A Dingo Ate My Tennis Ball

Remember back when I said I think Amicus has a thing for Ozzies, well, he recently befriended the most Australian of all Australian dogs, a Dingo.  Yes, a real-life full-blooded Dingo named Honey, and yes, the Dingo ate my tennis ball.  I’ve never seen a brand new tennis ball disappear into shreds more quickly in my life.  She has teeth like scalpels.  When she growls, it’s a different sound than a regular old dog; it’s wild and mad like the entire Outback just opened its jaws and said stand back!  Amicus definitely watched his P’s and Q’s around her, that’s for sure.

When we were leaving the park, Honey jumped right into my car along with Amicus and I said to her owner, “Thanks for the Dingo,” but of course, Honey’s owner wasn’t having any of that.  It’s cool, though, because how many people do you know who can say, “I had a Dingo in my car.”

Other new friends I must mention are Jet, an eight-year-old border collie/lab (I think a lot of borders must be missing their collies), Charlie, a cocker spaniel who likes to bark and jump up on people, which his owner is trying to curtail – curtail, what a perfect word to use in connection with dogs, eh – and Hector who is a little dog with a mighty spirit, but I can’t remember what kind he is.

Amicus has no fear of dogs, he absolutely loves meeting new dogs.  If they show any aggression, he just avoids them.  Unfortunately, he is still wary of people, especially men and especially when people reach for his head.   I hate to think what his previous owner{s} did to put this fear in him.

It makes me sad to think of someone putting that kind of horrible negativity into any dog, but right now especially Amicus because he has such a sweet loving spirit and wants so to please.  I bet when he was a puppy, he trusted everyone; that someone took that beautiful innocence away from him totally reinforces my commitment, no matter how long it takes, I will help Amicus trust again, help him to trust like a puppy trusts.  Amicus needs to access his inner puppy.  “Here, puppy, good puppy!”

What a journey we’re on!