Pyr Pressure

          I awoke to barking I had not heard before…And I thought I knew 'em all.

         There’s the happy bark that yelps, “She’s Home!” And the hungry bark that says “Let’s eat!” There’s a low, gruff bark that commences to a steady pitched bark when a cement truck or school bus drives by, which is nothing compared to the steady loud bark for things coming up our drive. 

          There are growly barks for the occasional bone debate and a long, slow, guttural growl if you dare get between TJ and a new stuffed toy.

          There are threatening “get back or I’ll bite” barks (usually done while under the porch with a bone with teeth showing) and there's one very specific “Don't you EVEN think about stepping on our porch” bark when a stranger comes near.

          But the barking that woke me this morning was none of these. It was 5 am; the whole pack was barking incessantly. Given that Pyrs are nocturnal (sleep all day/bark all night) I’m used to night barking and have more or less learned to block it out. But this was different. It started loud, and would then fade into the distance, then it would ramp back up again… It was continuous, and it wasn't about to quit anytime soon. The dogs were seriously upset about something.

          I must confess, my first reaction was to reach for a second a pillow. A high pitched yelp and I’m out the door in 10 seconds flat. But this was group bark. Whatever it was, they had each other's backs. It didn’t alarm me so much as it woke me. But with no break in the pattern, I couldn't ignore it.

          Tossing on jeans and boots I head to the door when I instantly spot the problem: two unwanted guests. From where I was standing I couldn’t make out if they were German Shepherds or possibly coyotes, but whatever they were, they were after the goats.

          The outside animals were stalking the parameter, looking for a break in the fence, (hence the volume change of dogs first on this end, then on the far end). TJ kept the goats in check; the other three maintained their side of the fence~ and back and forth they went.

T

          The intruders ran off with a porch light and a loud "HEY!" But I gotta say, there is nothing more beautiful than a Pyr doing its job (unless it’s 4 Pyrenees doing their jobs).