It was murder. Morde! Muerter! Esmoreden!

Switzerland is famous for its incredible awe-inspiring beauty, and rightly so.  When I viewed my first mountain with its cap of white snow, I almost reached out to see if it was a painting or real. 

The people of Switzerland are polite and well-educated, and the unemployment rate is near to nothing.  And most have a dog or two, which are also polite and well-trained.  The canine walk on leash, silent, and discreet in relieving needs, which the owner promptly removes with a Swiss provided bag and disposal sites along the sidewalks.

Scrumpy and Porter (named for types of English beers)

My daughter Mary and husband Richard had two dogs, Porter and Scrumpy.  Porter had a stoic dignity about him; he kept feet warm, let my grandson climb over him, and considered himself to be superior to his fellow dog, Scrumpy.

Scrumpy was a fun-loving and likable mutt, with mixed terrier tendencies and low on the intelligence scale.  If there was to be something destroyed in the house, Scrumpy was guilty while Porter shook his head. Scrumpy..Scrumpy.

The Swiss also have professional dog-sitters: people who are prepared with all the needs a dog might have.  Mary and Richard have left Porter and Scrumpy with a lovely lady on many trips, where dogs are happy.

One two week holiday had an unusual twist in the regular day's activities.  Life for Porter and Scrumpy had been proceeding just fine, until this one afternoon.

Harry's general size 

The lady had two large old pet tortoises named Bernard and Isle which also occupied the dog yard. along with a new small tortoise, Harry.. Bernard and Isle had a platonic, complacent relationship with all the other dogs. Porter and Scrumpy had stayed there several times.

 

So it was a big surprise to all when Scrumpy raced toward the Harry, and scooped him up.  He shook it side to side to side.  Then Scrumpy threw him in the air, where the little guy turned end on end, landing with a thump on his back.

Scrumpy moved in for the kill—dogs seem to know how to do this.  With his front paws, Scrumpy disemboweled the small tortoise.

Porter had been laying under the shade of a tree, observing his impulsive friend do all this, gave one bark, which said it all:  Damn it, Scrumpy, you idiot!  Scrumpy happily jogged over to Porter, a jaunty wag of his tail singing his victory.

The owner lady came screaming and cursing.  How it all ended, I don’t know. Mary and Richard were rather silent on this, while Benjamin still loved to chase Scrumpy around the house.

But I do know this: Scrumpy and Porter were no longer welcomed at her house.

This is a re-post from 2018  My two grandsons are Benjamin now age 14 and James is 8.  Porter and Scrumpy died of extreme old age. Now they have a dog named Waffle and Benjamin has 3 rats. .