| ABC Dog School |
| HELP THESE DOGS |
| Log 2009 |
| copyright 2009 Carole J Sulser |
| January 15, 2009 - Bubblegum comes over dragging balled lup cable. January 16, 2009 - It's below zero this morning! I'm so worried about the dogs. I'm almost out of cat food. Tried to buy Diamond last week, but they were out. Using my Purina for outside cats. I put some out for Mamba and Lewis before I go to work. Next time I look, it's all gone! I know they didn't eat that much. I see dog tracks in the snow, into the garage, and a trail made by a balled up cable. Guess who! It's minus five when I go to bed. I hear dogs barking. Very disturbing. The trailer is dark. I think the neighbors are spending the night elsewhere. The dogs are on their own. They're on their own even when their owners are home! January 17, 2009 - It's about four degrees when I check at nine AM. Don't know what the low was last night, but was supposed to be colder than night before. Accuweather had said minus seven for yesterday morning, but coworker who lives nearby had -14. This aftenoon I see Brownie sleeping on the ground in front of his box. His cable gets caught on fence, so he probably can't get into the box, I go out to take a picture of him and see "Puppy Mama" by Grizzle's pen, so I take one of her, too. I go out about four PM to start my car and get mail. Find cat dishes empty, one halfway to the garage door. This was not done by cats. About six PM I'm feeding downstairs dogs when I hear raised voices next door. Sounds like an altercation. I wonder if it's the humane society. No trucks. I'm relieved that the neighbors aren't having that hideous experience, but disappointed that the dogs are still having theirs. It's getting dark when I see the Mrs. in the yard. Looks like she might be feeding. Puppy Mama is running around having a big time, and Creamy, too. Then the Mrs. grabs Puppy Mama and drags her toward the shed on her hind legs. She's kicking at her and Creamy, who keeps trying to play with Puppy Mama. It's almost dark; no lights in the trailer. Then they leave in the car, and as they go down the drive, Creamy runs across in front of them. They keep on going, and the dog is left running loose. Late, and I hear a horrific yowling over there; low-pitched, like someone desperate for help. It's chilling. I heard a similar sound a year or so ago. I wonder if someone is hanging, or strangling, or freezing. I go out to the frontmost dog yard, but it's too dark to see anything, and now it's quiet anyway. Creamy runs out from the front deck and barks at me. I don't think those people are staying here during this cold weather at all. January 18, 2009 - Today the Mrs. comes home to feed. I see a red hatchback pulling out; same car as last night. Must be daughter and son-in-law's. I notice that Brownie can get into his box. This evening they come back and leave again. I'm impressed! Twice in one day! No sign of Puppy Mama. Lots of tracks in the snow across my back yard and into the garage. I hear puppies yelping, sometimes in the shed, sometimes across the yard where the rabbit pen is. Star's aren't in her pen anymore. When the neighbors leave tonight, Star is on her box barking at them. She comes close to tipping off the back of it. Not enough cable for that. No one seems concerned for her safety. Maybe because she's still alive after all she's been through. Hardy little soul! January 19, 2009 - A tad warmer now. Eighteen this morning. Brownie is sleeping outside his box this morning. No one else in sight. I hear a commotion while I'm feeding. I hope someone is over there. When I come home from Coshocton this afternoon, their car isn't there. Library closed for MLK Day. January 20, 2009 - Early, and Yellow Dog is out barking and lunging on a chain. There's a tangled up cable attached to his neck. It's partially wound around the chain, with loops flying about, dragging the ground, getting in the way of his feet. What would be the purpose of that? The dogs see someone at the trailer. Then Creamy runs out to Brownie and rolls over. Brownie is holding a cold foot up. Shortly before this, he was in his pen eating something. Snow? Poop? Bitter cold this morning. Six degrees. My dogs come in on three legs. No sign of the Mrs. yet. When she feeds there's pandemonium. The Mrs. feeding, 11:15. She's walking around with a red plastic bucket, pouring water into bowls and plastic jugs. Yellow Dog drinks for a long time. She goes to the shed, where there is a dog, or dog and puppies, and