Too nice a day for this

Musket almost just killed Macha. I don't mean that as hyperbole, I mean it literally. When I got out there, she was lying still and had begun to lose consciousness.

Musket has no ears. These pictures took a lot of bribing.

They had been in the front yard for maybe 15 minutes. I was inside on my computer, working. I heard snarling and knew immediately it wasn't play growling.




I took a quick look out the window and saw Musket standing over Macha, she appeared to be submitting to him. She doesn't submit to him--she beats her brother up when he goes for her ball. There was no more fighting. But I took off running to the back door anyway, I knew what had happened. I should have stopped for the scissors in the kitchen, but I didn't.

It's only shocking they don't all look like this.

When I got to them, Macha had blood on her tongue and her muzzle was being held in Musket's mouth. She was limp but watching. He was bleeding from the mouth too, and her collar was wrapped around his lower jaw. Yes, I knew that could happen. I've heard stories. I knew he liked to grab collars when playing. He grabbed, she jumped and twisted, and suddenly they were in a lethal tangle. I knew this could happen.

Naked dogs, no collars.

But that didn't matter right then; right then, I had to get her free before she died from lack of blood to her brain and lack of oxygen to her lungs. How does one do that? Well, there would have been no way except that Musket was a good boy--he let me push his head closer to her neck and somehow I managed to get enough slack to get the slimed and bloody collar off his lower jaw, freeing  her to breathe, to live. 



He stood up and backed off, somewhat cowed by the incident; she got up and moved off, weaving, not trotting in a straight line. I went and sat on the steps and they both came to me for comfort. She was cautious of him, and he of her. The took a few laps of water and leaned on me a bit. She reached over and licked his muzzle a couple of times, checking in--all is well, all is forgiven.



Musket's jaw isn't broken, but his gums are bleeding a little. Macha seems to have bitten her tongue but no other wounds. He's got a little bit of blood on his ruff, his cheeks; she's got mud on her forehead and muzzle. I get mud and blood and slobber on my hands as I run my hands over them, checking for injuries

It's all very exciting to Musket.

I took their collars off, both of them.


They are living beings, things happen. But I knew of the hazard, except for that moment this morning when I opened the door and let them out together, collars on.  Did I forget, did I think it wouldn't happen? It doesn't matter. It doesn't take long for disaster and then there's no fixing things.

 
I am glad I heard that few seconds of serious snarling. I'm glad I recognized it. I'm glad I wasn't in the bathroom or out by the kennels. I'm glad the TV was off and no music was playing.


I need to remember this. As it is, I have blood on my hands this morning.

Musket's ready to get on with things. Macha's wondering how many cookies I have left.