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]

BG, I was really not looking at what I was shooting, they were moving so fast but thanks. I hope there's not a next time but if there is, I'll try the hose.  Do you really have an air horn??? 

[BG and Gavin]

It is just one of those canister types.  We use it for the boat but it sits in the kitchen cupboard in the off season.

[Donna K & Quincy]

I can only imagine how absolutely frightening this must have been. Poor little Finn, I hope he is feeling better soon. Why wouldn't that stupid creature just leave? I can't think how I would react but I have a feeling I would be looking for a weapon of some sort. I think a Lizzie Borden special would have been in order for that GH.

[Cheryl and Finnegan]

Thanks Donna. I'm laughing at the idea of a Lizzie Borden T-shirt with a no groundhogs symbol! ha!

[Lonnie & Libby Lu]

Oh yuck, that ground hog was BIG, well at least in this city girls eyes!  Cheryl, you kept your composure better than I would have.  I would have been screaming down the street for help.  I am glad it all worked out and Finn is ok and get that drink now!

[Lonnie & Libby Lu]

Sorry Cheryl, didn't realize this was from yesterday.   You can still have another drink now!  LOL

[Cheryl and Finnegan]

LOL Lonnie.  I'm too tired. But you guys are the best :) 

[Nancy, Ned, Clancy, and Charlie]

That is scary.  Ned cornered an opossum once - luckily it was a youngster.  I used the hose to separate them and then I was able to grab Ned.  I was outside in my pajamas yelling at Ned and for dh or ds to help me = they both slept through all the barking and yelling. I was NOT a happy camper. It think I am glad there were no strangers standing around with cell phones taking pictures..... :-}

Chocolate is an excellent restorative!  The darker the better.

[Cheryl and Finnegan]

Nancy you had every right to just roll them out of bed LOL Are you sure they were sleeping ;)  Oh dear, another opossum! What is it with these doodles?  

 

[Stella]

We get turtles laying eggs in our driveway and my two regularly corner one. Even worse when hey corner a snapping turtle because those things are big and mean!! It is nearly impossible to catch the dogs when this happens because they get into a frenzy circling around the turtle and barking at it. I think it is partly because they don't know what it is!! It is always chaotic. - two doods going nuts, me chasing them around trying to catch them or at least move them away from the turtle so it has a chance to escape!!

[Cheryl and Finnegan]

OMD Stella.  A snapping turtle is not something I'd like to have to pry off my dog. But that's exactly what FInn did.  Went into a doodle frenzy.  Reading through the replies, it must  be a trait.I hope the turtles realize your driveway is a really bad place to raise a family :) 

[Stella]

Our driveway is quite sandy, so they keep coming back year after year. A couple of years ago we rescued some baby snapping turtles that had lost their way trying to get to the pond. They were surprisingly cute!!