Alpha Males (Blackie)

At the crunching of the tan roadbed rocks at the bottom of our hill, Blackie’s head would lift, ears pricked. At the sound of the big truck engine down-shifting, he was off, a sable streak of canine conceit. With ferocious and incessant barking, he shepherded the big rig up the hill and down the straight-of-way as far as he was able to keep all four legs and noisemaker going. He would return to the house triumphant and dusty, one or more ears flipped back, and grinning widely. He could hardly wait for the afternoon load!1

The driver found our medium-sized “Heinz 57 Variety” (translation: thoroughly mixed multiple breeds of ancestry) mutt annoying. Our efforts to contain him in our yard had only resulted in multiple escape holes. He was one motivated digger when the highlight of his day was approaching!2

Having exceeded the limits of his patience, the trucker decided to teach Blackie a lesson. He secured a rag on the rim of one rear tire, so that it flapped when the wheel turned quickly, and headed out with his load of sugar beets. Blackie happily escorted him up the hill. As they reached the level road and picked up speed, the rag started to flap annoyingly. Watching in his mirrors, the driver slowed just enough for the yapping dog to catch up. Once teeth were sunk into the fabric, the truck sped up again. Drug by his grip on the cloth, the pooch was tumbled over and over along the unpaved road. Before long the driver slowed, and the dog was able to get his teeth free. 3

Filthy, sore and tuck-tailed, Blackie made his way home. Thereafter, the sounds of the approaching truck merited not even so much as a head lift. His furry chin lolled on unmoving paws as if to say, “Oh; that old thing. It’s not worth my bother!”4