When Dogs Chase People

The first strange event that I remember was in high school. I worked for our local veterinarian. When I started my job I was a "kennel technician." This is a nice way to term the job title of "pooper scooper." Basically I cleaned cages, walked dogs, and made sure everything was nice and pretty for the next day.

At one time there were two dogs boarding there while their parents were away on a fun-filled vacation. There was a little toy poodle and a gargantuan great dane. Mommie decided they should not be put in separate cages at all. We just had to keep her babies together. Being the caring people we were, we assured her that her dogs will be fine and in the same cage.

The first and last time I had to talk these two precious babies was an interesting experience. I put a leash on each dog and took them out side. It was hard keeping up with the great dane and not suffocating the toy poodle. My solution? Let the great dane run around the yard by itself while I walked the smaller dog.

It worked out very well. When it was time to go back in, the dane came right back and I put on her leash. I think to myself that I am the master kennel tech for figuring this out. I get the precious pups back inside and down stairs (yes there are such things as basements in Florida. Our kennels were kept in a basement). At this point the marvelous great dane decided she wanted to be the one to walk her poodle.

This dog literally grabbed the leash from my hand with her very large teeth and started running away! I am downstairs, alone, with this massive oooooffff of a dog that decided she is now boss. I try to get little dog away from her but she just growls and shows me her very large teeth again (the better to eat you with my pretty).

She drops the leash and little dog runs to me (who I proceed to politely throw in small kennel). Big dog did not like this and starts to chase me around barking and growling. The master kennel tech I am decides to jump in her kennel and lock myself in. Am I still the master if I'm in the cage and the dog is doing as she pleases???

After jumping up on the cage and barking/growling a few times she wonders away. She was distracted by the food bin at the end of the room. I see this as my chance. I open the cage and bolt for the stairs. I hear her behind me. I am going up these stairs as fast as I can and I know she's right there with me. I make it up, slam the door, and BAM! Big dog didn't stop at the shut door. She knocked her big head full of big teeth on it. Hahahaha!!!!!!!

At this point my coworkers look at me like I am a wild, crazy woman. I guess it doesn't help that I'm panting, have a crazed look in my eye, and laughing at the fact that the dog almost knocked herself out. I calmly informed them that the great dane was out of her cage and that she needed someone to go down and help her. I would be taking a break and not ever walking that dog ever again. I did not tell them I hid in a dog cage.

I didn't have to walk her again. The two dogs were not kept in the same cage as the bigger one saw fit to walk the poodle herself. I swear that dog laughed at me the rest of the time she was there. She knew that I was not quite the master of kennels that I pretended to be.