Rollercoaster
Since I last posted, everything's gone a bit upsidey.
My Meggie is better. We think she had concussion. I called my sister and told her to bring the kids 'round to say goodbye and, by the time they came 'round, Megs was starting to pick up. She's got a bit of a lump under her eye and her legs are shakey, but she's absolutely fine again.
You can see it on the right in these pics. Bless my Megs.
We've no further news on my Uncle, but he's still with us.
And then... there was something which just pulled the rug from under us.
My sister's dog, Ozzie, has had a sort of schizophrenic character. He's gone for kids before, bitten one of the neighbour's kids and Doug. His mother was an agressive dog and one of his brothers was put down for pinning his owners son to a wall. However, Oz, other than those isolated moments had never overstepped the mark; his "going for" kids was done in ways which could be seen as protective, he bit the neighbours son who was an arsehole and tormented him, and Doug was dragging Oz along the floor at the time he bit him. So, they were seen as unacceptable but negligable. We also made allowances for the fact that he was nervous of new people; the instruction was always for people to ignore him until he went to them; and it worked. He needed the time to decide.
However, this all took a nasty turn for the worst a few weeks ago. He adores my neice, G, but he went for her completely unprovoked. They were all sat on the sofa and suddenly he lunged at her with his teeth bared growling up a storm. She legged it and he was chastened. Later, I said to my sister, in a "it'll never happen" way, 'if he does this again, you have to think seriously about having him put down'. Then Nik and I dogsat for them for a week and Ozzie was a complete star. He never put a paw wrong. They came home and, on Wednesday, my sister went to work and left G and my nephew J at home with Oz. She came back to find the kids in tears; Ozzie had, unprovoked, bitten James. It wasn't the worst bite, though it broke the skin and made his hand swell, but it was completely unwarranted. So, on Wednesday, my sister and her husband had to make the sort of decision which all dog owners dread having to make. J wouldn't go near the dog, G thought he hated her... Linds and Doug couldn't trust him. And so, on Wednesday evening, they took him to the vet and had him put to sleep.
Without doubt, everyone was heartbroken. Linds, Doug, G (J is autistic and doesn't do predictable grieving, but I know he loved Oz and will miss him), my mum, dad, me and Nik, Nik's mum (who thought he was beautiful just from seeing pictures, Linds' neighbour and their kids... it's really upset people. And yet, we all know that you can't allow a dog to threaten your kids or other people's. Oz was a cross between a spaniel and a labrador and big, muscular dog; what he could have done... it's a terrifying thought. His outbursts against G and J were unproked and unexpected. However, the side we have grieved for, is the dog who ran around in circles chasing his tail for sometimes 5 minutes at a time. He would cuddle up to you for hours. He loved having the bottom of his back scratched and his ears pulled. He would bounce up and down at you and give you big sloppy kisses. He'd stand between you and other people if he thought they would hurt you and his favourite visitor was always his auntie Suse...
So, to Ozzie; a much loved dog who was put to rest for his good as well as others', rest in peace.
Oz Dog.
My Meggie is better. We think she had concussion. I called my sister and told her to bring the kids 'round to say goodbye and, by the time they came 'round, Megs was starting to pick up. She's got a bit of a lump under her eye and her legs are shakey, but she's absolutely fine again.
You can see it on the right in these pics. Bless my Megs.
Click to viewWe've no further news on my Uncle, but he's still with us.
And then... there was something which just pulled the rug from under us.
My sister's dog, Ozzie, has had a sort of schizophrenic character. He's gone for kids before, bitten one of the neighbour's kids and Doug. His mother was an agressive dog and one of his brothers was put down for pinning his owners son to a wall. However, Oz, other than those isolated moments had never overstepped the mark; his "going for" kids was done in ways which could be seen as protective, he bit the neighbours son who was an arsehole and tormented him, and Doug was dragging Oz along the floor at the time he bit him. So, they were seen as unacceptable but negligable. We also made allowances for the fact that he was nervous of new people; the instruction was always for people to ignore him until he went to them; and it worked. He needed the time to decide.
However, this all took a nasty turn for the worst a few weeks ago. He adores my neice, G, but he went for her completely unprovoked. They were all sat on the sofa and suddenly he lunged at her with his teeth bared growling up a storm. She legged it and he was chastened. Later, I said to my sister, in a "it'll never happen" way, 'if he does this again, you have to think seriously about having him put down'. Then Nik and I dogsat for them for a week and Ozzie was a complete star. He never put a paw wrong. They came home and, on Wednesday, my sister went to work and left G and my nephew J at home with Oz. She came back to find the kids in tears; Ozzie had, unprovoked, bitten James. It wasn't the worst bite, though it broke the skin and made his hand swell, but it was completely unwarranted. So, on Wednesday, my sister and her husband had to make the sort of decision which all dog owners dread having to make. J wouldn't go near the dog, G thought he hated her... Linds and Doug couldn't trust him. And so, on Wednesday evening, they took him to the vet and had him put to sleep.
Without doubt, everyone was heartbroken. Linds, Doug, G (J is autistic and doesn't do predictable grieving, but I know he loved Oz and will miss him), my mum, dad, me and Nik, Nik's mum (who thought he was beautiful just from seeing pictures, Linds' neighbour and their kids... it's really upset people. And yet, we all know that you can't allow a dog to threaten your kids or other people's. Oz was a cross between a spaniel and a labrador and big, muscular dog; what he could have done... it's a terrifying thought. His outbursts against G and J were unproked and unexpected. However, the side we have grieved for, is the dog who ran around in circles chasing his tail for sometimes 5 minutes at a time. He would cuddle up to you for hours. He loved having the bottom of his back scratched and his ears pulled. He would bounce up and down at you and give you big sloppy kisses. He'd stand between you and other people if he thought they would hurt you and his favourite visitor was always his auntie Suse...
So, to Ozzie; a much loved dog who was put to rest for his good as well as others', rest in peace.
Oz Dog.