Faith and the bear

 

To set the stage, Faith is our youngest Alaskan malamute.  She is Eli’s sister and ½ of the pair we call “The Hobbits”  She weighs only about 60 lbs, but has always had the same tendency her mother, Hope, had’ really reeeeeally liking to rumble with other dogs.

Yesterday, I sat down for a cup of coffee.  Without any warning all the cats bolted from their sleeping position and puffed up bigger than I had ever seen. They all four became like combat cats, slinking along the floor, hissing and growling.  Seconds into to this the Hobbits, who were in the backyard, exploded in nasty growling, snarling and venomous sounds I had not heard from them.  I could feel the vitriol.  By the time I reached the dining room door…..and I did not dawdle, the pyrs were doing the same in the pasture.

I stepped out on the back yard deck to see Eli frantically digging at the ground by the fence.  Faith was climbing the fence and on the outside of the fence was a bear, standing on his hind legs. Thankfully he was backing up, but the Hobbits were not letting up.  The cacophony of the Hobbits raging along with the Pyrenees and the bear, who can be quiet loud by the way, was piercing and echoing.  I ran to the fence and grabbed Faith by her scruff just as she was topping the fence.  Cujo looked like a mild puppy compared to the face that looked back at me.  She quickly returned to her sweet Faith face.  I did not turn loose of her until she was safely inside and in her crate.  The bear had run off somewhere in this timeframe.  Eli really did not want to come inside and he is much more difficult to convince to come in, because of his size, but he did come in. 

 

Next I went to the pasture.  Nieve, Wheeler and Jazzie were in full protection mode.  I told them what good dogs they were, but they really didn’t listen.  For two hours those three stood guard over their charges.  Wheeler took the NE corner.  Nieve took the SE corner.  Jazzie patrolled the perimeter.  The alpacas stayed huddled in the barn.

My guess is the bear was ambling along and came upon us.  I saw no sign of aggression from him….just a real desire to get away from that little Tasmanian devil-like Faith.  We all survived.  I came back inside and brewed some chamomile tea.  I thought maybe I didn’t need the caffeine rush anymore.