A Premature Death

Dogs rely on their humans for everything. Food and water. Shelter. Medical care. Play. Companionship. Love. And to keep them safe from harm.

Too often, their humans let them down.

This time it was two young dogs playing in the backyard without supervision. They played rough - chasing each other, rolling, bumping, and running. They mouthed each other's ears, scruffs, tails, and legs, sometimes pulling one another by a body part. Dogs do it all the time. This time, however, normal play ended in tragedy.

Have you ever heard a dog screaming in pain? When one of these pups went for the scruff of the other, he got collar instead. His lower jaw got caught in the other pup's collar, causing immediate pain. As he frantically twisted, jumped and whirled to get loose, the collar on his playmate's neck got tighter and tighter.

By the time the owner got outside and separated the dogs, the strangled pup was in dire condition. She was rushed to the emergency vet, where she went into cardiac arrest, was given CPR three times, and finally - even though this sweet puppy started the day strong and healthy - she died, her lungs filled with blood.

You are your dog's guardian. Take the job seriously.

Earlier this year, my Bark Radio co-host, Terry Griffith, experienced a similar incident with his Cattle Dog, Surrey. We talked about it in an episode of the show called "Not Ready for the Rainbow Bridge".