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The smell of blood


Dempsy's Mom

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I have been in a jury this week for a nasty case - so things are a bit nuttier than usual.  I try to fit everything in but I am not doing a very good job.  Dempsy and Elsie are jumping at the door when I arrive home and anxious to get out and run.  Tonight I let them out the door before I got myself situated to go with them - once again, it wasn't but a minute - and when I walked out the door I could hear barking in the shelterbelt.  I did not hurry because I assumed it was a rabbit.

They were in a thicket of broken branches and rubble.  I climbed my way through it and I could see a coon curled up inside an old tire.  Big devil.  Elsie was spurting blood from her nose so I went for her first.  Took her to the tie out and went back for Dempsy.  Dempsy was not giving up - crawled back in and grabbed him.  As I was crawling out I saw the coon waddle over the tire and into the shelterbelt.  Dempsy seems to be ok - he just looks like hell.  Elsie has a chunk taken out of her mussel area and there is blood on her paw.  She is limping. The smell is of blood is sickening. I have cleaned her up with a rag but I am going up now to give her a bath and I will assess her more thoroughly.  You can't watch these little cairns close enough.

Ok - they both got baths.  Elsie's chunk was not a chunk it was a mass of clotted blood.  There are teeth marks under the clot.  I couldn't see them in the bathroom, but now that she is in the kitchen I can see the bite.  Her nose bleed stopped.  She does have a gash in between her toes, but that's probably from digging.  She does have a limp, but I see nothing and feel no major injury, probably a sprain.  She is now napping on the couch.  Dempsy looks fine - he was just filled with dirt and mud.  So all and all I would say we got out of that pretty well. I will have to see how Elsie is in the morning.  Now I have an old dog sitting at the kitchen table - suppose I better feed him.  I am tired and crabby tonight.

Edited by Dempsy's Mom

Elsie, Max, Meeko & Lori

 

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Idaho Cairns

Cairns don't fair well with coons--the average size of an adult raccoon is somewhere about 18-20lbs, more than a match for the average Cairn.  Moreover coons are much more capable of defense that one might think, especially with those prehensile front paws. 
Our only encounter with a coon was not good.  Our little Tootsie encountered one on our back deck late one winter evening and fortunately, the coon made just enough noise to alert us to the struggle (why Toots was so silent still confounds me) and when we got to the battle the coon was astraddle Toots, biting her on the neck!  Fran's screams and the deck being illuminated caused the coon to disengage and take off.  I know if the coon had another few moments, it would have killed Tootsie.  She was badly cut from her neck to her nose from the bites and the clawing she took.
When I was a kid, "Coon On A Log" contests were all the rage--a coon would be chained to a log out in a pond and guys would send their coon dogs out to try and drown the coon--it was not all uncommon for the coon to either badly injure or kill the dog during these events.  Learned to really respect how really tough raccoons can be from that experience. 

Edited by Idaho Cairns
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Yeah, they can be nasty.  Our breeder says that two Cairns can take a raccoon since they'll work together, but I never want Packy & Kirby in that situation.  Our friends have a Boston Terrier who has killed two raccoons all by herself!

Jandy and my Cairns, Kirby & Phinney 
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Good grief, Lori, you have had your hands full with those two lately!  I hope everyone is feeling better this morning - you included!

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Kind of glad, after hearing these stories that we don't have any raccoons in Edmonton!  It's hard to imagine that some terriers, like the Scottish Terrier were used to go to ground to go after badgers. I can't even imagine the mess some of these dogs were in after battling one of those! Although I have seen some pretty big and muscular male Scotties that wouldn't back down from anything. I remember many years ago when helping out at a vet clinic, a big bruiser of a Scottie that came in emerg after taking on a Doberman who. had  entered his yard. Both dogs were a mess, but the Scottie of course got the worst. He survived but it goes to show how tough most of the terrier breeds are and  decades and centuries of breeding for the purpose of killing vermin is so ingrained into them. 

I know Jock who was such a tough little fire brand would have gotten the same injuries that Elsie received because again, that terrier mentality was a very big part of who he was. Hope Elsie heals well and that Demps also stays away from those coons.

Until one has loved an animal, a part of  one's soul remains unawakened.  - Anatole France

Adventures with Sam &Rosie

 

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Poor Elsie  - do you think she learned her lesson or will she charge another one at some time? I know raccoons carry a lot of diseases so I hope she is okay. 

We get racoons in the city too, and sometimes they come into the yard because our fountain draws them. I have seen footprints...luckily Oban seems to think they are cats, and he is afraid of cats, having had a bad encounter as a pup. When he saw one, he backed off.

Hope things settle down out there in South Dakota. Maybe you and the dogs need to take some time out and visit the Twin Cities...

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10 hours ago, Idaho Cairns said:

..."Coon On A Log" contests were all the rage--a coon would be chained to a log out in a pond and guys would send their coon dogs out to try and drown the coon...

Ugh! If I could go back in time, I would change it to "Guy On A Log Contest"!?

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FEAR THE CAIRN!

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Wow, there's never a dull moment on the farm, is there? I'm glad they seem okay and hope you all get a good night's rest after all the 'excitement'.

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Terriers are tough but coons are dangerous. They may look cute but.........do not mess with them! So far Angus has been lucky - fingers crossed. A coon wandering in the day time round here is liable to be shot as they can carries rabies. Leave 'em alone Elsie.

Cairn terriers of old were used to bolt the sea otters from their den for hunters to shoot. They got into many a scrape especially if the otter was cornered. Tale I read once was of a cairn emerging bloody and wounded from a den with the otter still inside. His Scottish owner gave him a "wee dram" and back went in the cairn to finish the business.........apocryphal perhaps, but indicative of the cairn spirit.

Edited by Hillscreek
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Back from jury duty.  That's why I made the comment that I thought we came out of it fairly well.  This was one big coon.  Elsie was shivering last night - poor little sweetie.  I put her in bed with me and she allowed me to cover her up and snuggle with her.  Most of the night was like that - then she hobbled over to Jim's side.  Pushed him over - soon he complained and went downstairs and laid in the recliner.  :P  Elsie had a good appetite this morning, but she hopping of three legs.  The cut between her toes will take a while to heal.  She is loving all the love.  No, I don't think she has learned a thing.  And I think Dempsy has become cockier.  He thinks he's so smart because he got out of it unscathed.  He was just lucky and not as pursuant as Elsie. So no more walks without harnesses for awhile.  

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Elsie, Max, Meeko & Lori

 

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I can't help but laugh at these little dogs and their antics. At the same time I know the fear and concern you were feeling. I felt it last year when Kelly came running towards me with her neck all bloody. I was very thankful that hers turned out to be rotten tomatoes. I can't imagine what I would have felt knowing she had tangled with a coon. Poor Elsie!

I can see Dempsy's cocky attitude. Cute little dogs.

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