Soldier Dog

Yesterday afternoon we had a frightening thing happen.

My husband opened up the door to walk up our sidewalk to get our mail.

He left the door cracked open a bit as the dogs were sitting with me, here in my chair. Dora Mae next to me. Thelma Lou in the ottoman.

WIthin seconds Dora sat up and started a growl. Within another split second she and Thelma Lou tore through the door and I heard horrible noises in the yard.

My husband was yelling. Dogs were fighting. And I ran out into the yard to see a large dog with Dora Mae. My husband was yelling over the large dog, trying to get him off without being attacked at the same time.

It seems that while my husband was walking up our sidewalk, our neighbor had his dog off its leash and it charged my husband. In our yard. My dogs in defensive mode, ran to protect him but forgot they are each 15 pounds of short hound.

The maddening thing is that the neighbor stood by doing nothing to get his dog off mine.

As I started yelling too, flailing my arms and screaming along with my husband's screams, the other dog let go of Dora. I ran to the door to let her in while I went back for Thelma who was crouched behind a tree. She had followed Dora for moral support but managed stay safe. Husband picked her up carefully and carried her towards the house.

"Is your dog on a leash?" I asked the neighbor.

"Is yours?" he asked.

"Our dogs came out to protect their human who was charged by your dog on our property."

The neighbor merely laughed. He thought it was funny, I guess. I would have thought an attorney would have been more serious about the situation.

Heading into the house the dogs were shaking. The humans were shaking. I spent the rest of the evening with my soldier dog on my lap, checking her out, making sure she was okay, and loving on her.

Dogs are loyal critters and this long wiener dog is no exception. I adore my Dora Mae.

....but there is a friend who sticks closer than a brother." Proverbs 18:24

In many ways, she reminds me of my Savior: Jesus. So many qualities of His love are demonstrated in this simple critter of a dog. Sticks with me through thick and thin. Always there. Loving. Companion. Protector. Steadfast. Trustworthy. Gentle. Faithful.