I, Danny

                                Early Works

As all the puppies do, I have been born blind. Luckily for me and my siblings, because we will be frightened even more than we already are. It wasn’t enough that we all for the first time entered a brave new world. Some kind of creature dressed as an astronaut in that silvery and shiny suit with goggles and wearing a strange woolen cap on, reached toward us. It picks up one by one and out of a smelly, choky but warm pit. If I wasn’t with any sight with only my nose to direct me to what is good and what it isn’t I would be very afraid. Later, I find out that actually it was Milica, the granddaughter of my owner Rose and not some huge monster that preys on newly born little animals. My owner Rose and her sister Antonia, another granny, prepared and dressed unsuspected Milica to this mission – retrieving poor newborns. They were so afraid for our benefit and shocked by the negligence of our own mother Katica. Poor older ladies aren’t that familiar about relations in the canine world. We were just fine down there, but nevertheless it is good to sense care and attention right from the start.

Now we could run around and across the yard, but we were all very tired and hungry, so after quick nourishment from our mother, we all fell asleep. In the meantime, another important human enters my life – it was my co-owner Jovan, cousin to my owner Rose. He was very upset when he heard that Milica had been down on a rescue mission.

-“What about if she was stuck there? What would you do then?”

I was awoken by his shouting, but that happened just for a second or two. When I got up after many hours of baby sleep, my mother was gone. My brothers and sisters looked in dismay but nobody has been concerned about us. However she returned with Jovan and everything was fine. Except the window for our feeding was very short, and we all had to jump one over another to get any food which hasn’t been sufficient enough. It happened regularly and as I made my first thought I concluded that my owner Rose was right and that my mother Katica isn’t really a fit parent. But she was the only one I had and I will have to do with that. One couldn’t choose one’s parents. Right?

In the following weeks our number depleted as agile Rose, former Red Cross official, offered here and there many of my cousins. I was destined to go at Jovan`s colleague from work. In that proper hour, he grabbed me in his arms, on the bike and that was my first time outside the yard into a brave new environment.

The Sun shined, it was very warm and nice weather. We went across the middle bridge, how it was addressed by Jovan, over the Danube River. People were smiling at me and the children waved.  I had blue eyes in that early stage of my life, and yellow-orange coat, golden rust is the official color for my breed. “My driver” dropped me off, but he has been called tomorrow by Tamara and her sister. Apparently, I cried all night and they couldn`t keep that kind of animal in their small apartment. So I have been returned back in the arms of my owner, as he paddled for us both. Newly born babies shouldn`t be left in the dark alone. Much later Jovan acknowledges that fact.

My destiny wasn`t assured. There has even been talk of tossing me and my body away in Danube waves. That shouldn`t be good for me, because I wasn`t sure I could swim at that time. In the end I would stay here side by side with my mother, which wasn`t much caring about it. Jovan has promised that he would come as often as he could to stroll both dogs. I will regard him in the future as my “walking manager”. He provisionally had the control of our movements; I manage to diminish that influence. If we are on a crossroad of some forest paths I stop just a meter in direction of one. The bearing of mine attention is clear, so Jovan often complies. Unless there is bad weather or he has some obligation to attend.  Some tennis or football matches.

Because I enjoy cuddling even more than it is normal, I always follow him in the yard with my muzzle pointing to his hand, so he introduced “the left hand rule”. It means he uses only his left hand to cuddle me, but leaving his right arm clean. We, the dogs, aren’t that sanitary, not by standards of men at least. This rule is alright for me, I don’t mind what he does with another hand as long as one is just for me.

                                First strolls

Although he takes us most frequently just over the railway tracks, along the path to the Danube beach – Officer`s Beach and further down the river, occasionally we go up to the fortress. And not just any fortress but Petrovaradinian – Gibraltar on the Danube, as it is known in history books. And the most beautiful thing about all that must have been the pheasants. These remarkable but elusive birds hide in bushes just in front of us and only my perfect smell can detect their presence. In the spring time, they are flying away to other bulwark or some lonely tree. I chase here and there or start barking under the tree both in despair and trying to upset my prey. Without any success. On top of things my master Jovan comments shortly and little bit imperiously “Pheasant 1 - Danny 0”, or “Pheasant 2 - Danny 0” or even “Pheasant 3 - Danny 0”, smiling ironically. This sting of a remark makes me bark ever more to prove him and the whole world wrong.

