Trauma- Life at the Doggie Park

No joke here. My brother's dog Holly is a papillon, just like my dog Tug. This means she is a small dog with a big dog's heart shoved inside of her, along with the cuteness of the cutest thing you've ever seen, the genius of lassie, and the athletic ability of...well ok...we'll leave that to Tug. My dog is the circus dog while Holly more prefers to lounge. But in any event, she's awesome. And all that awesome packed in to one little doggie tends to make other dogs....jealous.

Sadly for Holly, the other day that other dog happened to be a massive German Shepherd. Now look. I don't know how many of you people go to dog parks. But there is an unspoken rule. If your dog is an an asshole, ya can't come in!! In fact, add to that... if you are asshole who never should have gotten a dog in the first place, because you can't control it, ya can't come in then either!!!

Unfortunately for Holly, the apparent combination of both of these manifested itself into one said massive German Shepherd and one said massive raging asshole owner. No sooner were Stephen and Jocelyn about to leave, as too many big dogs started showing up, did this German Shepherd go apeshit. In what I can only imagine was the most traumatic thing they have ever witnessed (i was not there, i only heard) the German Shepherd attacked Holly, took her in his mouth and started shaking her back and forth violently.

She lived. Somehow. We all still aren't sure how. She apparently bled everywhere, as Stephen scooped her up and ran her to the vet. He thought for sure she was a goner, but those papillons, they are damn troopers. So Holly was stitched up (which took many many stitches) and while I always made fun of Stephen for having a slightly pudgy dog, I have to think her round lil haunches saved her life. Miraculously, despite two HUGE flesh wounds the size of a Shepherd's jaw, she did not break any bones or puncture any vital organs. So I have to think the fact that she was grabbed from the back, and not the head or neck, was a life saver. I really can't imagine witnessing that. Stephen says he hardly remembers what was happening because he was so traumatized. Of course after dropping Holly off for surgery they tried to see if the asshole owner had come to the vet or perhaps hung around the dog park, but no, of course he took off. His and his asshole aggressive dog. So they were stuck with the $1500 bill and a whole lot of grief. For someone who also has no kids, and only a dog, I know that your dog is essentially treated like your child. The thought of seeing it nearly eaten...well I just can't imagine that.

As of today, Holly is recovering doing well. But I imagine she will be a little off her game for awhile. So folks, the dog park can be a fun place. But dogs are dogs and animals don't always do what you think they are going to do. Dogs that have never been properly socialized have no place at the dog park. People who are assholes also have no place owning huge dogs that are probably smarter than they are. Take heed.