SnikPlosskin
03-21-2012, 6:39pm
Ahh, Uncle Thrakk is tired from a long day at the coal mine. He's had a few lemonades and is feeling talkity. Grab your Snuggly and gather 'round for another tantalizing tale that is Thrakk's life. All 100% certified true.
Thank You Max Von Stephanitz. I owe you my family.
I lived in a pretty middle class neighborhood outside of Milwaukee, Wisconsin. My wife and I owned a small (700 sq. ft) home with a nice, big yard. Our driveway was 70 feet long in the front and the rear was large enough to host a tire swing and a large garden. Perfect for kids and German Shepherds.
Behind the house, there was an alley. As one traveled down this alley, the traveler would find himself at a dead end. At the dead end was a chain link fence. That would be my chain link fence. The choices were simple: turn around and go back up the alley, or jump the fence.
About two miles away was Bayshore Mall. A quaint little mall with all the usual mall stuff. Sears, Macy's, teenagers, mall walkers, armed robberies - the usual.
On a calm, humid summer night, the wife and I were enjoying a quiet evening watching television (probably cartoons) and coddling our year old son. Our two German Shepherds, Levi and Django were out in the yard, likely doing what dogs do (which involves sniffing, bung holes and eating feces). All was good and as it should be.
A few words about Levi and Django. Levi was a runt in the litter but he was super smart and had a very long coat. He had a weird habit of rushing people to greet them. Generally this resulted in him scaring the shit out everyone. He'd run at them barking fiercely with his hair standing on end - all three inches of it - creating the illusion of a rabid wolf. In his heart, he was just glad to see you and all this bluster resulted in the licking of a lifetime.
Levi:
http://i87.photobucket.com/albums/k130/ThrakkorzogPJM/LeviXMas.jpg
Django was the opposite. Weighing in at 112 lbs of lean muscle, he was exactly what a GSD is supposed to be. Dominant, aloof, smart, affectionate and very calm. Unless you happened to jump the fence in the middle of the night. Then, you had a serious problem named Django.
Django:
http://i87.photobucket.com/albums/k130/ThrakkorzogPJM/Django_in_actionLR.jpg
Around 10pm, our lovely, relaxed evening was interrupted by Levi and Django barking. Now, people that own dogs know there are different barks. There's the "give me your sandwich" bark, the "I've got to crap" bark and the "Holy shit, it's time to kill" type of bark. There was no question, the barking we heard was the latter type.
As I walked out the back door to see what the commotion was about, I witnessed Django deftly removing some guy from the fence by the back of his thigh. Levi was bristling, snarling and barking. Django effortlessly tossed the guy to the ground as if he was a rag doll. A screaming, crying, freaking out rag doll.
My first thought was "uh oh, neighbor kid going to sue me". As Levi and Django cornered the guy in the yard (he cowered in the corner of the fencing as the dogs alternately threatened him) the scene erupted in squad cars.
From the front yard and the rear, at least ten squads skid to a stop, sheriffs and cops deploying with shot guns and M16s - converging on the cowering guy.
I heard "Get your dogs in control and get in your house. He's armed!" I replied "How the hell am I going to do that?" I shouted commands to my dogs and after a few tries, I was amazed that they both obeyed. I ordered them "inside" and, while they grumbled in protest, complied.
The bleeding guy decided this would be a good time to run. His mistake. The cops unleashed a demon named "Cody" another K9 who wasn't interested in cornering and holding. His interest was biting the living shit out of this guy.
It wasn't long (a matter of minutes) that the guy was in custody and the gun was located (Good dog, Cody!).
The cops told me the guy was running from them from the mall where he robbed a couple at gunpoint. He ran up the alley, hit the dead end and jumped my fence. Then, he saw 200 lbs of GSD's coming after him and attempted to jump back out. Didn't work out for him.
Here's the thing. There was only one way out for this armed, repeat felon. The noose was tightening behind him and in front. The only route was into my home through the back door.
If not for my dogs, I can't imagine what would have transpired. No doubt a hostage situation.
I'm pretty sure Max Von Stephanitz had no idea his new dog breed would end up being so heroic in so many situations. He was just trying to create the most intelligent herding dog ever.
