« Wow! | Main | Another 'Un »

April 12, 2006

Discretion Better Part of Valor

What makes a pug a pug and not a cat? Courage! As Sollie demonstrated this morning, he has an almost ample supply. When I took him out early this morning, I noticed Sassy poised in waiting-to-attack mode over by the neighbor's fence. Since it was just coming daylight, I couldn't quite make out what kind of critter it was until I got closer.

It was a big ol' possum....with big sharp teeth that he was baring while hissing at the dogs and me. Big as in bigger than Sollie big. Not that Sollie minded. Much. He started barking his fool head off.

"If it weren't for this leash, I'd tear you limb from limb. Rip you to bits. Why I'd...I'd...I'd murderlize you" he seemed to be saying.

So I decided to see just how brave he was and gave him some slack on his leash. He took a step or two forward, and the possum hissed at him. Sollie promptly ran backwards to stand beside me, still barking in his most threatening manner.

"Yeah so there's some slack on the leash. It's not enough to reach you or I'd....I'd...I'd tear you to ribbons"

Cracked me up. Now I can't throw rocks worth a damn these days, but I pitched a few in the possum's general area, hoping to make him turn & run out of the yard. Instead of into the garage where he was headed when Sassy stopped him. (What a great dog!)

No dice. Ol' Mr. Possum continued to bare his teeth and hiss. Not caring to get possum bit first thing in the morning, I searched around until I found a fairly long, sturdy stick and whacked ol' Mr. Possum in the snout.

And if the mental image of me in my pj's & bathrobe whacking a possum on the nose with a stick while trying to hold on to a furious pug on a leash amuses you, well, glad to cheer you up. But I didn't want a possum taking up residence in our garage.

Believe it or not, the first whack on the snout just pissed ol' Mr. Possum off and he lunged towards me growling. Which was more than Sassy could take (NOBODY threatens the momma when she's around and I do mean nobody) and she started trying to break her cable to get at the possum. It took quite a few whacks on the snout to convince Mr. Possum that flight was a better option than fight, but he finally turned & ran out of the yard. We raised quite a ruckus before it was over.

Sollie gave him a few parting barks, and promptly ran over to where the possum had been....and peed on the spot, as if to say "Guess we showed you!"

Yeah right. If I'd left it up to Sollie, that possum would still be out there. The only thing he was scaring was himself.

But he did a real good job of that.

Posted by Rita at April 12, 2006 07:57 AM

Comments

I love pugs. If only for the mock bravado. And the fact that they're shaped like bullets.

Posted by: Keith at April 12, 2006 02:26 PM

Oh he's a killer, fight to the death. My death that is. Then he'd run away because there'd be no one for him to hide behind.

I think Sollie's shaped like a stick of bologna. hehe

Posted by: Rita [TypeKey Profile Page] at April 13, 2006 08:49 AM