Good Dog Tanner. I Know You Tried.

by Carrie Boyko, CEB


We're running photo free today, as this image would not be a pleasant one. (experienced and written while still in my pj's) I hope you find something useful in the touching nature of the story, though. It will be good to hear a Retriever's take on appreciating life:

We're all a little sad this morning, even as it is Father's Day. Upon rising and taking to the yard for the morning constitution, Tanner found a baby bird that apparently fell out of the nest during last night's thunderstorm. There was a lot of wind and hard rain. Obviously the little one didn't make it. What was so touching was that Tanner gently picked it up with his mouth, carried it to the front step and carefully placed it there for me to "deal with". He sat with it and guarded it until I returned with Oliver. He looked at me with forlorn eyes, as if to say, "My little friend didn't make it through the storm, huh?" 


Tanner enjoys the fun of a critter chase as much as any dog. But each and every time (3 or 4 events maybe) he has cornered a raccoon, opossum or rodent, he has reacted in the same way. He sat, once cornering the game, and looked at it sadly. The fun part of chasing was over now and he didn't seem to know quite what to do with this cornered critter now that he had it there. 


The last such  event was epic. As I approached to ask what he had found, I saw two beady little eyes looking up at me with no apparent fear. It had become clear to this little coon that Tanner meant no harm, now that he  got the little fella (or girl?) cornered. Actually, poor Tanner's DNA seems to given out once the chase was over and the prey was his. He simply wouldn't hurt the animal. Is this normal? I don't know, nor do I care. I'm glad I don't have to deal with a flacid racoon on the doorstep, at the close of Tanner's tag game.


I bent down and hugged him as he guarded the dead baby bird. When I took his face in my hands his eyes did not meet mine the way they normally do--sparkling and affectionate. He looked down at the baby bird and dropped to the ground by the step beside it, laying his head on the step. He was mourning this tiny little birdie. How cute is that?