Juniper 🐕

_{Image created by me using Canva}

Crashhh!!!... I rushed out to the backyard to check what was happening, although I could give a rather good guess.
"What's all the ruckus back there?" My mum asked from the kitchen.
"Juniper is chasing the lizards again." I yelled back, laughing as she jumped at the lizard on the fence and as it fell on the lawn.
It looked like a scene straight out of Tom and Jerry.
Except it was a dog chasing a lizard and the dog was one and a half months pregnant.
"Damned dog!," my mom exclaimed as Juniper ran into the watering cans arranged on the lawn.
"You'd think that being heavy would stop her from such harmful escapades."
Juniper didn't care though as she chased the lizard to our front yard.

My mom looked at me and sighed, "Fine you can go."
She gave me permission so I wasted no time as I ran to the front and checked what Juniper was doing.
She simply sat down and looked at the lizard who was now at the top of the fence. Maybe it's my imagination but it looked like it was panting.
With sure and steady steps, the lizard walked out of our compound and Juniper's Territory, with Juniper and I escorting it every step of the way.
By evening, Juniper was panting heavily but wagging her tail in delight at another day well spent keeping her territory safe.
Every day was like this, chasing lizards, rats and the occasional cats. Although she never caught one, she pursued each trespasser with such commendable tenacity.

On the first day of November, she gave birth, and was on cage duty. So it was my job to chase trespassers, at least to give her peace of mind.
After school, afternoon after afternoon, I was in the backyard, in front of her cage. Watching the puppies and chasing intruders.
She let me pet them once, they were so tender and small. I was lost petting them until she growled, focusing my attention on a lizard that had entered the compound. I was about to stand and go after it, till she stretched and came out from her cage.
She looked at me then to the puppies and I understood the message.
After a brief pat on the head she hurried off to her prey. I stayed with the puppies and waited.
Approximately 10 mins later, she came back wagging her tail in a lazy manner and after rechecking her pups, rested her head on my lap.

After staying with her for about an hour. I went in the house to check the CCTV footage.
I watched as Juniper crept up to the lizard, who was lazily sunning itself on the stones.
She made no noise until she was a few metres from it, then she barked like a mad dog. The reaction was so shocking, I even reeled back from the monitor a bit. The lizard literally jumped in fright, which is no easy feat considering how it laid.
Juniper didn't end it there, it was her first chase in weeks and she was going to enjoy it.
She chased the lizard everywhere, and it looked like she was keeping it away from walls and grates.
After running around for more than 6 minutes, the lizard was getting considerably slower. It looked like she will have her first ever prize from a chase.
She cornered the lizard into a crate that was left tipped over and I knew that was it. It seemed the lizard had accepted its fate too, Juniper had won this round and now it was up to her to do as she chooses.
She raised up her head and was about to take a bite of her freshly procured reptilian treat.
When suddenly, she raised her ear up. I had to dial the CCTV volume to the fullest till I heard a little yip.
I then remembered when I was watching the puppies, how one just started crying and not more than a minute later, Juniper came.
True to my memory and in front of my eyes, Juniper left the crate and began walking towards her cage.
I was shocked, the lizard didn't wait 2 seconds till it sprinted and climbed on top of the fence. Juniper took a look at it, then began running back to the cage.

As I was feeding her for the night my mom came back.
"I heard from the neighbors that she was out chasing lizards again. Which kind of dog is this? How ruthless can she be that a lizard can't pass our compound without the whole city knowing?" I laughed at that.
"I dunno Mom. I think Juniper is rather tenderhearted."

_{This fictional short story was inspired by my dog Piper, who has an odd dislike of lizards. She recently gave birth and the dislike hasn't changed😂😂😂}