When he orders me to move along I disobey, so he has to wait for me to bark off my teeth or something or run around for at least 15 minutes. Finally, we are ready to go home, but I hear a distinctive call of another pheasant and the cycle can begin from the start. Despite all my efforts, there is still no score on my imaginary board on caught birds.

Why do I enjoy hunting them, you might ask? I`m not sure how to respond. I like chasing any animal, bicyclist or even runner. At one instance, at a local football pitch I spotted a pair of young racers, so I ran along. But the girl has been intimidated by my presence. I had to be put on the leash.

-“Do you want to break an Olympic record? I can release it“, Jovan said it with little irony. But the girl was too afraid to reply, so the boy declined and we departed in different ways. Too bad they don`t let me enter that competition. I would win medals, due to my tracking and jumping skills.

My mother favors chasing cats instead of birds like me. Barb wire or flat low tree isn`t obstacle if the cat is up or behind it. A group of Hungarian sightseers visiting our fortress, once part of their mighty empire, now only living in history books, spotted her madly barking at some wooden post. At close examination, they have noticed the cat high up, pretty scared. Like any tourists they have filmed the scene on their cameras. But some of that bloodline transferred on to me. For instance, on our way to the fortress, near the local library, around some tree there is always some fat grayish old male cat. It has been larger and larger every time we pass.

-„One day obesity will be the death of you“, my walking manager told the cat, hiding in the tree. Following month, as we were passing, the cat was already on a tree, but on lower branches. I saw my opportunity. I jumped on the trunk, despite the fact that I was on leash, and with my jaw pulled down by a unsuspected neighbor. However, he rolled into the ball and together with his fur I wasn`t sure where to bite for the fatal blow. Obviously this is not the first time that it is attacked in this fashion. As I was still on leash, Jovan didn`t let me go, we were fighting in a circle at his feet. Finally, one had to give it up. Unfortunately, it was me, the bustard scratched my nose and that hurt like hell. I let him go just for a moment and that was enough for my master to break me off my victim. The cat ran off, and I was very unsatisfied, watching it disappear with Jovan screaming and kicking my butt. I had it in my grasp, but that wasn`t enough.

Whilst my mother was still alive, all three of us started our stroll. We just reached the top of the railway causeway we have to cross each time we want to reach the little forest and the Danube bank just behind it. 50 meters from us a lonely cat appeared. Very scared of my mom and me it scurried down through tall grass away from us. We were all watching, having no time to move. Both dogs were on leash as Jovan always release us deeper in the forest fearing of a speedy train that might suddenly rush through. Evidence of many cats and dogs hit by locomotives can be found all year round. The cat was out of our reach but still racing in amazing velocity, like the devil is on its heels. There was only one car on the road between the cat and the safety of first houses. The unsuspected driver had no chance to see the poor animal until it was too late. Tall grass prevented awareness of both objects of near collision. The cat was run over. We heard some feeble hit, car bumper on living tissue or something similar. The cat is in the air just millimeters from tarmac. Somehow it made a 360 degree loop.

-“Broken spine“, Jovan whispered in agony for the poor animal.

Beyond any belief, when the loop has been done, and the cat felt the ground under it again, without any hesitation it ran off. Away from mad dogs and fast cars. No bark and without any comment from our human we went down the path, digesting the event along the way.

Another time, Jovan had to borrow ladders to bring down Miško, black small kitten, which fled from me to the top of the highest tree in the surrounding area. After that I got my share of beating. I wasn`t weeping as anticipated, so Jovan realized that I am a harder nut to crack than expected.

My first kill was near the bank of the river. Katica dug some holes very intensely, close to a barracks of Water Company. I wasn`t very impressed, but suddenly some brown, almost black little creature starts running from another hole behind her. I chase it and easily picked it up with my mouth. Now I have been followed by her with that thing hanging. I am not giving it away, although I wasn`t sure what to do with that. Mine pestering mother unwillingly steered me in the right direction. My kind  descendants from a wolf. I flip the head, and little the animal finished at my teeth and into my womb.