The idiot who jumped my fence got a lesson in herding that night. And we will never live without a couple of GSD's at our side.
Thrakk out.
Thank You Max Von Stephanitz. I owe you my family.
I lived in a pretty middle class neighborhood outside of Milwaukee, Wisconsin. My wife and I owned a small (700 sq. ft) home with a nice, big yard. Our driveway was 70 feet long in the front and the rear was large enough to host a tire swing and a large garden. Perfect for kids and German Shepherds.
Behind the house, there was an alley. As one traveled down this alley, the traveler would find himself at a dead end. At the dead end was a chain link fence. That would be my chain link fence. The choices were simple: turn around and go back up the alley, or jump the fence.
About two miles away was Bayshore Mall. A quaint little mall with all the usual mall stuff. Sears, Macy's, teenagers, mall walkers, armed robberies - the usual.
On a calm, humid summer night, the wife and I were enjoying a quiet evening watching television (probably cartoons) and coddling our year old son. Our two German Shepherds, Levi and Django were out in the yard, likely doing what dogs do (which involves sniffing, bung holes and eating feces). All was good and as it should be.
A few words about Levi and Django. Levi was a runt in the litter but he was super smart and had a very long coat. He had a weird habit of rushing people to greet them. Generally this resulted in him scaring the shit out everyone. He'd run at them barking fiercely with his hair standing on end - all three inches of it - creating the illusion of a rabid wolf. In his heart, he was just glad to see you and all this bluster resulted in the licking of a lifetime.
Levi:
http://i87.photobucket.com/albums/k130/ThrakkorzogPJM/LeviXMas.jpg
Django was the opposite. Weighing in at 112 lbs of lean muscle, he was exactly what a GSD is supposed to be. Dominant, aloof, smart, affectionate and very calm. Unless you happened to jump the fence in the middle of the night. Then, you had a serious problem named Django.
Django:
http://i87.photobucket.com/albums/k130/ThrakkorzogPJM/Django_in_actionLR.jpg
Around 10pm, our lovely, relaxed evening was interrupted by Levi and Django barking. Now, people that own dogs know there are different barks. There's the "give me your sandwich" bark, the "I've got to crap" bark and the "Holy shit, it's time to kill" type of bark. There was no question, the barking we heard was the latter type.
As I walked out the back door to see what the commotion was about, I witnessed Django deftly removing some guy from the fence by the back of his thigh. Levi was bristling, snarling and barking. Django effortlessly tossed the guy to the ground as if he was a rag doll. A screaming, crying, freaking out rag doll.
My first thought was "uh oh, neighbor kid going to sue me". As Levi and Django cornered the guy in the yard (he cowered in the corner of the fencing as the dogs alternately threatened him) the scene erupted in squad cars.
From the front yard and the rear, at least ten squads skid to a stop, sheriffs and cops deploying with shot guns and M16s - converging on the cowering guy.
I heard "Get your dogs in control and get in your house. He's armed!" I replied "How the hell am I going to do that?" I shouted commands to my dogs and after a few tries, I was amazed that they both obeyed. I ordered them "inside" and, while they grumbled in protest, complied.
The bleeding guy decided this would be a good time to run. His mistake. The cops unleashed a demon named "Cody" another K9 who wasn't interested in cornering and holding. His interest was biting the living shit out of this guy.
It wasn't long (a matter of minutes) that the guy was in custody and the gun was located (Good dog, Cody!).
The cops told me the guy was running from them from the mall where he robbed a couple at gunpoint. He ran up the alley, hit the dead end and jumped my fence. Then, he saw 200 lbs of GSD's coming after him and attempted to jump back out. Didn't work out for him.
Here's the thing. There was only one way out for this armed, repeat felon. The noose was tightening behind him and in front. The only route was into my home through the back door.
If not for my dogs, I can't imagine what would have transpired. No doubt a hostage situation.
I'm pretty sure Max Von Stephanitz had no idea his new dog breed would end up being so heroic in so many situations. He was just trying to create the most intelligent herding dog ever.
The idiot who jumped my fence got a lesson in herding that night. And we will never live without a couple of GSD's at our side.
Thrakk out.