Deep in the still of the night a coyote raised a shrill howl followed by the high-pitched yappings of others in the pack. It was cold and dark, broken only by an occasional gleam from the moon which was partially hidden by clouds. Then I heard a closer howl. My dog Andy shook himself and answered, not with his usual bark, but with a raised nose pointed toward the moon he gave a long, quavering howl. I had never heard him do this. Then he trotted off toward the road. Once again the wailing of the coyotes and shrill yappings disturbed my sleep, and I caught that same long howl... and then silence.
Was Andy answering the call of the wild?
Andy was a show dog — a beautiful blue merle collie that had been well trained and groomed. We had hesitated to accept him as a gift, but his master said he was too confined in the big city. He had to be locked up all day while his family was at work and at school, and his master wanted him to have more freedom out in the country. Still we hesitated, because it would be such a drastic change for a show dog.
However, we decided to try him out, and though he definitely missed his master he was very obedient and stayed near the buildings without being chained. It wasn’t long before the beautiful white ruff around his neck was tangled with cockleburs and his tail wagged with foxtail and thistle caught in it. He seemed to enjoy the outdoor life and explored the bounds around the house and barns and proved to be an alert watch dog.
He still liked to come into the house, especially when he smelled a roast cooking, and would be very polite in spite of his enthusiasm and expectation of a good bone to gnaw on. Sometimes he would find my bedroom slipper and tease me by circling round me with it in his mouth, hoping I’d play with him. He was definitely a people’s dog and liked us to return his affection. We grew to love Andy and appreciate his good qualities.
He also liked to follow the tractor when the men were working the fields, but unless it was near the house he was told to “stay home,” because there were coyote dens in the hills near the canyon, and coyotes were not to be trusted since they usually hunted in packs.
The next morning we went about our usual tasks and the events of the night before were forgotten, until I went out the back door. On the ground I saw the sorriest-looking dog I had ever seen. He tried to get up, but dropped back down. What animal was this? Had someone dropped off some strange, sick dog? He raised his head when I whistled. It had the long contour of a collie... I went closer. Could it be? Yes, it was... poor Andy, so totally covered with blood he looked all brown! He was so far gone he could scarcely move.
I put some warm milk into his bowl, but he didn’t even try to drink it. I examined him for wounds, but found only a small one on his side. “Someone else got the worst of the fight,” I informed my husband.
Did you know that each of us who is saved has two natures? The nature we are born with answers to the call of sin — in fact, it does nothing but sin. But when we come to God as a sinner and accept His Son as our Saviour, we are given a new nature from God. This nature delights to please Him and seeks to follow His Son, the Lord Jesus, who came into this world to seek the lost and to save man from his sins.
Sometimes Satan tempts us, as he did the Lord Jesus, with some glory or fame in this world, but the Lord answered, “As it is written,” and did not respond to his suggestions. Sometimes the gang says, “Oh, just this once, it won’t matter.” But don’t be lured into the paths of the world of sin.
If you know the Lord Jesus Christ as your Saviour, this story about Andy should remind you to follow in the Lord’s footsteps, not in the path that your friends want you to follow. How can you know what is the right path for you? By reading the Bible and obeying what it says you will find the path that is pleasing to your Saviour. “Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path.” Psalms 119:105105NUN. Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path. (Psalm 119:105).
Andy is fine now, and we never have heard the coyotes come close to the house or road again. I think he defended his territory and taught them that they were to stay away.
ML-04/07/1985