-„Bravo Danny, poor mouse“, Jovan cheaply commented. I felt silly but the deed has been committed. No purpose to cry over spilled milk or a single field mouse. God makes them small so we, larger animals, could prey on them and polish our hunter`s skills.

Of the other animals that I enjoy chasing so far I have crossed paths with some sheep, a herd of goats, where I nearly snatched a little one. On that occasion the owner and Jovan desperately tried to stop and catch me, but my ancestral instincts wouldn`t give away. In the end I was caught by the neck and got proper beating, again.

“My arm hurts me more then you can feel any pain“, he was furious. Next time, when we went into the woods, he picked up some stick. From time to time he lashes on me with that. I sob a little and that is it. Only one time he hammered me properly. First he tied me to a tree. Then he went off to find his slipper that he lost in a wild chase. Band together with a trunk and watching him leave I moaned more than after beating. Previously, I attacked a female German shepherd together with its owner. To set the record straight, her and her sibling attacked me in the forest, when I was juvenile. Now, there was a payback time. The other dog tried to fight me off. Unsuccessful, it ran up to the feet of its master. That was my moment. I attacked with huge immensity. Fierce combat erupted. Somehow Jovan pulled me off, but I broke free and struck again. After a lot of commotion they left, and my punishment was coming.

„Like dogs for fight“, Jovan later explained to whom will listen to him. I was satisfied. It was a good struggle and I prove myself victorious. That is very important, in the dog’s world, of course. From time to time he changes the stick. Currently he holds withy stick.

                                        Under The Fence

Behind the local school, just under the fortress, but hidden among lower ramparts and some trees, there is an equestrian club. The horses are in their stables but in spring and during summer they are in an open field protected by the fence with light current. Anyhow, the lower wire is half a meter off the ground, so I could easily pass beneath it as I did, of course. I like investigating whatever and wherever I can. My master thinks I could pass as a splendid inspector. Smaller horse on the lower part rejoiced my company. Encouraged I crossed up to the much larger one, brown stallion. At first he accepted me, but mine constant barking annoyed him, eventually. I didn’t realize I should leave and the fun was over. So he kicked me. Some will say it was a brutal act, but he was just protecting his living space. I ached and crawled away from the corral, where my master checked my leg.

-“Is it broken? How much would I have to pay for the vet you silly dog?”

Then he grabbed me in his arms and started carrying me back home. After we passed the school, I started to wiggle so he unwillingly put me down. The leg was bruised, but I could walk slowly but surely. My owner, Rose, was shocked and immediately she tended to mine wound.

-“No walk for a week! And no visiting horses anymore!”

Jovan explained to his aunt that there was another dog, which is astray but it lives nearby. It came down to the fence, barking but not entering the premises of the horse. It knows he shouldn’t go any further and they “communicate” nicely each one behind own fence, but Danny has to go in to inspect or something. I was quiet in the corner, but they both were still shocked.

Before that incident at the same place I had another, just a few weeks earlier. On the upper part of macadam road that leads to the club is some field with a cote for a herd of goats. That particular time as we were passing, on our way to the fortress, the animals were out on little meadow grazing. Without any hesitation, I started chasing them, nearly catching the smallest one. The owner of the flock together with Jovan tried to stop me, as well as the older members of the herd. That wasn’t an easy task, because my predecessor’s canine and killing instinct kicked in. Several times I nearly grab it for the neck and into the dust. Jovan managed to grab mine collar after a lot of commotion, but I released myself from his grip and the chase was on again. Finally, he succeeds to hold me properly and drag me away, at the same time apologizing for mine behavior. I wasn’t sure what I had done wrong, in mine genetic code is written running after any animal about your size or smaller. It is why humans bred us and why they keep us close to them. No more visiting horses or city goats, which are forbidden to nourish in the district where people live.

