Pooch vs. Moose

Saturday, August 4, 2001 - USA

"Even the tiniest Poodle or Chihuahua is still a wolf at heart."

—Dorothy Hinshaw

HELENA, MT — As the Surbrugg family looks upon their 20-pound dog with expressions of mixed gratitude, discomfiture and discombobulation, they're probably all thinking the same thing:

"Raleigh, why can't you just chase rabbits like a normal dog?"

And of course, Raleigh would probably like to reply:

"People, why can't you just stay away from moose like normal humans?"

Today the Helena Independent Record reported that a family may have been saved from a moose attack by an ambitious miniature Schnauzer near MacDonald Pass, Montana.

Kathy and Ed Surbrugg, along with their kids Amy and Sam, had just finished picking huckleberries on the mountainside trails last Sunday when Kathy came face to face with a moose.

"It was within touching distance," she describes.  "It was crossing the trail behind me.  I yelled out, 'It's a moose, you guys!'"

"She was wanting to tear into me. It was the biggest lesson I’ve had on how fast and how cruel they are.  I know she wasn’t out to get me, but she was startled, and I was startled and she was big and mean."

When he heard the commotion, Ed raced to catch up while Kathy ducked behind a tree and Amy, 13, and Sam, 10, screamed and froze respectively.   Then from underfoot came the scruffy, little dart, barking and spooking the beast off into the woods.

"I tried to call the dog back, but he just chased her," tells Sam.  They heard an "awful yelp", after which the moose was seen cutting across the trail further up.  Moments later, Raleigh limped out of the underbrush with a belly-wound as though he'd been kicked.

"We keep calling him our miracle dog and are babying him and taking care of him."

The part of Raleigh is being played by Pepsi, below, a five-year-old mini Schnauzer.  Pepsi and other Schnauzers are available for adoption from St. Louis Schnauzer Rescue (USA).

The part of the moose is being played by Bullmoose who likes his home just the way it is.

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