HELPING MOM COPE

 I was very shaken by the news of the death of Elder Clara, and while I was talking to Debbie on the phone that night I,  of course, began to cry. The dogs had been sound asleep, but gradually the sound of my distress began to filter through the Basset and Belgian dreams.

Cooper was the first (as usual) to determine that Mom was in need of comfort and cuddles, and as fast as he could, came out and buried his face in my lap, climbed up to lick my face-- it always makes him crazy when I am upset--and keep in mind I am still on the phone at this point, with Cooper bumping my arms and trying sit on my lap, wagging furiously: "It's ok it's ok whatever it is it's OK: I'm here, Mom, I'm right here. Stop now. Whatever it is I'll take care of it.  We're ok we're together." His efforts, always slightly frantic, make me laugh...

Three feet away on the bed, Conley is watching this. Hey wait! That's MY job. And he is off the bed and pushing Cooper out of the way to grab at my arms, climb up to reach my face to lick, bouncing up and down on his back feet. He nearly jerks the phone out of my hand: I am still trying to talk to Debbie...
"mom!Mom! I'm here!! See I'm here! What's wrong? We're not out of biscuits are we? It'll be fine. I'm here!"

And it makes me laugh until.....

I hear the first ominous, low, very agitated growl emanating from an insulted Belgian.

Now I am sitting in chair in a little cubbyhole, between the printer (which doesn't work) and the computer and the dog crates. I have nowhere to go, I am trying to talk to a fairly hysterical friend who is driving a car and nearly blind with tears, and I have two dogs facing off virtually on my lap. Cooper, easily offended by the Bassets, is growing angrier. Conley, who knows perfectly well what he is doing, continues to push Cooper back and I now see his hackles are up. Sweet Little Conley is not going to be second dog.

As I continue trying to talk, Conley turns and says something very gutteral and probably gutterish to Cooper, whose growls have now escalated to a dull roar. Pushing Conley off me, I inadvertantly push him directly into Cooper, who assumes this is the beginning of the attack and responds in kind: Conley, never one to back away, launches. This brings Nigel and Llewis charging out to take the side of whoever is winning......and I am clutching the phone and kicking out at the snarling pack. Conley is now on his back with Cooper chewing on him (they have so far never drawn blood) when the Cavalry arrives in the form of Husband, who wades in and separate the combatants using feet and a spray bottle. Conley is hustled into his crate: Cooper banished to the other room. Nigel and Llewis sigh and go back to sleep.

Debbie has by now gotten home safely and we hang up.

Who would have thought helping Mom would cause such chaos?
Only another dog person....

               I'm coming to help, and you better not get in my way....

                              No! I"LL help. Get out of my way!!!

                            Do I detect a disturbance in the Force?