BAD TO THE "BONE" FOR HOSTILE Raccoon

By Dan Powers

"Bone"

It started out as a normal day in the life of a rescue dog named BONE.

It was just after 7:00am and a familiar whimper is heard through the kitchen at 110 Lakewood in Glencoe. Bear the Swiss Mountain Dog is letting his owner (Dan Powers) know that it is time for him to get up and take him and his 2 brothers for a walk.

Bear is the baby of the family at just over 10 months old and already an impressive 120 lbs and over 28 inches at the withers, along with his older brothers Bettis(Pyrenean Mastiff, 2 years old and 170 lbs, and last but not least Bone(Japanese Tosa) and a very solid 122 lbs. It is quite a sight to see over 400 lbs of dogs strolling along the posh streets of Glencoe, an upscale community on the North Shore of Chicago.

This April morning was going along as usual, our 3-mile trek through Skokie Woods, along with a little fun in the Skokie Lagoon. We had just finished our little jaunt when I noticed one of those Dreaded Forest Preserve Police Gentlemen walking slowly towards us with a long stick with a noose at the end of it, well I just figured I was going to get yelled at again for not having all 3 dogs on a leash. I watched carefully as the Animal Control People inched closer and stopping to look under cars parked along the lot, but I also noticed a group had gathered behind him as he moved with stealth along the cars.

I figured I had better get my dogs in the truck before he gets any closer, so I put Bone in the car first, and I had just gotten Bear into the car when I heard a loud screech, followed by a deep bark, and I just figured that the dogs where playing.

I peered over to look a little closer to see what was happening and managed to get bitten and scratched for my efforts, as low and behold my Swiss Mountain Dog Bear is fighting for his life with a 35-40 lb RACCOON and is already bleeding by the neck, and I tried to intervene to no avail. The next thing I know "BONE" who was already in the truck grabs the Raccoon by the front of the neck, and jumps out of the truck, with the big Raccoon in his mouth, he runs 30 yards away from us and proceeds to throw this big Raccoon around like a rag doll, after 2 minutes of beating the life out of this Raccoon, and leaving what was left of it by my feet, I sat there stunned by what just happened.

In my research on dogs it was an Urban Legend that a Raccoon that big would just about take any dog out without a sweat, but what I witnessed was just unbelievable.

At this point the Animal Control People where just watching in amazement at what had just happened, and they came over to tell me they have never seen a dog do that to a Raccoon before, and he had just done them a huge favor.

The Raccoon was being chased by Animal Control, because it had attacked and almost killed a Yellow Lab that was walking along the path. They had lost him for a while and was the reason they had the noose out ready to go, and they said this was a very mean and aggressive Raccoon!

Bone came to me via Karin Graefe as a rescue dog that she had taken on, and I was a little leery about taking him due to the nature of this rare breed, but I can not tell you how gentle and loving this dog is. I feel that his efforts with the Raccoon where courageous, and the natural protective instincts towards his pack are the reason that Bear is still with us today, and most would concur that my Swissy Pup would have lost that battle. I have a new found respect for Bone and his breed, and I hope that people who like to characterize certain dogs as being aggressive because of what they are, come over some time to see just how gentle Bone is. It is rare when one can say they where hero for a day, but BONE was the dog of the hour on that Early April morning.

I have received many letters thanking my dog for ridding them of this obviously disturbed Raccoon, who had caused havoc on many of the local pets.

I hope this brings light to what people and humans will do when someone they care about is in danger, and this was a classic example of the Big Brother protecting the younger brother, and putting his own life on the line!