I was walking the dog home from the front side when we encountered a young brahma bull. Kimo was pretty sure she didn’t want to mess with an animal this big but the bull was curious. About the time the cream colored animal broke into a trot, I was forced into a decision. Hang onto the breadfuit I had picked up along the way and try to scare the bull off by waving my hand, or sacrifice the fruit.
Nearly every day, I have been taking Kimo for a walk. We generally get as far as the breadfruit trees. Now that they are beginning to bear fruit, I have been bringing breadfruit back with me to fry up as chips.
The first time I put the leash on Kimo, she panicked. She refused to follow me and finally just lay down. During the past three weeks, we have been building mutal trust and respect. It amazed me at first how like a horse she was in her reactions to new stimulus. Each walk produces more progress and breadfuit. I can now walk her through neighborhoods with other dogs and past really scary things like the power plant and herds of goats.
But this little (500 pound) bull was a bit too much for Kimo. She strained at the leash in an attempt to put more distance between herself and the bull. I was literally stuck in the middle. When the animal got within 6 feet, I made my choice and lobbed the breadfuit at its forehead. It landed square with a “Boink” and he made a U-turn and gamboled off.
