Choya Was A Bad Girl

From friends playing to a fight, and nipping. Choya and Maddie had a spat. I couldn't tell who started it, and what the triggers were. I only knew it escalated very quickly within five barks. They were playing-then-fighting very near us. I pulled Choya away and the friends scooped up Maddie. I wished I could have reacted faster.

Choya is double-coated. She would be fine. I turned to Maddie straightaway. The girl had a dozen scratches and a puncture on her left hind leg. I grabbed the bottle of diluted iodine and wet a cotton pad. Then I applied pressure to the wound. When that wound stopped bleeding after a minute, I was relieved. It could have been much worse. *shudder* It wasn't a deep puncture and didn't require lavage or stitches. BUT, it was a wound and it was a bit close to the femoral arteries. It hurt. The poor girl would favor the injury and limp for a few days. I was thankful that I had just completed the SkillsFuture Canine First Responder course; the knowledge gleaned calmed me.

We were mortified and very apologetic. The friends were really understanding about it. And being seasoned pet owners, they weren't too worried about Maddie. Heartache lah. It would cause them trouble to have to consider the dog's playtime and nurse her wounds. It was a relief to know that apple cider vinegar worked its magic, and Maddie healed in three days (at least for the wound to scab over properly).

We scolded Choya immediately so that she could connect the dots and know that her actions weren't approved or allowed. (When we got home, she had to stay in the naughty corner for the rest of the night. No cuddles and no treats. We ignored her. She wasn't allowed out to roam and play.) She seemed contrite and knew immediately that she did something wrong. She bowed low and laid on the tummy, and came nearer to try to see Maddie. They nosed each other again before we left, and both were calm. But you never know with dogs, I'm not going assume. This reminds me that I cannot be less watchful around the dogs, especially when this Shiba Inu is a basal wild thing,

Many playdates ago. I very much prefer Choya to submit to Maddie.