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Mutt with muscle!

Our cuddly Jake is a canine crime-fighter...


Published by: Laura Hinton
Published on: 29th November 2010

Agiggle escaped my mouth as I watched my son Sam, 11, race about with Jake, our new Rottweiler. We’d bought him a few weeks ago, but they were already inseparable.
‘We’ve got a 10-month-old Rottweiler,’ the lady at the RSPCA had told us when we’d visited.
My hubby Ian, 46, wasn’t sure. ‘We’re after a pet, not a guard dog,’ he’d hissed. But Jake’s silky fur and brown eyes had melted our hearts.
A few days later, I heard barking and laughing. ‘What’s all that noise, Sam?’ I’d called out
‘A bird landed next to Jake,’ he sniggered. ‘Big softie jumped out of his skin!’
The following week, I took Jake for a stroll through Hearsall Common after waving Sam off to school. Jake practically yanked the lead out of my hand!
‘Go on then,’ I grinned, unclipping his collar, and he bounded off, then back again. Daydreaming about tea, I heard a woman’s yell.
Jake froze. ‘It’s all right, boy,’ I smiled, giving him a pat – but even I felt uneasy. I could hear muffled shouts coming from a wooded area, then I spotted a bike on the ground. Relief washed over me. ‘It’s just teenagers messing around,’ I smiled, feeling silly.
But when I let go of his collar, he shot off towards the voices.
‘No, Jake!’ I called. Then I heard it, a piercing scream, followed by a woman sobbing: ‘Why are you doing this?’
This wasn’t kids mucking about!
The hairs stood up on the back of my neck. I gripped Jake’s metal chain lead, and followed him into the undergrowth.
I saw a dark-haired man holding down a screaming woman.
‘Stop!’ I whimpered, fumbling for my phone. In front of me, every muscle in Jake’s body quivered, then he sprang at the bloke, gnashing his teeth.
‘Get off me!’ cried the man, jumping off the woman, and lashing out. But Jake didn’t flinch. He just kept snarling at the man.
Suddenly, the man made a dash for it – straight at me!
‘K-keep away!’ I yelled, swinging the chain at him, but there was Jake again, standing between me and this man.
Turning on his heel, the attacker jumped on the bike and sped off, with Jake close behind.
‘Are you okay?’ I panted, running over to the woman. ‘He grabbed me,’ she sobbed. ‘If your dog hadn’t come along… he… he would have raped me.’
Jake came padding back and sat down obediently, keeping a watch over me and the woman while I dialled 999 for the police.
Days later, Esmahil Adhami, 18, was caught and later jailed for four years for a serious sexual assault on the woman. He had previously molested two young girls and was in the country illegally.
During the court case, the judge said he had no doubt Jake had prevented a more serious offence.
Jake was awarded a plaque, a certificate and a medal by the RSPCA. I’m so proud of him.
Now, when I walk Jake, I know my cuddly canine is really a secret mutt with muscle.
He may love his tummy tickles from Sam, but he’s also a wonder dog to have around in a crisis!

Liz Maxted-Bluck, 49, Coventry, Warwickshire