It all started with a geology trip I had to take down the Columbia Gorge. I needed someone to drive while I navigated and took pictures of the geological wonders along the Columbia Gorge. So, I asked my mom if she would go with me. She said she could, but we would have to take Charlie her very protective Dachshund.
We left Sunday night and drove to The Dalles and stayed in a pet friendly Comfort Inn. All night long, Charlie would give these low menacing growls every time he heard someone walking down the hall. Apparently, Charlie had appointed himself trip security.
By the morning time Charlie was so worked up about strangers just outside our door walking around he couldn't handle it anymore. When mom came back from grabbing some food from our free continental breakfast and I sleepily opened the door, Charlie made a break for the hallway to see these evil strangers and started barking his head off. Just down the hall was this huge construction worker with typical work boots, hammer and T-shirt walking, that's when Charlie went all 'German special forces assassin' on the guy. Charlie took off and was going to rip the guys head off (well, maybe his ankles). The funny thing was the construction worker saw Charlie running for him and he turned and ran too. Well, that just made Charlie more excited that he was actually scaring someone. What a sight, Construction worker running for his life, followed by a crazed dachshund, followed by a sleepy pajama lady yelling, "Charlie, Charlie." Finally, I yelled at the construction worker. "Stop running!" That was the answer, Charlie was deflated when he saw the guy stop. Charlie was no longer scary. He hung his head and turned around and let me carry him back to our room with me saying in a baby voice, "Charlie scared the big ole man away."
Oh, the laughs we had when I was explaining how big the construction worker's eyes got when he saw this little devil dog running for his ankles. I'm sorry but dachshunds look possessed when you can see part of the white of their eyes and their tiny teeth are being barred at you. It is scary. My uncle Dallas said he looks like he's going to bite him like a sewing machine up and down his leg.
The second encounter with a construction worker was at Eastern Oregon University. I took my niece and nephews to the school for a walk and it was getting hot. I told them to get a drink of water from the drinking fountain in the Hoke building while I waited outside with Charlie. These two construction workers came walking towards me and saw me with this little dog and made a joke, "I see you have your attack dog with you." I knew they were making fun of Charlie because he's so little so, I tried to set them straight by informing them, "Well, actually he's pretty vicious." They laughed and before I could stop them one of them bent down towards Charlie with this 'oh, what a cute little puppy' expression on his face when Charlie started acting like he wanted to eat off his face. The construction worker did a reflex startled jump backwards and said, "I thought you were joking. I guess you weren't." Nope, I wasn't joking.
Charlie is very protective of our family and honestly very sweet if he knows you. My dad hurt himself last summer and Charlie was so protective of him as dad laid on the ground that he wouldn't let any of the EMT's get close enough to help him. We had to grab this little tiny dog and throw him in the truck while the EMT's attended to helping dad, growling the entire time. I know I haven't told you any of the cute and sweet things this little dog does, but those just aren't as funny.
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