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Chet Baker's Birthday Spanking

Thursday, December 12, 2013

Chet Baker chases cats. That's pretty much all you need to know. When he sees a cat he lights out like a black bullet and that cat gets gone, under a barn or car or up a tree.

We run several miles of a country road near our home that has cats all along it. Chet LOVES that road.
His first stop is a big pole barn full of cats. He runs round and round it and the cats scatter. I finally get him back and we go on to the next house. There is a brown and white pied cat there who has a loyal friend, a kind brindle German shepherd. She really is a wonderful dog, and she's been extremely tolerant of Chet's escapades. The first time they met he was chasing her cat friend, and instead of pulverizing him she just wagged her tail and touched noses with him. Wow. I was petrified for no reason. 



They've talked and sniffed and met four or five times, always without incident. 



But on this day, Chet surprised and startled her as he streaked right past her in hot pursuit of her cat friend. And, being a shepherd, she went to defend it. I don't think she had time even to realize who he was.

As Chet chased the cat under the latticework of an above-ground swimming pool, the shepherd grabbed him twice from behind.

She punched three big deep holes in his back and thigh before I could scream CHET NO NO NO!!

So caught up was he in the pursuit he didn't even seem to register he'd been punctured. The shepherd's back was up and her eyes took on a queer yellow light and I did not like the way she was looking at him after she'd pulled back from her attack.

I stroked and soothed them both, rubbed her brisket and told her I didn't blame her one bit for defending her home and hearth and friend. And I picked Chet up and carried him until we were past her personal space. I felt bad for both of them. 

Chet and I turned for home. He was running fine, but blood was oozing from the holes, and I was worried about the really deep one in his right thigh.

So we stopped at Jay's and he came out with a bottle of hydrogen peroxide and rinsed the wounds. "She got him pretty good there. Might need to close that one up." I agreed. It was nice to have a farmer look at him and clean him up. I was pretty upset. This is Jay with Chet in better weather and happier times. He loves Chet, always sings "My Funny Valentine" when we appear.



I took him home and washed his wounds and rinsed them with more peroxide and Betadine. It was clear something would have to be done about the big puncture. So I called Dr. Lutz and she worked him in around 5 pm.


She took him in the back and Liam and I, waiting anxiously, heard a single yelp from the OR. We heard it over the ridiculous yelping of a crybaby Cairn terrier who had nothing wrong with him except being anxious. Dr. Lutz told us that was when she had to remove an incorrectly placed staple. Chet's such a good patient. Won't bite, won't snarl, stands quietly while they do whatever they have to. A gentleman. At least to humans. Awful to cats and most dogs.

He slept the first two days, lulled by Tramidol and lots of kisses. 


Two days later, he showed a lot less bruising and pain. I took him off the painkillers, but he'll be on antibiotics until the staples come out in another week.

Liam is grossed out by the staples. I've gotten used to them.


He got his Googlespunk back on Saturday (this happened on a Wednesday around noon). Saturday was snowy and he went all humpty and raced circles around the house. He still didn't want to go for a run, though. I understood, and let him rest.



 This morning (Sunday December 8), he finally leapt up when I asked him if he wanted to go for a run. He even suffered his coat. Good choice, because it was 21 degrees and windy. In this picture he's very very cold, as we're just coming out of the driveway, and he's making that continuous "I'm cold" rasp in his throat.
We ran five miles. That's a pretty quick recovery if you ask me. Good work, Dr. Lutz!

 

 He posed for an excellent portrait atop a haybale in the snow. And I marveled that he's made it nine years without anything more serious than this happening to him.


Speaking of which...today Chet Baker turns nine. And what better way to celebrate this wonderful little doggeh than be being thankful that he's still here with us?

Than folding him in my arms and kissing the top of his apple head?


I truly don't know what I would do without him. Yes, Chetfans and Dog People. I'll be more careful with him. But these things happen when you live big, when you run 22 miles a week with your pup. I wouldn't have it any other way. We go together like tomatoes and cilantro, like kibble and chicken livers. He's my guy. The Best Doggeh in the Universe.


Happy birthday, CHET BAKER!!







31 comments:

Where the treetops glisten, and children listen to hear haybales in the snow.

Happy Birthday, Chet! You'd better reserve the chases to pestering those chipitymunks!

Scarey! But, I am glad you recognized it was not the big dog's fault. So many are quick to blame based on breed and size. Happy birthday Chet! Behave yourself as we all love you and want you around another nine years! Or more!

Aw Chet, that was a close call! I'm glad you're going to be OK and I hope you will think twice about chasing those kitties so you can make it to you 10th birthday without any more injuries!

Happy birthday, sweet Chet Baker! Glad you're okay and that the tussle didn't escalate more dangerously!

Happy Birthday, Chet Baker, and I don't say that to just anyone. We want you to make it to many more, so be more careful chasing those kitties not on your territory. (I know it is all your territory, but Muther will know what I mean.)

Heal fast, take your medicine, and enjoy the day!

Luv,
Kathy in Delray Beach.

Happy Birthday, Chet Baker!

Posted by Gail Spratley December 12, 2013 at 6:33 AM

Chet Baker, happy birthday!!! Your Texas wiener "cousins" will celebrate your day with extra chicken on their kibble. We salute your magnificent presence and thank Mether for sharing you with all of us - that is a huge gift. You make us all smile - hugs and a kiss to you. Aunt Weezy in TX

Happy Birthday to a spunky little guy who is lucky to have such a loving mother!

