The dogs at Soggy Bottom farm lead an idyllic life. They have free run of 35 acres inside a fenced pasture. Prime wildlife habitat exists both inside and outside the fence line. There are plenty of wild animals in and around the farm to stimulate the dog’s interests. On one July morning, Libby, the old dog, was asleep on the couch in the main farm house; Barley, the self-appointed watch dog, was roaming the grounds as was her habit; Penny, who worked hard at being everybody’s best friend, was with Jean and me in our apartment.
Suddenly, Barley launched into a frenetic barking episode; she was in the pasture out by the gate leading to the wooden bridge over the creek. She was desperately trying to find a way to cross the fence that separated the pasture from the creek.
Penny heard Barley barking and wanted to go out. I let her out. She ran pell-mell to join Barley. While Barley remained in the pasture, Penny found a way through the fence and disappeared across the bridge to the other side of the creek. The barking increased as Barley focused on the brush and tangle around the base of an old cottonwood snag. I couldn't see Penny and I did not like the sounds that were emanating from the brush patch. Whatever was going on in that brush patch did not bode well for Penny; she was a young, playful dog but inexperienced in serious, aggressive confrontation; she was confronting some sort of perhaps dangerous creature in that brush. I could not tell which of the sounds coming from the brush were from Penny and which were coming from the creature. Barley was going wild in the pasture barking and pawing and charging at the fence.
I rushed to open the gate and cross the creek to find Penny. Barley bolted past me on the bridge and plunged into the beaver pond. She rapidly swam across the pond and charged into the brush patch. There was holy commotion coming out of the brush the likes of which I have never heard. Fearing the worst, I called frantically for Penny. And out of the brush she popped, she crossed the creek and came over to me. Apparently, Penny ceded her point-of-attack position to Barley. Barley and the creature that caused all the commotion were still going at it in the brush.
Then, the hisses, barking, and growling stopped. Finally, Barley came out of the brush carrying the limp body of a dead raccoon. She swam across the pond and deposited the dead raccoon at my feet. She shook herself and calmly walked back into the pasture.
It was not a big raccoon but it was big enough to put up a fight.
Miraculously, there were no marks on either dog.
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