Rocks Can be Deadly

by Marilyn
(Utah)

I have a beautiful black and silver Miniature Schnauzer Puppy named The Taz. She will be one year old on November 9, 2011.

When she was about 4 or 5 months old we were relaxing one evening in the living room. I was doing some crocheting and halfway watching the TV. Taz was just relaxing on the floor. She was being very quiet. I glanced over at her to see what she was doing and noticed that she was stretching her neck up and looking up at the ceiling. She was not making any noise at all. She just kept stretching her neck higher and higher. I suddenly realized that she was not breathing, not even gasping. She was simply trying to get some air.

I jumped up and picked her up. She just went limp in my arms and I held her upside down with her back to me and pushed hard on her stomach. Out popped a rock, almost an inch around. It flew halfway across the room.

How and when she picked up the rock I will never know. But she was literally choking to death on it. Why I noticed she was in trouble, again I will never know. I give thanks every day because I know that she would have died very quickly without my intervention.

It may sound silly but as we sat on the floor with me crying until her hair was wet and stiff from my salty tears of joy we seemed to create a bond that has been extremely close. We communicate with each other in a way that I can only describe as heart talk. A glance at each other is all we need to let each one know what is needed from each of us.

We are working hard to become therapy partners to work with children and with our veterans at the hospitals in our area. I know that I feel the need to share this wonderful creature with others. She had made me happy and filled my life with joy.

As far as I know she has never picked up another rock and I hope and pray that she never does.