Happy Birthday Chet! I see you have not forgotten that the second part of your name is "terrier", but prehaps kittehs should not be on your vermin list. Especially kittehs with a German shepherd friend who has not forgotten that the second part of her name is "shepherd".
May you live long and prosper sweet Mr. Bacon. You are loved by many you will never meet.

Julie, please keep your dog on a leash if you can't control him! I would be OUTRAGED if you allowed your loose dog to come onto my property and terrorize my cats. It makes me so angry to even think about it! Imagine how you would feel if someone allowed their large, aggressive, loose dog to come onto your property and try to chase down and attack Chet Baker on a daily basis - that is exactly what you are doing. Just because you are personally not fond of cats does NOT make it okay to allow Chet to terrorize them!

Please, please, please put a leash on Chet. He is obviously not under voice control.

Bring it, Anonymous. That's why I've been here and blogging since 2005, for your free entertainment, edification, and your wrathful judgement. 1,751 posts, not all of them perfect. This is not journalism. It's a journal of a life. And you may feel free to castigate me anonymously, or you may feel free to go read other blogs, where people don't admit to their own imperfections and bear the brunt of their obvious mistakes.

Oh, absolutely. Life happens when you are living it.

Chet Baker, you get better. And avoid your old friend sheperd, she might not want to see you again!

I'm afraid I agree with above Anonymous a bit. It would be one thing for him to chase off hordes of cats that descended on your property, but it sounds like he might be trespassing if those are not feral cats that he chases. However, I am relieved that the german shep nailed him on the rump and not his throat! I'm sure he will give a wide berth to that spot in the road from now on!
Happy Birthday Chet!

Happy Birthday Chet Baker! You should just stick to dreaming of chasing kitties, it makes life easier on those who love you.

Julie, Chet Baker is your dog and you do what you think is right by him. Don't allow "anonymous" people to rule your roost. Crap happens, no matter how careful we are.

Thanks, Sharon--he does rout feral cats off our property. And he was absolutely trespassing in this instance. Which the GSD reminded him of, none too gently. We won't go by there any more without a leash if we ever go by again. For those who don't run 22 miles a week, it's hard to find a country road that isn't full of feral cats and protective dogs. We pick our stretches carefully, unfortunately guided largely by how many of each we might encounter.

I like your friend Jay. The fact that he was home and tended to Chet's wounds and gave Julie an opportunity to talk about a frightening event soon after it happened was neat. It reminded me that despite the choices we make or the events we encounter there will always be "valentines" along the way.

Posted by Lucy from MN December 12, 2013 at 11:06 AM
This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.

You are entitled to your opinions but at least have the courage of your convictions and put your name on the comment.

Whoa, what a mixed bag of comments on this one. First, Chet, I'm happy you've made it to 9! And sorry you had to get stitches. Loved the story about Jay the farmer helping out with first aid for you. Doesn't get much sweeter than that. People helping people helping dogs or whoever ambles by. I do think some people have very strong feelings about what dogs are "allowed" to do when out & about. Allowed to do toward other creatures. I can get there myself depending. But it's Chet's birthday, so that's my focus!! Glad you and your Mether are so close and go running together! <3

That <3 was supposed to turn into a heart, but guess that only happens on FB!

I reread my comment and wish to add to it. I did not mean I was glad the GS attacked him, rather that he only got his rump. I had a neighbor's dog come into my yard, grab my cat and rip his throat out years ago and have never forgotten it. Another time a dog came into our yard and ripped open our little innocent dog's stomach. So based on that, it seems to me that Chet did a good job of protecting his soft spots. I wish him a speedy recovery.

Anon, your cat was "loose" as well and free to roam beyond your property. Domestic "pet" cats belong indoors.

While I do not endorse loose cats or dogs, I really do not endorse "anonymous" posts to a blog. Grow a pair. Really.

Hi Julie,
Wasn't sure how to get this info to you, but I've come across an interesting FB site that you might be interested in. It's out of Australia and the name is:
Writings Of A Wildlife Carer

Another FB friend had shared its site & it was about a bat, so of course I thought about you and your bats!

Anonymous needs to get his/her head screwd on straight. Cowardly, anonymous, anti-Mether or Chet posts will not be tolerated by the fan club. :\ Julie, I am glad you choose to share your daily life and Chet Baker with us. It is a privilege to enjoy this Blog and Chet's Facebook page each and every day. Happy Birthday to The Bacon, the cat-chasing, squirtle-chasing, gorgeous Boston boy that is Chet.

I loved this. Consider adding to your favorite book list: "Dog Songs" by Mary Oliver

Happy birthday to Chet! May he run many more miles down snowy country roads.

So glad the damage was somewhat minimal. Thank you for this post; musta been a hard one to write, but harder to experience.

Run on!

wow. i only wanted to say that my scientist cousin told me NOT to use hydrogen peroxide on wounds, bad for tissue. its no longer in favor for wound cleaning. there are some articles etc on the interweb. glad chet is ok

Happy Belated Birthday Chet! So glad you are on the mend.
Lynda in Michigan.

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