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]

LOL Yes, now that you mention it, I do think the PG is at fault here :)) F's Running up quite a tab!!

[F, Calla & Luca]

Oh and BTW, no Purple Heart now : )

[F, Calla & Luca]

I deny all responsibility of course. I have never gotten any shots during the attack and I always urge safety first. I may now keep a baseball bat in the yard too. Cheryl, you are more than welcome to call me for a consultation, or come for a rest cure next week : ) wait a minute, I just read your response and my lawyer has advised me to rescind all offers of help.

[Cheryl and Finnegan]

LOL I'll have to speak to JD!  Good idea to keep a baseball bat.  Cheap poop scoops are totally useless! Of course, this assumes you have any chance of actually hitting the target!

[F, Calla & Luca]

I think all my critters except for that one squirrel would have hightailed it had they had the chance. More get away then don't but...

[Janie, Jackson and Jilly]

I read it like that too! : )

[Cheryl and Finnegan]

OMD, you too!  You and Laurie are like 2 peas in a pod LOL !!

[Kelly]

I will have to say that the action photography is truly amazing. More amazing when you consider it was a highly charged situation and you only used one hand.

[Anne & Mr. Haley]

Oh Cheryl............I feel your pain.  Haley found one of these juvenile GHs in my flower border.  I put my hand on Haley's collar to pull him away and that was the first and only time he growled viciously at me.  I can't remember what I did to get Haley away from the GH but at least it didn't escalate to contact.  And, the GH disappeared never to be seen again.  If you are in reach of a water hose it will help to break it up.  Great action shots BTW!

[Cheryl and Finnegan]

I know you do!! I never thought about the hose until later. Probably a better idea than the camera "focus" beep LOL

[Nicky, Riley & Boris]

Amazing photo's of the 'event' and what an event it was. I do hope you are both recovered by now. We had an encounter with a cat the other day. I heard screeching and hissing and my boys had cornered a young feral cat into a corner in the garden.  It was screaming blue murder but there was no contact just two very excited dogs wagging their tales and jumping around. Of course they completely ignored me and I started yelling!  Joe came and grabbed both by their collars and hauled them back in. I was just worried about scratches and diseases too. But luckily nothing. Hopefully that GH and our visitor won't be back any time soon.

[Elizabeth, Bailey & Bruin]

OMD, so glad everyone is OK...  If it was me, I would still call the vet to make sure all vaccinations would cover Finn.  You never know if there is some type of weird strain of something that is going around.  And with Finn having saliva on his face and so close to his eyes and mouth.. better to be safe!