We've been taking Tovarisch to Venice Beach since we got him, and when Ilka arrived she started going as well. Ilka is incredibly happy to meet people, so she fits right in. Tovarisch loves dogs, but strange people make him nervous, so it's been a real challenge for him to get comfortable down there, but he has.
The day started out overcast, so I figured that it would be relatively quiet down there, but as Robyn pointed out, I've been in LA for nine years and I still haven't figured out that the morning fog burns off. Anyway, when we arrived it was as crowded as any summer day.
We had a nice walk and met tons of people and dogs with both of ours behaving very well, with the minor exception of Ilka coming on strong with a few of the dogs she met, but she was there to fix that, so it was what we were looking for.
As we were heading back I stopped because Mr. T had spotted a water fountain and wanted his turn. Ilka and Robyn were standing just behind and to the left of us, watching as I discovered that the water fountain was a ruse as T was really interested in the pigeons just beyond the fountain.
Suddenly I heard the sounds of a serious dog fight, right behind me! I turned just in time to see Ilka being viciously attacked by a large (about 120 lbs) male Rottweiller, young and intact. He had come on with such ferocity that Ilka was caught off-guard and took a moment to kick into high gear. By the time she had really started to defend herself Robyn was trying to pull her away from the fight, but every time she got Ilka a little back the Rott would come in closer.
I grabbed Ilka's leash out of Robyn's hand and yanked back hard while giving Tovarisch the slack he'd been asking for with his nastiest growls. The result was that the Rott, who had been coping nicely, thank you, with Ilka's defense, suddenly found himself in a HEAP of trouble. Tovarisch, who hadn't so much as lunged until I slackened the leash, was all over the Rott in a heartbeat.
It was all happening so fast that I could barely see what was going on, but I know I saw tufts of fur coming off the top of the Rott's head. The owner came running and as soon as he got close enough to make a grab for his dog I pulled Tovarisch back, hard, and yelled SIT!
Wonder of wonders, he did! Not only did he, but he sat patiently and quietly, as if we were in class, while the Rott struggled against it's owner, barking and growling as it was dragged away!
I could have kissed T, but I imagine to his mind he was simply doing his job. Why should he get emotional about his work? He had a job to do, he did it, and as soon as the Rott was on the way off, his only responsibility was to look for the next threat. No big deal.
The Rott's owner took him about 100 feet away to a grassy area and sat his dog down. Robyn and I checked Ilka over closely, thankfully no wounds. Tovarisch didn't need checking, he'd never been anywhere but in complete control. The Rott was bleeding rather nastily from a wound on the ear, but the owner would hear nothing of our offers of help. He admitted that his dog was behaving like an idiot and apologized for not having been holding the leash. He looked pretty happy that it wasn't worse, and so were we!
When we got home Ilka went straight to sleep and wouldn't consider moving until the evening. It seemed as though the episode was very upsetting to her. Tovarisch didn't seem to care one whit about the whole thing. I even believe that he would have been friendly if I had walked him over to meet the dog afterward.
The whole thing seems to have been a positive experience for Ilka, who was much more well-behaved on today's outing.
I can't imagine ever growing accustomed to the nobility of the LGD. Thousands of years of selecting for the best guardians has created a dog that has more class than many people I know. I couldn't be more proud of my guardians, and I feel truly honored that they are willing to be a part of my life. We on this list are among the most fortunate of dog owners!
Benjamin G. Levy, ben-levy@westworld.com
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