Jaws.... a land shark story

As I write, Sweet Pea sits at my side and stands as a testament to the arduous week we now have behind us. Monday was the final goodbye to Chaps manhood; at least his ability to reproduce. Accompanying Chap to the vet was his buddies Taco and Rocket with Sweet Pea in tow as well. Daisy went for a different purpose as she had found a way to cut a gash in her leg and was in need of repair.

Hell week started at Jenn and John's house as they volunteered to take all the pooches to the vets appointment early Monday morning. From what I hear, John spent quite some time Sunday night with young Chap extending his continuing education in submission; this, a contributing factor in Chap's new career in acting.

The doggies returned home on Monday evening, both groggy from medication, so we left them in their containers until the next morning. Sweet Pea took most of the week to recover and it was only yesterday that she began to show signs of life to me. Some around the house said she too was a great actor as in my presence she was a lethargic helpless pooch but when I left she became active, playful and of all things jumping like the flea that I know her as. But as soon as I return she's back to helplessness... poor poor Pea.

Chap became the exact opposite of anything I've ever seen or known him as... the young master became a ball of unchained energy that paced about like a shark, never stopping but constantly on watch for his next victim. I thought it best if I didn't move but to sit still, be quiet and the great white might not notice me for hope that my life be sparred for another hour. Pea was a great excuse for me as I could sit and watch this beast as he moved about the room never stopping and always on the prowl. My logic was fouled and the shark chose to attack anyway. He attacked over and over and over again, relentlessly and without conscious; it was so primal and instinctive in his methodology. My playful hands became shark food and Sweet Pea's behind became the greatest desires of his affection. All of the education we've extended to that day was lost seemingly lost forever.

So I decided to try to play him to death, what can it hurt, he's got to get tired. So when I returned home from work, I played every game I could think of... chase the mokney, fetch the ball, chase and kill the monkey and fetch the ball; over and over and over again. I spent almost four hours non-stop until Bonita returned from work. Not a single minute of peace and solitude was extended me for my giving. Bonita played with him a couple more hours and still the shark relentlessly ensued. This little shark had become the "Jaws" of our house and no one dare enter the waters that he tread without fear of being devoured by the young masters energy and unchained commitment to continuous movement; never yielding but for the moments of sweet passion and lust for the young cougar, Sweet Pea.

I recalled from my past a command that I used on Cleo, our first dog. Cleo was a beautiful black CockaPoo that just loved to play. She could fetch a ball all day long and only to stop for a round of chewing the ball to slobber it up well enough so that she could find it in the woods or tall grass after the toss. The more hidden the ball, the greater her pleasure and a well hidden ball provided me five minutes of solitude before the next round. Cleo had an immense amount of energy so I trained her to stop and sit of the command of "time out". It worked quite well for her so my thoughts were that it could work for Chap. So Thursday night was more playing and during each short session I would use the command to "sit" and then followed by "time out". To my happiness, it was working. I've found the young master to be quite intelligent and quick to learn and with each command he would sit panting and waiting for me to restart the game. Once he'd calmed we'd be on to the next round.

It was Friday night that Jenn and John stopped by for dinner; Chap, now Jaws loves to play with them. I told them of Chaps new command and response. John decided to use it but to our suprise, Chap would slowly lay down on his side and then roll over on his back. It was so cute... and the first signs of "bang bang ... you're dead." Jenn and John started planning their next challenge of training which was to convert "time out" into "bang bang". It was a very short training session for Chap as he is proving to be a master of communications. Within the evening he not only mastered the command from everyone in the house ... but me; but would fall over dead without a sound from John. All John had to do was form his hand like a pistol and point it at him and act like he was shooting. Chap would simply and slowly fall over on his side and roll over dead... all sprawled out laying flat and still until the applause of his audience prompted his playful acknowledgement and return from the dead, yet ready for another romp.

Quite a week and now Sunday, Jaws is gone and Chap is back. This loving and intelligent young terrier whose stolen our hearts and continues to impress us with his self confidence and intellect. Sweet Pea has found her way back to playfulness though still is on watch for the relentless land shark to return.