So all was going well today. The puppies had a good sleep and in the morning were let out, after which they promptly spent their time chasing each other round and around, and around, and around....
At one stage, one of them got out of the pen. Wolfiepup told me it was Larry, and with my heart in my mouth I went out to check, shouting "Larry!" as I went. Ginger pops around the corner to look at me, and as I stand around desperately looking for him, spot him staring through the gates.
Aha... wolfiepup couldn't tell the difference between Ginger and Larry. Can't blame her. They both look exactly the same. And who has time to check the tail?!
I sent Ginger packing back into the pen, and got on with my day.
It took them about an hour or so I think before they calmed down. Perhaps maybe 2. After which they spent the rest of the afternoon sunbaking outside the front door on the sandstone pavers.
Deciding I was going to give them a treat and further get into Larry's good graces, I defrosted some bones.
Little did I know that was the beginning of the end..
Not thinking about it, I offered the bones too close, and walked away. I'm not 100% sure what happened. But one moment there was peace, and the next... there was a ruckus of barking and then a high pitched squeal.
I go out there to see Larry with two bones at his feet and Ginger standing a little to the side mewling uncontrollably.
I presumed perhaps she had tried to swap bones with Larry or perhaps tried to get his. And he had just barked to scare her.
I took Ginger's bone back, gave it to her, and Larry moved into the shade, while Ginger ate hers hiding behind the flower pot.
Laughing to myself, I moved on, thinking nothing of it.
The afternoon brought with it a walk. Both went on lead, and I was impressed with Ginger walking slowly beside us. Larry was another story entirely. He seemed half confused and half stubborn as he yanked on his lead trying to pull ahead, and refusing to sit whenever I stopped. Even with the incentive of dog food! We had a few good moments, but it was a bit of a trial. At least we go Ginger trained, was all I could think of.
Back in the pen, and I tried to rev them up for another round of photos of them running and playing. But Ginger's heart wasn't in it, and Larry was only interested in following me around for attention/cuddles.
As I tracked them with the camera, I noticed that Ginger was limping slightly. I wondered if perhaps she had pulled something during their shenanigans in the morning. I felt her back legs but couldn't find anything. A little later I decided to check her front legs. And suddenly she started mewling. What on earth...
I turn the inside of her right leg, and discover little pin hole toothmarks. And suddenly it clicked. Larry had bitten Ginger when she'd come near him with her bone. Or perhaps she had accidently dropped it, and they were too close, and he though he had two bones instead of one. And when she tried to get hers back he would have barked at her (it was ferocious barking), and then snapped and bit her leg to get her away.
I rang up wolfieboy and he didn't seem too fussed. Ginger has always been a bit of a delicate submissive flower, so we both dismissed it. It didn't help her case, that after I inspected it, I noticed that she suddenly limped a lot more significantly than earlier. Drama princess, was what I thought..
By the time dinner time came along, and Ginger would randomly come out with whinges. I started having doubts and got googling. One site said that if a dog bite occurs and the dog is limping or mewling/whingeing, I should take them to the Vet immediately. By now it was 7pm. That wasn't going to happen. But it cemented my decision to take her to the Vet.
I explained the situation to wolfieboy who suggested I try and wash out the wound, since they also said dog bites were notorious for getting infected. I tried to wash it out and put some antiseptic cream on the leg. The mewling cries broke my heart. To the point where even wolfieboy got angry and turned to Larry to say "YOU did this!".
My reaction and his surprised me. I have spent so long telling myself I loved Elsie and Fred most, and half regretting my choices in getting Ginger. Yet hearing her cry like that, it twisted my heart and made me realise, somewhere along the way she'd managed to worm herself into my heart. How and when did that happen?!
She is so submissive though, that she did let me try to wash the wound out. She even wee'd. Whereas the whole time I was doing it, I was thinking, if the roles had been reversed and it was Larry - I bet he would have bit me in pain rather than whimper and wee.
I don't blame him for his actions. It is what it is. I do however blame myself for not thinking about it through and not making sure they weren't anywhere near each other when I offered the bones. I've always had submissive dogs (Rosie aside), so to suddenly be faced with one that isn't as much is very confronting for me.
She is currently sleeping on her bed in the living room. She stretched her leg out and whimpered. The poor girl.
Another long night before we find out whether I did the right thing or not. It's non pay week, which is not ideal. But you do what you have to do. Hopefully my mistake won't be too costly on either Ginger's health and wellbeing or our pursestrings :(
