Pages From Life

[That Guy With Maus]

Maus is my dog. How she got her name is a story in itself. But I just wanted to tell you about her relationship with her leash.

When Maus first came into my life I picked her up on the way to a camping trip with my family. She was eight weeks old and I don't think I've ever seen a cuter puppy (as I'm sure everyone will agree). Being a diligent new dog owner I had already purchased a food dish, some chew toys and a leash.


Getting ready for our first walk I clipped the leash to her little collar and off we went. As puppies are want to do she began to run in any particular direction she thought would be interesting. It wasn't long before she realized that she was being held back from her frequently changing goals by a mysterious force. Then, out of the corner of her eye she saw it... this mysterious force was a strap that was somehow connected to her neck.

She began to fight with this strange strap by biting and tugging at it. Thinking she had won the fight she'd turn and begin to run again only to be restrained. So the battle continued alternating between running, tugging, biting and shaking her mortal enemy in her teeth. Her perserverence was commendable and bordered on obsessive.

After the short walk ended we returned to the campsite where I unhooked the leash and set it on the ground. When she saw it laying there she walked over to it, picked it up in her teeth, shook it in her mouth and threw it back down to the ground. With a smug look of victory on her face she looked at her fallen foe, turned and went about the playing she had been trying to do.

Living in a city with a leash law she quickly learned that the leash represented the thing she loved to do the most (other than sit on my lap). Whenever the leash was hooked to her collar it meant that she would soon be going out into the world to run and play and smell all the things that were out there to experience. While on the leash she would meet new and old friends of both the canine and human variety, some of whom would have treats in their pockets. It was a wonderful time that she looked forward to each day and it began with that leash being hooked to her collar.

It was almost comical to see her sit excitedly every day as I picked up the leash and clipped it on. And each time I knew that even though she was excited to have it connected she still hated that fact that it restrained her freedom to experience the world. So that excitement quickly turned to frustration each day as she'd tug on the leash in an effort to get just a little closer to something she wanted to see or smell. You would think that the twenty-six foot long retractable leash would be enough, but it never is.

She's not a little puppy anymore. She's full grown and gets plenty of exercise every day, and that makes her a very strong dog. She's broken 3 retractable leashes and has exhausted 7 different types of collars and harnesses in my futile attempts to keep her from tugging on the leash. I've since learned that there's no device in a pet store that will keep her from wanting to go just a little bit further than the leash will allow.

Over time I picked up some tricks that get her in a frame of mind that will keep her from tugging too hard on the leash. But whenever it's connected to her collar she just wants to go a little bit further than it will allow. The most difficult part for me is that when the leash holds up it's my arm and shoulder that have to give. Many days I came home from our walks with a sore shoulder from her efforts.

The funniest part of all of this is that when I unhook the leash and let her run, she usually stays just a few feet away, closer than her leash would allow.

[T L Cole]

Sounds like Maus holds all her energy in until the leash goes on. Ready for a battle on a daily bases.