Patches

Oil painting courtesy of Tony Karpinski

Patches
the little wild dog

By Candice Bradford

Patches was one of six pups born to his Mother Sabina and Father Alfie. They were the Alpha pair, means the dominant pair of the pack. A pack of wild dogs can contain up to 30 members. Patches and his brothers and sisters lived in a den shaded by trees and protected by a rocky outcrop where they ventured out and round the den. They were never left alone and always had a sitter with them. One of the other pack members, usually a female, would stay behind when the pack went hunting.

The parents were a striking pair with beautiful markings and so were his siblings. As he looked at his reflection in the little puddle collected in the rock he thought to himself, "I am different not like the others" and he was sad. He went off on his own while his brothers and sisters played together, practicing their pouncing techniques.

Patches chose to lie under the shade of the nearby tree, feeling very sad and alone. Just then he heard a flap of wings and as he looked up there was the most beautiful bird he had ever seen. He was used to the birds, particularly the 'go away bird', the annoying Grey Lourie. This bird was bright and colorful. “Hello", she chirped. "I am Lilac “

“Hello he said in a sad, moaning way. “Why are you so sad and alone she asked?” “Because" he said. "I am different from them, not as beautiful. “Aah, I see she chirped”. "My name", he said, "is Patches". ‘Why that’s a beautiful name “Patches said Lilac, I am Roller we all look the same but we are not. You are unique for no two dogs have the same markings. Wild Dogs are good at camouflage, when they lay still under a tree you cannot see them. You have are beautiful! “

Just then they heard a squabble and lots of happy noises which could only mean the pack was back, off he went, ‘Bye he said, thank you for making me feel better.’ She nodded her head as she flew off.

The pack was back from a successful hunt. Wild Dogs are expert hunters; hunting in packs enables them to catch their prey easily. , The Alpha male and female bring back meat for the youngsters by regurgitating meat , means spitting it all up again , for the very young pups, he was old enough now to eat bigger chunks of meat. Pack members are very close each one greeting the pups after a hunt sharing their spoils.

The pack had to be careful because of other predators which would easily kill the pups. Luckily Sabina had chosen a secluded place for her den.
In the days that passed Patches grew up into a fine looking dog with his beautiful marked coat and big ears, which are like satellite dishes which allow the dog’s excellent hearing. Day by day he grew little more, he would explore and find new things, and tortoises were a great sense of amusement and frogs too.

His friend the roller bird visited him everyday for a chat. Soon he would be able to go on a hunt with the other pack members. Wild dogs have a special formation when they hunt, each member has his place and they communicate with a small whoop call to say chase is now on. They bring down, wildebeest, Impala, even baby zebra and Buffalo if they get the chance.

The day had arrived for Patches and his brothers and sisters to go on hunt. They set out with their parents and other members,” You must follow my directions exactly said his mother “ To teach the young the parents often bring home a baby impala for them to practice on. Mother and father returned to the den with a baby gazelle, still alive she set it down, now she said practice what I taught you. The frightened gazelle shock with terror, as soon as he had blinked it was all over. He had practiced what his mom had shown him, he had suffocated the gazelle by placing his mouth over its nose.

When a dog hunts they use the dew claw which is that claw on the side of the paw to trip up the prey then one dog places his mouth over the preys nose suffocating it whilst the others bring it down ,. The young pups settled into their first meal of baby gazelle. After ward they spent a good deal of time licking themselves clean and spending some snuggle time with their mother who was now resting up in the shade almost invisible , her markings matched the leaves and grass and she lay perfectly out of sight.

As time passed Patches become a more active pack member and took part in more hunts. It was really exciting going on a hunt., it could be dangerous and one had to look out for Hyena , with strong jaws and that funny laugh , the one Patches was most afraid of was Mufusa the Lion king with his big mane of hair and fierce roar that trembles through the valley like thunder!

They had been lucky that all 6 cubs had survived because lions and hyenas do take pups and kill them if they find a den site unprotected. Patches grew up into a fine dog, leading his own pack and finding himself a mate, he and his mate brought up a set of pups and so on went the circle. Wild dogs mate for life. The Alpha male and female are the leaders of the pack; their pack structure is very much like wolves.

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