Back on April fourteenth, I was walking the loop, like I do just about every day. I’d made it to the bottom of the canyon and was about to pass the house with the amazing dahlia garden. All of a sudden, the long-haired dog that lives there comes running toward the street. It’s running low to the ground and barking aggressively. I’ve seen this dog before and I greet it with my sing-song voice. We’ll call this Dog 1.
Meanwhile, another dog I’ve never seen before converges on us at the same time and starts jumping at me. We’ll call it Dog 2. Dog 2 is becoming overly excited by the attack energy of Dog 1. They both start following me and jumping up on my back and nipping playfully. I’m “nice doggie-ing” them and walking with purpose when Dog 2 bites my full hand and wrist.
Now, it didn’t break the skin, but I immediately go from friendly to fierce. I yell in my meanest Bad Dog 2 voice, “GO HOME” and it cowers with its tail between its legs. Fortunately I escape unharmed and have renamed this spot Dog Bite Lane.
Meanwhile, I get home and recount this story to Nate after school. Of course, he has a recommended plan. He’s watched countless survival videos on YouTube. His advice doesn’t involve carrying my pepper spray, which I do now, without fail. Instead he tells me, “Mom. Here’s what you do. If a dog bites you, you have to sacrifice one arm. So let it bite your arm and then you’re going to wrestle it to the ground and choke it out. Just use your other arm to choke it out.”
Advice from the YouTube Youth.