Death by Pecker

This morning I had the scare of my life, the kind that gets your heart racing and your blood pressure sky high.

Even though my alarm had already gone off twice I still laid contently snuggled beneath my covers thinking I could hit the snooze at least once more and not be late for work. Tiko was, of course, on the bed snuggled up with me and right as I drifted off into my 9 minute nap he got up. Jumped up is more like it. Out of no where Tiko jumped up and took a protective stance right there on the bed baring his teeth.

The next few seconds felt like hours as panic, fear, and confusion ran through my head. A thousand Law and Order episodes flashed in my mind as I began to prepare myself for the obvious attacker that was in my house. Tiko would only take such a stance if there was serious danger or something horrible in the house, right?

I slowly began to sit up, holding my covers close, and tried to remember where I was charging my phone and if it was in the room. It was then I heard a strange sound that caused Tiko's hair to stand up and a low growl to form in his throat; he was in the zone and at that moment I wanted to smack the life out of him!

The sound that caused my dog to go on serious alert, a wood pecker foraging for breakfast in the neighbor's yard. I could have killed the dog right there on the spot; instead, I burst out laughing. The outburst broke Tiko's concentration and he immediately took to my mood with his tail wagging and his tongue hanging out. He came at me excited that I was awake and nuzzled for some attention while trying to sneak a few kisses on my face.

The idea that my dog is protective of me and would alert me to horrible things is a comforting feeling; however, the fact that what he deems horrible and I what I deem horrible are COMPLETELY different about gave me a heart attack this morning.

Needless to say, I didn't get in another 9 minute nap.