Mike's German Shepherd loves me and that's a problem

[Don Wittenberger]

I met Freddy, a 3-year-old German shepherd, while staying with Mike on my Merwin trip this month. Mike adopted Freddy this summer. After I arrived at Mike's place, a couple things happened. First, Freddy snatched the piece of deli chicken I was trying to eat for lunch out of my hand. Maybe that's when Freddy fell in love with me. In any case, he now likes me better than Mike, possibly because he thinks the food would be better at my place, I don't know, I can't read a dog's mind.

We didn't take him fishing with us, but Freddy sure tried. When I drove off for the boat launch, he ran after my vehicle for more than a mile down the highway before Mike caught him. He even slept with me.

I've been back home in Seattle for 11 days now, and Mike tells me Freddy is still moping. He misses either me or the chicken. There are worse things than being liked by a dog, such as being disliked by a dog with big teeth, but my wife and I had a Great Dane that wouldn't eat dog food and had to be fed 1 or 2 whole chickens every day for 10 years, and I don't want to do that again. That dog slept with me, too, and I don't want to do that again, either. I want someplace for my legs when I go to bed. When our dog crossed the rainbow bridge (insert crying emoji here), I put my foot down and told my wife, "No more pets." The homeless cat moved in a week later.

Some years ago Mike had a black German shepherd named Gus, who knew me well. But one time I showed up when Mike wasn't home, and Gus was guarding the front porch. I said, "Hi Gus, remember me?" GRRRRRRR. I smiled and waved. "Gus?" GRRRRRRR. So I got the hell out of there. Later, when I returned with Mike, Gus was fine. Dogs are territorial, and Gus's territory was the porch. Freddy's territory appears to be wherever I am, and that's a problem. I suggested Mike buy some deli chicken the next time he's in town. Maybe that'll get Freddy to bond with him. I'm open to anybody's ideas. I don't want Freddy showing up on my Seattle doorstep and then having to take him back to where he belongs.

[Amx]

LOL

[Don Wittenberger]

I wrote this so newcomers to our sport will realize musky fishing isn't as simple as getting in a boat and casting lures. It can involve sleeping with dogs, too. Some of us will do anything to get on the water.

[Amx]

Oh ya, many dogs in my past, used to run an 11 dog team of sled dogs. The one I have now wanted outside, so now he is getting sprinkled on, so I'll have to dry him off a bit. He is almost 3 years old. It is 1:25am just now.