Thursday, May 30, 2013

Small Dogs and Neighborly Harmony

I'm a dog person. I like most dogs, but especially large breeds. You know why I don't care so much for really small dogs? Because they're always so bossy.

Here are the two obnoxious creatures that live next door to us. Their back yard borders ours, separated only by a chain-link fence:



If I'm out there, doing yard work or whatever, they usually get upset and yell at me, "Hey! Stay away from here! This is OUR yard and OUR fence! You can't run your mower that close to us! You can't cut that firewood!" I ignore them.

It gets interesting when our goldendoodle, Cooper, is out playing. He just wants to run around and have fun, but the little canine brats go berserk. They scream at him, "HEY! You stay far away! You can't run up to our fence! IF YOU COME ANY CLOSER WE'LL BITE YOUR ANKLES!!!"

Of course, this prompts him to run along the fence and yell back, "Oh, you guys want to play? Okay! Let's run back and forth! Too bad this fence is here, 'cause it would be fun if we could get together and run all over the place."

They reply, with really angry voices, "It's a good thing for YOU this fence is here, because it's the only thing keeping us from going all Tasmanian devil on you!"

I'm sure that's what they're saying. The bossy little jerks need to take a valium or something.

4 comments:

  1. I have a little Chiuaua next door that does the same thing, barks and barks and barks. My dog doesn't even give her the time of day, which cracks me up. I just can never figure out why the owners don't come out and tell her to knock it off!

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    1. The little rat-dog (my wife's term for that breed) is demanding attention. I'm not sure a response from her people would have the desired effect, it might reinforce the behavior. You want to have some fun? Can she see you well through the fence? Sometime, walk along the fence and let her follow you at close distance on the other side. Then make a sudden jump toward her, as if you're attacking. (If she's going to bark constantly anyway, might as well give her a reason.) This is something I would NEVER do, just an idea for you to try. ; )

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  2. I don't have a dog anymore.

    But my neighbor does. He's a Great Pyrenees, named Harley. He's a giant mass of fluffy white fur who regularly slips out of the fence and comes to visit us.

    He's a big 'ol teddy bear, and I adore him.

    I especially adore him at 4AM when he barks at something/one on (or near) his turf.

    He sounds like the baddest ass on the planet, and that makes me smile.

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    Replies
    1. There's a sense of security that comes from having a really big dog around, isn't there?

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