then goes back again with a shovel. Maybe going to the shed where she keeps cats. Dogs barking, 12:45, looking in different directions. Star almost falls off the back of her dog box. Goes back into pen and tries to climb out the back side, hind feet halfway up the fence. Seems to be having a problem. Tries to get back down, but caught on fence, front feet up on fence. While she's struggling, I'm trying to decide who to call and how to get a photo. She gets down, but her rope is so short she can't get halfway across the small pen. She's getting desperate. Now she tries to climb out the side, and gets caught there, too, front feet off the ground. A few minutes of that and she's back down, and getting more agitated. I call the dog pound. Talk to someone named Tammy. A few minutes later the Mrs. comes out. She stands there looking at Star, as if wondering what the big deal is. Then she goes around to the back of the pen and tries to free the rope. Then she hauls Star over the fence. I wonder where she's taking her, but later I see Star back in the pen. I'm in hot water now, I suppose. She didn't see the dog caught on the top of the fence like I did. January 24, 2009 - Pandemonium! Now what? I finally see the cause - a hunter on the hill across the road. Later, Creamy comes over with one of the cats. They make themselves at home under my pine trees. The calico cat comes several times and eats in the garage. Bubblegum comes over several times. Seven PM and there's pandemonium again! This time it's Creamy running around the yard; comes up to my front dog yard. Then I see what the commotion is. Bubblegum is with him. Then I see another dog. It's the red pup. He hikes his leg. The two males follow Creamy around, showing interest in his hinder parts. I'm assuming at this point that he is a she! Looks like there are more puppies in the making. Is there no end to that woman's stupidity??? Going to be in single digits tonight. I hear puppies crying across the yard. Haven't seen anyone home over there all day. They came in late Friday night, but I don't know if they stayed. January 25, 2009 - Around one PM, I hear the dogs. Mrs. probably feeding after church. I see her in back yard with a food sack, but no water bucket. She's pointing at the Yorkie pen and yelling at someone. The Mr, comes into the yard; walks around and looks at the back side of the pen. I wonder what I'm getting blamed for now. I check front yard and see Star and Bubblegum both in Star's pen! On tethers! What the heck??? Later I see only Star, but her rope is too short. She can't get to her box. The Mrs. is leaning over the fence trying to loose the rope. Too bad there isn't a gate. Checking later, I see she maybe has a little more rope, but not enough. It's snowing. Star will be wet. I wonder if she slept out in the cold last night - 12 degrees when I went to bed. I don't see Bubblegum. I'll get a photo when they leave. Mrs. is wearing long skirt. Probably on her way again, as usual. Things quiet down. Maybe they're gone. Oops, now the Red Dog is loose and he's in the front yard with Creamy. Brownie is in attack mode. No fight - Red Dog walks away. I get a photo of the action. There's a black and tan on top of a pen. I don't know who it is. I take another picture, this one from the front dog yard. There's a red pup standing on something on the far side of the pens. Red Dog and Creamy are between the sheds, barking at me. I see no car. I get another photo of the Yorkie pen. It's a disaster! I decide today's the day I get pictures from the other side of the pens. I bundle up, taking camera, binoculars, walking stick, a rag to wipe snow off camera, and glasses case. As I walk by, Red Dog, Creamy, and a black and tan bark and come toward me. I move toward them, and they back off. I don't know who that b&t is. After walking almost to the church, and back across the field, I'm feeling winded. It's probably not a good idea to be tramping around in the snow and cold alone at my age, so I consider it a dry run. I cut down to the road at a spot where I can enter the field the next time, and eliminate a lot of walking. The dogs threaten me again as I go past, but facing them and claiming my space works well. I'm not home very long when I see a strange car next door. There's someone sitting in it, with the motor running. Dogs barking and looking toward the trailer. Dang! Bubblegum is still in Star's pen! Neither of them can get to the box. There are at least three yellow plastic jugs in the pen. |