Leah's protective side

by Diane
(Boston area, Massachusetts)

Leah lives with my husband & I. I am handicapped. I feel no fear at all being home alone at night because of this dog. We live in the North East of the US, in a city where the houses around us are mostly illegal rooming houses. Only occasionally does someone mistake our house for a rooming house. The last time it happened the fury of our dog erupted. It took her quite awhile to calm down afterwards. It wasn't a break-in, just a mistake by the person looking for their particular rooming house. Word got around about that great big dog, so yes occasionally it happens again, but now we hear, "oh so sorry wrong house, giant dog lives here, I go now". So she is a deterrent that keeps me safe. She is also my very helpful big dog. Once when I was still able to walk and climb, I slipped on a set of stairs, I fell backwards down the stairs thinking okay this is it. I am 6 feet tall and the stairs are not. Leah was on the other side of the house at the back door waiting to go out when I got back. Usually when she moves, I can hear her toenails on the wood floors, not that night. Something in her made her move extremely quickly and quietly, to stand behind me and catch me as I fell. Neither of us were hurt. She lowered herself slowly to the floor. Once I caught my breath I realized I had landed on a rug, which we don't have as we have hardwood floors, so when I landed on the "rug" I realized my dog had just saved my life. I didn't see or hear her come up behind me. But if she hadn't been there she most likely would not have me to tell her story. She lays on the floor somewhere near me every day, protecting me until her dad comes home from work to take over. Her nickname is Big Fluffy Bunny Girl, because that is what she becomes when she is off duty and dad is home.