WATCH OUT.........

Dodger, Mighty Dog, Kevin and I took a stroll in the park this morning around 11:00. Since these duplexes do not have areas big enough for Dodger to run and play and get good exercise, we have been taking her to the park and playing ball. It was a little to warm for ball, but we thought the dogs would enjoy just walking around the park and have a little fun. Very few people go to this park, for some unknown reason.

I should give an introduction to Mighty Dog; he is Kevins mothers dog. He weighs about 7 pounds and is about half the size of Frankie in Oregon. Mighty Dog is also 17 years old and although he loves to go for walks and explore, he does not like to play with our 80 lb Dodger. LOL. Also Mighty Dog is almost completely blind from cataracts in both eyes.

Since not many individuals use this park, it is great to let Dodger run and explore with us close by. Mighty Dog really does believe he is a Mighty Dog and does not bother to listen to the word stop or sit or come back; therefore, he must be kept on a leash. While we were walking around, letting the dogs go and have their space............I looked at Mighty Dog just in time to jerk the poor little guy about 10 feet..........a small (about 2 foot) RATTLESNAKE was coiled up and getting ready to strike.

I have never been so glad of my reflex timing, my heart stopped beating for several moments and then it was beating beyond control as I realized not only did I just save Mighty Dog, only moments before we were all just walking around in that area with not a clue in the world...any one of us could easily have stepped on it or been bitten. Since Dodger was not on a leash, Kevin told me to get the dogs away as quickly as possible and back in the car. He walked carefully around to the picknick table we had been sitting on (only about 7 feet away from the snake) and gathered up our stuff. He then informed me that very often if there is one, especially being small, they tend to follow one anothers trails and there could easily have been more.

I just do not know if I will care to walk casually in the park anymore! The thing is though, living in a community with only 391 people, snakes could care less that they are moving through a park or lawn. It is their territory we are invading, they protect their space just like we do ours.

I just thought I would share my First Rattlesnake adventure (SCARED SILLY)!