Our dog is just a little thing, a shade under 10 pounds. She thinks, however, that she is a big dog. She loves to bark threateningly at German Shepherds, Rottweilers, anyone passing by on the street, etc.
She is also a loving creature. She loves to play fetch, chase, and so forth. She is at best marginally disciplined. She knows the commands "sit" and "stay" and even occasionally obeys them...mostly when she thinks doing so will get her a treat.
Which it almost always will because she is spoiled, spoiled, spoiled.
Our roommates kids love to play with Bella and Bella loves to play with them. Sometimes they play chase, sometimes fetch, and sometimes Bella decides they are not giving her enough attention so she will stand on her hind legs and rest her front legs on their hands, walking backwards a few steps trying to get them to chase her or throw something for her or pet her...just anything except ignore her.
Last night one of the girls was playing with Bella in the back yard. She had to tell Bella to sit twice before Bella could get a treat and then Bella, as she is wont to do, put her front paws on Bailie's hands and started licking them.
The new neighbor was outside with her kids and decided it was appropriate to tell Bailie, "We are teaching our kids to be nice to cats and dogs so i would appreciate it if you did not do that anymore." Then she reached over the fence, took Bella to her side of the fence for her kids to pet.
I cannot tell you in words exactly how furious I am about this. What a huge over-stepping of boundaries!
First off, I have seen Bailie play with Bella and I can tell you she is far gentler and sweeter to that dog than I am. The "sit/stay" routine while waiting for a treat is something I am working with Bella on trying to teach her at least a modicum of discipline.
All that aside...how Bailie plays with Bella is none of her business.
Maybe the first lesson she should teach her kids is "minding your own business" and the second is, "How other people interact with their pets on their own property is not something we have the right to tell them how will be done".
I am in the process of writing a lengthy letter telling them exactly what I think of her reprehensible actions and telling her in no uncertain terms to mind her own business and shut her cake hole. I don't tell them how to raise their kids, they will not be telling our renters how to raise theirs.
How did society come to this point?
I and I alone (until the Goose comes back) will choose who can and cannot play with Bella and what is or is not acceptable behavior when so doing. That dog loves Bailie and loves to play with her. I will not have the little girl afraid to play with Bella outside because she might get yelled at by the next door neighbor for doing things I have explicitly told her are not just acceptable but among Bella's favorite activities.
Let me say it again. I am FURIOUS.
Ninja edit: Here is the letter I will post on their door if they do not answer it:
To the individual who had the over-arching hubris to decide they had the right to tell my renters how they could interact with my dog,
Short and sweet version: DO NOT ever do that again.
Long Version: I have seen Bailie with Bella and she is allowed to use my training words and methods. She is also allowed to play with Bella in the manner she chooses.
I have seen her with Bella and she is never anything but sweet and loving with that dog. My biggest complaint is she often stops playing with Bella before Bella is done playing with her at which point bella starts throwing her front paws on Bailie trying to get her to play more.
Perhaps the lesson you should be teaching your kids is one you clearly have not learned: not over-stepping your boundaries, minding your own business and so forth.
If you have issues with how my dog is being handled you can text me at (***)***-****. I start work at 4:30 P.M. and am up well into the morning, I will respond at the next break.
What you CAN NOT and Will NOT do is abrogate to yourself authority that isn't yours. Clear?
Sincerely,
****
4 comments:
Oh no. i sense our neighbors are not going to be our friends. Good thing i'm not there. I hate confontation. Ackward. But seriously...who picks up other peoples dogs?
Boy am I out of the loop...I didn't even know you had roommates, much less an idiot neighbor! If you really leave that letter, I will give you a cookie :)
Loved your comment on the blog, btw.
I really did leave that letter because she was not home. Later talked to her face to face. Shee thinks since SHE doesn't think things like holding Bellas two front paws and walking her...a maneuver Bella initiates...that those type things are okay that when her kids are outside Bailie should not be allowed to do that. I clearly informed her that if she did not want her kids seeing that she was free to take them inside. I do not think she likes me much...
You should pick the neighbor lady up when she's playing with her kids, put her on your side of the fence, and tell the whole lot of them that you do not approve of her parenting techniques. Tell her some really nice lady gave you the idea when she bullied a little girl and her playmate in your yard.
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