It was Rottweiler Abbey’s trial day with me at the dog park. She was being tested and she didn’t know it–her obedience was mandatory for future trips to doggy daytime paradise with Uncle Adventure Paul. I alpha’d myself during the walk downhill to the park, keeping her on a short leash behind me as I had seen Cory do before. I stood tall walking this magnificent full bred rotty through West Asheville.
Luckily for me, and for Abbey, I’ve been coming around since she was a puppy and have been to the park a dozen times in the past–however, always with Cory, her owner, and not just the two of us. Today was the first time.
She has a history of temper tantrums when it’s time to leave and I wasn’t looking forward to the idea of chasing a giant Rottweiler through the French Broad River, her favorite wet place to be at the park.
Rottweiler Abbey is obsessed with the river. A couple times she’s dived in at spots too steep to climb out. I remember once a concerned older couple staring at her splashing around violently (her normal swim).
“Someone should help that dog! That poor dog is in there. Do you see it?” they asked random walkers. The couple was concerned, but not enough to do anything about it, because they left before we made it up to the scene. She was fine of course–she can swim for hours. I’ve seen it happen.
Half an hour later the old couple walk past Cory, myself, and Abbey and whisper loudly, “That’s the dog from the river. She made it out.” I hope they slept better that night knowing Abbey was okay. Her potential doggy drowning death shall not reap havoc on their conscience this time.
Adventure Paul would’ve jumped in the river if he thought a dog was in danger of drowning. “All in a days work,” I’d say to myself as I wrote about it later on this website.
Abbey and I had a great afternoon together. She passed the test. Like you, my loyal readers, she listened to my every word. I showed off how well trained she is to the other dog owners, commanding her to “Sit… Down… Wait…” before throwing the ball.
Then Rottweiler Abbey did something that isn’t supposed to happen when her owner isn’t around.. she took a mad dump all up in the fenced in area of the park where all the owners gave me a concerned look wondering, “Is he going to pick that up?” I was wondering the same thing.
I quickly listed my options:
1) Leave now. Don’t make eye contact with anyone.
2) Wait for all the witnesses to leave the fenced in area and then escape. All the new folks none the wiser.
3) Pick it up.
4) Pick it up and throw it at an unsuspecting bystander.
What would you have done? Take this poll.
The option I chose is below this picture.
Which option did I choose?
C. I picked up the poop.
What would you have done? Take the poll and see the results.
