Last Updated on: 24th October 2014, 08:56 am
Wow! Without even meaning to, I just broke a kid’s heart! Hopefully I managed to put it back together.
I took Trixie out for her usual business routine. As we come out the door, we usually go up to the left into the bushes. If we cut to the left too soon, we hit a metal grate. I don’t care about the grate, but Trixie absolutely hates hitting it. I think it’s because her nails fit down between the slits. I sometimes call it the grate, sometimes the grill.
As we were coming back after she did what she had to do, Trixie headed the way we usually do. The only problem was all the kids were playing really close to where we would come back onto the driveway. For some reason, Trixie didn’t think of this as a problem until it was almost too late. Suddenly she was faced with a decision. Do I cross the grill? Maybe she’ll let me plough through these mini shrub things. Ah crap no. Hmmm. I can’t hit the kids. But the bushes are there if we go too far left and those are a lot of kids. Hmmmm hmmm hmmm! What to do what to do. I said to her, “Ah come on, I know you hate that grill, but just go!” Just then, the kids saw me and made way, all but one little kid, and I think it was a girl, because the voice said, “She hates what girl?” It was such a dejected voice, so heartbroken. I think she thought my dog hated her.
As quick as I could, I said, “No no, the metal thing. This metal thing. I sometimes call it a grill.” The voice never said another word. I hope she understood. That was so sad!
As an aside, it seems the kids and I have found a way to live in harmony. They don’t try and jump in front of her and give her treats, and if I think they’re anywhere near a relieving spot that I use, I just find another one. Plus she’s not such a novelty anymore. She’s just Trixie the dog who’s always around. Ah what a difference a little trial and error and experience makes.
