Having had a very frightening and unnerving experience two days ago that in no way could be construed to benefit my Rat Terrier, I have been loathe to take Sonny off his leash even for a minute. On Saturday, as we were walking along the bicycle path that caresses our deck and leads us into glorious and mysterious places with myriad smells and the occasional gourmet delight tossed haphazardly into the surrounding greenery, I made the mistake of trusting in Sonny’s sense of right and wrong. Actually, there is never anything incorrect in an animal’s sense of right and wrong, it’s just that we insist that they view the world, and therefore react to it, as we do. I suppose that if I’d had Sonny trained properly he would acquiesce to my expectations but not having done that, I am, therefore, at the mercy of his animalistic whims. Saturday’s whim was a doozy! Having reached the two ponds that book-end the path lest it should stray from its pre-planned route, I noticed that there were no people, stray animals or littered remnants of fast food consumption anywhere in sight. The quick yet erroneous conclusion that Sonny would be able to romp freely and safely, thus getting more of his much needed exercise, prompted me to take him off his leash. It took but a fraction of a second for the little mongrel to hit his nitrous switch and tear off into the distance leaving bits of flame in his wake. The glorious path suddenly turned into the bowels of hell. (To be continued tomorrow)
Download your free copy of the Long Life Dog Book to find out all the ways you can extend the life of your dog. To see pictures of Rat Terriers and find out more about them, please visit Rat Terrier Life Span and for information on keeping your best friend trim, take a look at Dog Weight Problems .
