Billy Bragg was our long-haired black German Shepherd alpha dog for quite stretch over a decade ago. He was best known for gently biting the noses of humans he loved most. At times, when he was overly rambunctious, my nose resembled a ripe tomato.
We had several crews of workers helping us do major repairs to our house and extend our yard up the hillside. It kept Billy Bragg busy, making sure all of them stayed on task.
Only one man, Riley, caused Billy Bragg to growl each time he came in the gate. All the other workers received a friendly bark of recognition as they went about their duties. It puzzled me because Riley was a mild, friendly fellow and a good painter.
Billy Bragg died of a fast-moving cancer. My nose cleared up, but I had a lump in my throat when I thought of my pal.
Months later, I was glancing at our local paper, and there on the front page was a picture of Riley, the painter. He was being charged with battery and burglary.
Thank you, Billy Bragg, for your dog sense.
Friendly recovery