcher I wasn't sure they handled this kind of a call but that my dog was in a stand off with a GH I thought might be rabid and that I couldn't get them apart!  By now, this had now been going on for over half an hour! He assured me they did and he would send an officer right away.  Then he asked me, "Who's winning?"  Since I barely had a voice left, I didn't find this funny!!  

Apparently, FInnegan isn't much of a survivalist either. The GH would snap and Finn would bop it on the head!  The GH would flip over and Finn would grab it by the tail and flip it back! I was turning into a crazy woman!  Finn is not treat motivated but he LOVES the car and his WALKS so I ran and got the car, drove it around, and opened the back door and yelled WALK, Finnegan! THAT got his attention... for 2 seconds. You could see he struggled with the decision, then turned back to the GH.

Finally, the officer arrived and after looking over the situation, said, first, I had to get the dog and GH apart. Huh????  But thankfully, when FInn saw a stranger approaching, he finally came running!!!  Usually, I believe in live and let live.  But after almost an hour of this fiasco, I begged her to shoot the GH. Apparently, that's against the rules :(  So was borrowing her gun, to shoot it myself :)

I checked Finn over and found no bites or blood, just some missing tufts of hair. He smelled awful, so I bathed him.  I just gave him a rimadyl tonight because he's so sore he can barely walk. Is there anything else I should look out for? He has both his rabies and lepto vaccines.  His face was covered with saliva but I didn't see any breaks in the skin.  Of course, his coat is thick.  

Tonight, I need a drink, a condominium, and maybe my money back for all those training classes :(  I'm just glad he's ok, but I hate seeing him in so much pain. BTW, we were outside taking pictures for the Nov. assignment when this all began.  I had camera in hand. Sometimes FInn will run to the camera when he hears the beeping. I didn't even know what I shot until I threw the memory card into the computer tonight. Camilla, I CAN shoot with one hand holding a poop scoop in the other!

[Cheryl and Finnegan]

Good point...I'm going to do that. He was just in to see the doc last week. I almost didn't get him the Lepto because I don't want to over vaccinate him...the doc agreed but said living where I live, it would be better to be safe.  Just another reason for a condo :)

[Cheryl and Finnegan]

Thanks Nicky!  I'm recovered. Finn's still gimping but I think he just overdid it with his HD. Glad your two are ok!

[Joanne ~ Spud*]

Puncture wounds cause infections. Just one dog bite in the butt from an aggressive Rottweiler at the dog park caused us a round on antibiotics and a steroid inection.
Not an emergency, but I'd still make a vet visit. That's just me and no, I don't go there for everything. I probably should get there sooner sometimes.
How is Finn today?

Hey, if it makes you feel better, I call the sheriff at 4am for a sick bat on my basement floor. They came out 2 hours later. He told me, ' Good Job. This is a very sick bat"
Call them.
I also called for a goose that was stuck and hit in the road, caught up in fishing line. So sad. They asked that I leave as they would be shooting the goose.

[Cheryl and Finnegan]

Thanks Joanne for the advice. That does make me feel better.  It took the police over 20 minutes to make it here! Between screaming for over 40 minutes and no one hearing me and the quick police response, I'm hand lettering the "FOR Sale" sign now.  FInn was still limping around this morning. He's sleeping again now, but seems ok. I'm going to call the vet though just to be safe.

[Janie, Jackson and Jilly]

Geez Cheryl. I can't believe it went on for so long and the groundhog stayed around!! Jack and Jilly chase them and the GH always takes off like nobody's business or sits on top of the fence and torments them. How scary. I'm glad Finn seems fine. I hope you're fine too! xo

[Cheryl and Finnegan]

Thanks Jane. Yep, isn't that weird!  At times, they almost looked as if they were playing! But if the GH wanted a playmate, he sure picked the wrong one.  FInn kept dragging him a few feet at a time when he could get hold of his tail, but never actually bit him, I don't think. Yuck!

[Janie, Jackson and Jilly]

Ugh! I would have died. When mine get near anything - usually Jilly with a bird in her mouth - I wash her mouth out and brush her teeth. I think it just makes me feel better.

[Jane, Guinness and Murphy]

OMD that groundhog is HUGE!  It looks like a cat.....a big cat.  I'm so glad that Finn is okay.  Did the groundhog get away?  I would be terrified that he would come back.  Is it possible to trap them?

[Cheryl and Finnegan]

Yes, the GH wobbled away.  I'm keeping an eye out. Finn is obsessed in finding him again so when we go out he's leashed now or on a long line. You can trap them.  It's almost time for them to go into hibernation :)

[Gail and Bailey]

Oh Cheryl, what a horrible experience!  Glad you are okay and hope Finn is feeling better and everything checks out okay at the vet!  

Years ago one of my dogs got into it with a opossum and I found out that they "spray" a horrible smelling stuff just like skunks do.  The encounter was short lived though because the opossum quickly "played dead" and my dog lost interest.  It was funny to see it laying there "dead" and then go out an hour later to see it had left the yard!  Took a couple baths to get the odor out!

[Cheryl and Finnegan]

Thanks Gail. An opposum would have been even more awful. They are like naked rats eek!

[Pat and Traveler]

Congrats for keeping the camera going--that's our photog girl!  lol    So glad Finn is okay, even if he's a bit stiff and sore.  I'm sure Trav would ignore me too if he found a GH--or even cornered a squirrel.  He has an intense prey drive, but so far hasn't managed to catch anything.  Maybe Finn was just practicing his instinctive skills.  :)