Z has scratched legs

We’ve had a mother hen and her two little Marys in a coop on the lawn for the last three weeks – I’d suggested it would be a good idea to move them into the kitchen garden while we had two dogs here and it was agreed in principle but didn’t quite happen – anyway, Ben had learned that they were not to be bothered and it all seemed fine.  But today, going out for a walk, he saw a black chicken that had flown over the wall and I had to tell him firmly not to chase her, and that seemed fine too.  On the way home, as we were nearly back at the house, he saw her again and jumped forward.  I could manage him and it would have been fine if mother hen hadn’t been startled and clucked and fluttered, so that he couldn’t resist leaping towards the coop.  I didn’t let go, nor even lose control, quite – but ended up grabbing him and falling on top of him to pin him to the ground.  And there we lay.

We were under a fir tree, so it was a bit prickly, but okay otherwise, but I couldn’t get up because every time I tried, he made it clear he would aim for the chooks again and I wasn’t at all confident of my strength to stop him frightening them.  So there we lay.  I did all I could, darlings, I shouted at him, I growled like a veritable mother (in the bitchy sense) and also (again in a totally bitchy sense) I bit his ear, because that’s the sort of thing dogs do to each other and behaving like a human wasn’t helping.  Sadly, nor did behaving like a dog, he was completely unbothered (I had no thought of drawing blood, obv) and I just had to spit out hairs, which wasn’t at all pleasant.

Luckily, I had my trusty iPhone and I phoned home – this was perhaps 30 feet away.  It took Russell a few minutes to get here because he was on his own iPhone to the other woman in his life, but he held Ben for long enough for me to get up and after he was indoors we moved the coop.

We’ll prevail, Ben will be fine, it’ll take a few more months, perhaps another year.

And later, while we were moving oak planks and measuring them, we had a phone call from friends I’d asked to visit, whose own beautiful floor had been provided by Russell – or rather, the wood for it had – and we phoned Weeza to say they were happy for them to come and see it.  Gill was the very first friend I made when I moved here and I know others could say the same thing, and that she’s a very good friend to have.  We haven’t seen her and A much of late, so it was lovely to have a reason to call.  And we were very pleased to hear that their first grandchild is on the way, and they were very interested to see pictures of Phil and Weeza’s house.

We don’t have quite enough oak planks, but we’re not far short, we’ll have to buy some more wood.  But it’s a massive room – can’t help dreaming about the fabulous parties that could be held there.

13 comments on “Z has scratched legs

    1. Z Post author

      Oh yes, although he might have run happily round the lawn with me dangling helplessly from his jaws. Still, worth trying.

      Reply
  1. kipper

    Really glad you are all right! Does everyone else get the invalid password message when logging in each time? I do and then have to go and request new password, then register with same password and it lets me log in. Odd…..

    Reply
  2. IndigoRoth

    Hey Z! Hmmm, “crazy woman bites dog” as a title would have attracted a few more readers, perhaps. For me, it’s a lovely bit of thinking. Despite the inevitable hair spitting =) Indigo x

    Reply
  3. Z Post author

    I can’t believe I didn’t entitle it “Z bites dog” – how often does one have the opportunity?

    Just scratched, and R is okay now too, thank you. Bloody dog – he has been told.

    Reply
  4. Z Post author

    He’s very sweet-natured, I’ve not heard him growl yet. He’s just so strong – that I can overcome him is just because I’m more bloody-minded than any mere dog!

    Reply
    1. compostwoman

      I always found my x Cleveland bay horse sweet natured, but that does not mean I could make her do what I wanted by sheer strength. Even tho’ I was more bloody minded than she!

      But yes, he is still young and will hopefully learn a bit more manners from you and yes he IS lovely 🙂

      Reply
  5. LZM

    Happy to hear you survived the ordeal. On more than one occasion our golden retriever excitedly tried to befriend a porcupine with drastic results. I would have tackled him had I been close enough.

    Reply

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