                                        Friends

There are some friends for me in the canine world. Paco, kind of a Pinscher, is a pet of my owner Rose`s daughter and her family. He comes with them, and sometimes he stays with us as a guest for a few days. He likes to make a mess. Blankets, sheets, pillows left unguarded finish quickly among his teeth. Once I joined him in this crusade against bedding. Suddenly, I heard the gate being open. I scooted away to my dog-box. Nevertheless, both of us got scolded. He is afraid of mine “walking manager” and he runs away from him leaving his meal untouched. Although he gets small portions of food, I don`t mind eating them. Every little free snack is good for me, that`s mine motto.

Another great friend is Buck, Rhodesian ridgeback. He is bigger than me with a smooth dark-brown coat opposite to my orange. Its breed is from Africa and is pretty rare here. His master got it when he was just a tiny puppy from Belgrade Zoo ward Vuk Wolf Bojović. This man is remembered for great affection towards animals of all kinds and sizes; in fact if there is Nobel Prize award for animals-lovers he would be for sure one of the laureates after Brigitte Bardot, of course, because he is also a gentleman. Interesting thing about the Zoo is that it houses alligator Muya for over 70years. It has survived Nazi bombing, NATO bombing, the rise and fall of Berlin Wall and many other events of modern times. For instance, he is older than the EU. He is alive and kicking, not kicking because he spends most of the time in the water and he lacks part of the foot, due to operation.  

When we meet, somewhere in the forest, because Buck doesn’t enjoy river baths and refreshment as I do, there is a lot of chasing, scudding and a little bit of friendly wrestling. He has a much smoother coat and huge ridge on the back. That is a precautionary measure to protect its spine from harm. In his old habitat huge cats live and the job of any ridgeback is to defend the stock from attacks – especially of lionesses. Male lions are larger but they only go hunting on really large prey like water buffalo or small elephants.

My friend has slim legs and is very agile. He likes my master and one time he surprises him by jumping on his shoulder and Jovan is more than average height for a human, around 191 cm.

-“Oops”, he was nearly frightened “if Buck is a wild beast he could jugulate my throat with ease”. Luckily for him it was just a game.

His diet is strange or rather peculiar for a big dog. Almost entirely vegetable mix like his master, except some frozen sea fish like picarel.

“I put him wild carrot, beetroot and wild nettle in a blender together with fish. He loves it. Look at him! He grazes wild nettle. I didn’t give him any today so he finds it on his own”, Ivan, Buck`s owner cheerfully explains. I often take several trunks of grass; it is good for the stomach. However I have no intention of eating those wild things. Thank you very much! I stick to my owner Rose cuisine and whatever I find along- part of a sandwich, some unguarded pizza, dead fish (it could be found when the Danube is retrieving suddenly, but you have to obtain a keen sense of smell) or dead and withered frog or snake during heat waves.

“Crunchy” is the term that coined one smart Jovan`s colleague when he explained to her how I like to eat whatever I find on the path along the Danube or in the woods. Although it seems disgusting for humans even to consider such food, it is much healthier than chips or other similar cookies that they all love for snacks, sometimes during the whole night.

Likewise at the Danube every day, rain, storm, sunny, too hot, one older man is jogging in his blue outfit the full track at “my path”. He isn’t a friend to me, at one time I chased around him. In my genus it is written to pursue any such being, so my “walking manager” had to teach me off with some slaps. My master saw him several times at the quay, running in same outfit as on this side of the river. Soon enough, he will run the length of the equator. Strange thing about him is that, according to Jovan, his every step seems to be his last, like he is to collapse at any given moment. Or he is a robot that is my opinion. I like chasing any animal, bicyclist or even runner. With all his skills as a teacher he managed, in time, to free me off this bad habit, as he calls it. There is no need to say that he used the stick more than once, but it worked.

On one occasion there were unexpected canine guest in our house. Actually Jovan and I have picked up some lost dog on a late and misty November evening. The pair of us lived alone in the large house because mine original owner Rose was in the spa recovering from hip surgery. He moved in for a week to look after me, although I am positive it was the other way around. So if you want to find out the whole story we have to go back to the summer of that year, several months ago.