The One with a Cat and a Goat

It had to happen sometime.  I've been worrying about this since we got Hurley, our rambunctious wrestling puppy.  It happened last night. 

Let me set the scene.

'Twas a beautifully sunny June evening.  A rarity here in Portland where the sun doesn't seem to come out until July.  I was enjoying both preparing dinner and the sunshine with open windows and doors while I chopped at the kitchen counter.  Sadie, the ever faithful, was hanging out with Mom while Maggie & Hurley, the ever playful duo, were doing their thing in our backyard.

It was just as the water started to boil for my pasta that I heard the blood curdling screams start in the backyard.  It's amazing how quickly your thoughts race as you react to such a scenario.  As I turned to rush out the back door, I quickly ruled out a dog fight.  Blood curdling screams are not the sounds of a dog fight.  Not unless one dog is getting its arse kicked but that is usually accompanied by fighting sounds from the aggressor.  No, my precious dogs were not fighting.  As I exited the door from the kitchen to the sun room, I saw my two locked jaw to collar, circling each other panicked.  Shit!  Hurley went and got his jaw stuck in Maggie's collar!  Round and round they went, neither able to get free, both screaming at the top of their lungs.

As I sprint to help them apart, I start shouting  "It's Okay. It's Okay" at the top of my lungs.  'Cause Mom running full speed at them screaming "It's OK" is totally going to soothe the panicked pups. 

As I slid to the ground next to them, I put my hands on each and they began to slow.  The second they ceased their panicked circling, Hurley was able to get his jaw free and Maggie got as far away as she could.

This all happened in about 15 seconds.  15 seconds of heart racing panic on all of our parts.  They were apart and just beginning to do the makeup butt sniffs when the Hubster arrived at the back door, panting from his sprint up the stairs. 

"What happened?" he asked.  After I explained the jaws caught in the collar, he said "It sounded like a cat and a goat were being murdered in our backyard."  Yup.  That's exactly what our dogs screaming sound like.  Hurley the cat and Maggie the goat. The cat and the goat who were back to their wrestling ways a couple hours later, sans collars.

It took me an hour and a vodka drink to stop shaking.  I prefer not to take off my dogs' collars at home.  Even though they're micro-chipped, a tag with our information is the quickest route back to us should something happen.  But from now on, I think Maggie's will have to stay off.