THOR - ONC 2024

13. Seven Dogs and a Cur

I took Graham's hand and led him across the kitchen, removed the security bars, unlocked the door and slid it open. "Unless they're in heat, their whelping is imminent or they're nursing, we keep the dogs outside."

As we stepped onto the patio, he nodded toward the hedge. "Tall and dense – impossible for them to escape either over or through that."

"And no easy way for anyone to get in. Three-storey-high blank-walled buildings on each side, and front and back, the hedges sandwich chainlink fences, two and a half metres high and topped with rolls of razor wire."

"Razor wire?"

I shrugged. "Part of my going overboard after the rape. Built this into a mini fortress before I dared move in. Had perimeter and entry security cameras and alarms installed, took self-defence classes, overstocked with bear spray and yadda, yadda, yadda. I was called a whacko, but my first two shrinks said my reaction was neither abnormal nor unusual."

Graham wrapped an arm around my shoulder and pulled me to his side. "Part of the survival reflex."

"Ummm. Behind me now." After closing and locking the door, I led him across the patio and whistled. "Sahel and Sahara are wary of strangers, so to break the ice, I'll have you treat them."

"Sahel and Sahara? Treat?"

"The Azawakhs." I pulled a bag of cookies from my pocket and nodded down the slope at the approaching dogs. "Evening treat time. Let's see if they all behave with you here."

"Behave?"

"This is part of their ongoing obedience training."

The five dogs loped up the slope and sat in a line in front of us. "I've taught them not to run for this, and it appears they sense no threat from you. We'll start with Shino, who you met earlier with Sarah. His mate, Jamila's in heat and inside."

I put a biscuit in the middle of my palm and extended it toward the Afghan's snout, enjoying the twitching of his nose. Then, the instant I said, "Shino! Cookie," he snarfed it off my hand.

"Oh, wow!"

I took two steps sideways. "Next is Cleo. Always enjoy the delicate way she picks it up." Extending my open hand with the biscuit, I hesitated a few moments before I said, "Cleo! Cookie."

"Oh, my! How long has it taken to teach them this?"

"It's an ongoing evolution. The patience first, and then learning how to line up side by side and sit. Still have to teach Shino to be more gentle."

After I had repeated the process with Julius, I handed a cookie to Graham. "This is Sahel, and she appears a bit edgy with you – not with you, specifically – with any stranger. It's the nature of the breed. Squatting to appear less intimidating will work best."

He nodded, squatted and extended his open hand to the Azawakh. The dog looked at Graham's hand, glanced up at his face and back down before she snatched the cookie and retreated.

"Better than I had hoped, Graham. Well done. Next is Sahara – he appears more at ease, likely from what he has just watched."

When Graham had treated Sahara, he pointed at the bag. "They're not the moulded pseudo-bone shape I'm familiar with."

I chuckled. "I don't have time to make them look fancy. I bake these in long, slender loaves, slice and rebake – the same process as with biscotti."

"Oh! You make these."

"I do. Not only are they far healthier, but they're also less expensive." I took one from the bag and snapped it in two. "And delicious – here, taste."