This Dog Story Needs a Series Title
So, the house with the two vicious dogs, that have attacked repeatedly.... (For anyone who missed my scintillating attack dog stories). We have advanced to the next chapter (I am unharmed).
I've skipped their house a few days in a row now, because the dogs are out and I can't reach their wall-mounted mailbox. Aren't doggy doors great? It is a simple truth that when dogs are vicious, there is generally one reason: The owner cannot or will not train them into obedience. You can tell a lot about a person, in this manner.
Yesterday, I skipped a house because I saw a lab lurking in the back yard and couldn't see if it was restrained in any way. The owner, a seedy, sort of young man who owns a truck made out of several other different colored trucks, reacted by waiting until I was finishing the loop. He lead his dog to the end of the driveway, keeping it at heel and ordering it to sit and attend while I delivered to the mailbox. When I came over to greet the dog, and it attempted to jump up, the owner brought it back to heel and the dog grinned up at me, dropping his ears and I petted him. We are friends now. This is an appropriate response to noticing that someone you have never met is leery of your dog.
Now, let's contrast this with the House with the Two Vicious Labs. Today, I couldn't see the dogs and the garage was wide open. I had a pile of mail, a parcel and an accountable to deliver by this point, and was relieved to see the owner's SUV pull into the driveway. I paused in case the dogs were in the car, but they weren't, and proceeded onto the lot, mail in one hand, pepper spray in the other. Just in case. While Clueless Jackass signed for his letter, I saw a blur of beige behind the SUV, followed by the standard barking/snarling/rushing. I sprayed the dog to give myself time to get off the property because neither the owner, nor his son gave any command to the animal, nor made any attempt to restrain it. In fact, they both pointedly ignored it.
Nope, Clueless Jackass too busy berating me for spraying his sweet nice dog that would never ever hurt me, while it circled back and forth, hackles still raised, teeth still bared, growling, barking and otherwise threatening me. Somehow, I was not convinced by the owner's complete lack of supervision, defense or scoffing that I couldn't possibly have ever been attacked by his dogs. That's just inconceivable! As I dodged the dog again, snatching the signed pink slip from his hand, walked away listening to the dog's collar beep in warning every time I rushed too close to the invisible fence.
Do I feel sorry that Clueless Jackass was standing downwind and caught some back blow from the pepper spray? *gets out her tiny violin* I'll bet he's not allergic to that crap, like I am, even that tiny bit that bleeds through the fingers of my gloves, due to the cheap leaky nozzle. I hope the dog eats him in his sleep.
I've skipped their house a few days in a row now, because the dogs are out and I can't reach their wall-mounted mailbox. Aren't doggy doors great? It is a simple truth that when dogs are vicious, there is generally one reason: The owner cannot or will not train them into obedience. You can tell a lot about a person, in this manner.
Yesterday, I skipped a house because I saw a lab lurking in the back yard and couldn't see if it was restrained in any way. The owner, a seedy, sort of young man who owns a truck made out of several other different colored trucks, reacted by waiting until I was finishing the loop. He lead his dog to the end of the driveway, keeping it at heel and ordering it to sit and attend while I delivered to the mailbox. When I came over to greet the dog, and it attempted to jump up, the owner brought it back to heel and the dog grinned up at me, dropping his ears and I petted him. We are friends now. This is an appropriate response to noticing that someone you have never met is leery of your dog.
Now, let's contrast this with the House with the Two Vicious Labs. Today, I couldn't see the dogs and the garage was wide open. I had a pile of mail, a parcel and an accountable to deliver by this point, and was relieved to see the owner's SUV pull into the driveway. I paused in case the dogs were in the car, but they weren't, and proceeded onto the lot, mail in one hand, pepper spray in the other. Just in case. While Clueless Jackass signed for his letter, I saw a blur of beige behind the SUV, followed by the standard barking/snarling/rushing. I sprayed the dog to give myself time to get off the property because neither the owner, nor his son gave any command to the animal, nor made any attempt to restrain it. In fact, they both pointedly ignored it.
Nope, Clueless Jackass too busy berating me for spraying his sweet nice dog that would never ever hurt me, while it circled back and forth, hackles still raised, teeth still bared, growling, barking and otherwise threatening me. Somehow, I was not convinced by the owner's complete lack of supervision, defense or scoffing that I couldn't possibly have ever been attacked by his dogs. That's just inconceivable! As I dodged the dog again, snatching the signed pink slip from his hand, walked away listening to the dog's collar beep in warning every time I rushed too close to the invisible fence.
Do I feel sorry that Clueless Jackass was standing downwind and caught some back blow from the pepper spray? *gets out her tiny violin* I'll bet he's not allergic to that crap, like I am, even that tiny bit that bleeds through the fingers of my gloves, due to the cheap leaky nozzle. I hope the dog eats him in his sleep.