Attack Dawg

Is this the face of evil? Pictured: My pooch on the porch with my monkey, eating her food from little fingers.



So, my dog is a megabeast. She barks at everyone who passes, and sounds like Cujo. Her deep-throated bellowing scares the local children. Three of them came up my walk about twenty minutes ago, to inform me that my sweetums scares their sister so badly she refuses to walk along the alleyway by my house. Two doors down, there is another little walking path they could go down... why don't they go there, instead?

She says, "Well, we usually run really fast so she won't attack us."
"That's probably why she is barking at you," I said. "She probably thinks you are up to no good and is warning you to stay away."
The other little pudgy girl says, "Well, we had a dog like that and we got rid of her."
The first girl says, "Yeah, I think she is an attack dog, and I think she's gonna bite someone."
"No," I say, "She is not an attack dog. She is very sweet. She just barks at strangers. I let her play with my girls on the side yard by themselves. She would never hurt anyone."

All I can think of is, what a special lesson: Your dog barks, so you get "rid" of it.

Believe me, my life could be a lot less complicated, if not for this beast of mine. She thinks she is a kid, and whines so annoyingly when we put her out to play. You would think she is being tortured. It sounds like she is saying, "Hi hi hi hi hi hi hi hi eeeeeeee" in a high-pitched screech.

If she even hears anyone coming near my fence, she howls like a demon.

Now, to play Devil's Advocate here... we did live in a neighborhood that was crime riddled from her puppyhood, until less than a year ago. We had been robbed twice. She was there both times. The neighborhood kids would through rocks at her, and yell cuss words to the kids while they were playing. We used to live on an acre with feilds all around us. I liked that she barked. It made me feel safe. She was a wild girl on a mission. She was rewarded for proecting us while Chris worked nights & it was just us 3 girls.

Now, we are in a small town, and the houses are close. I really want to move to the more secluded area of town, but must wait for jobs and financials to be in order.

Until then, I wait. I will dream of a time, my beast can be as ornery as can be... and it will not annoy the neighbors.

Sometimes, I worry about someone poisoning her... She is quite the turd bucket. If I didn't know her, I'd hate her, too... Speaking of which, I am on my porch and some kid walked past & threw a rock over the fence... No doubt intended to upset my pooch.

How stupid can people be? Yet, I fear the town's dog catcher/meter maid/all around city-rules-enforcing pest to come around & talk to me about my dog. I told these girls, we have gotten her a shock collar. We have gotten a device that shreiks loudly when she barks. Neither of them have worked. We put her on a chain, so she wouldn't be near the fence to harrass people. She jumps on the side of the house and hangs on it, whining. I have walked her, etc. Basically, she wants to lay around the house all day & be with us... Which, is fine, mostly... but, when she is in, she whines. I wish we had a house that I could just open the door and tell her to get out... That is ONE thing i miss about my old digs...

Meanwhile, my oldest daughter plays in her pool, oblivious to her dog's behavior. Oh, to be 7 with your 8th birhday 5 days away, again.