A few weeks ago, I wrote a post titled, “Dear Neighbor“, in which I mentioned how one of the people in my neighborhood thinks you house train a puppy by leaving that puppy outside. No surprise, he also has dogs that leave his yard.
This story took place a few months ago, and I’ve had it in draft form for a bit, finally getting around to posting it.
Ya’ll know we walk in the dark. In our neighborhood, we don’t have sidewalks, so when we walk, typically the dogs are walking close to the curb, or on someone’s lawn. When you live in the DADO capital of the world, you learn which houses have e-fences, and which yards to be wary of.
Unless you don’t.
The dogs have their favorite routes. Sampson’s is to see people he loves, while Delilah’s. Well who knows why she likes it, but she does.
Of course, I dress for the weather, whatever that might be, but I try to keep it comfortable.
This particular damp morning I had on a light jacket and some slip on sneakers. As is Delilah’s usual MO, she heads towards her favorite route. So there we are, walking along in the dark, and we approach the DADO’s house. This DADO used to have a yellow lab that he kept outside a lot. Her name was Sarah and once, she came out of her yard to follow us. That time, I dropped Sampson’s leash, and hustled Delilah along. I’m not sure what happened to Sarah, but he apparently has another yellow lab, that isn’t quite so friendly.
This particular morning there we were, walking along quite contentedly, when suddenly, this large, yellow lab, comes flying around the side of the house, snarling and growling like a fool, and comes rushing out into the street. I immediately made to move away, and shelter Delilah, and in the process, I lost my left shoe.
I don’t wear, nor do I like shoes, so I don’t see the problem.
So there I stood, socked foot planted firmly on the wet street, with my shoe, the shoe that kept my foot dry, a good five feet away. I contemplated if those castle steps were as uncomfortable on Cinderella’s feet as the wet street was on mine.
But I stood there anyway, standing my ground. I fluffed myself up as big as I could, and in my sternest voice said, “GET IN YOUR YARD. GO!”
And he did.
I retrieved my shoe, and finished the walk with one damp foot.
Ever since that morning, I’ve avoided walking past that house.
It’s a damn shame when some Dumb Ass Dog Owner ruins it for everyone else.
You seriously need to move and find better neighbors.
Well, that must have been an uncomfortable walk home! How can someone have a dog like that and be stupid enough to let it run loose? I just don’t get it. I feel bad enough when Luke barks at someone walking by, and he’s safely inside his fence. I bring him in the house if I can, because who wants to be barked at, never mind being rushed at by any dog!?
Oh, and I’m just so glad that dog listened to you!
Ugh, I feel your pain. I hate DADO’s and all the brain dead activity that goes along with them.
Have you considered fiery bags of dog shit on front porches? It would show you are not to be trifled with, siriusly.
My mom would have LOVED you, Jan! She left her share of barely-covered poop piles on front porches during her lifetime. 😂
siriusly! I love it 🙂
Ugh. (Love the Cinderella reference.) I feel you… We have SO many routes that we don’t take now (unless the hubs is along -he’s great at running interference) because of DADOs. Sucks.
Ugh! In some ways, I’m glad we don’t have a road we can walk on…no more DADO’s loose dogs to deal with…but we’re back to walking the girls at the ball field when no one else is around. Sorry you have to deal with those a$$hats! Like Emma said, it’s siriusly time for y’all to move to a nicer neighborhood.
Those darn sneakers! LoL You always make me laugh though!
Stupid DADO’s we feel your pain about dealing with them. 🙁
Damp socks are the worst–I’ve been dealing with them a lot since our neighborhood has been one big puddle for a month. Having a loose dog to deal with on top of damp socks is unimaginably bad! I’m sorry you’re still having to deal with things like this!
I hate “owners” like that. I used to dog sit regularly and my favorite house was across a small street from a house of 6 or 7 seven dogs that were ALWAYS out and ALWAYS barking and chasing people, dogs, and cars when they passed. I can’t imagine the neighbors having to put up with those barking dogs 24/7 just because the “owners” didn’t want their dogs inside. They had an electric fence, but when a herd of dogs is charging at you snarling and sneering, you don’t much care. All it takes is one breaker and the rest will follow. And I’m certainly not going to trust obnoxious dogs to not break the fence. People can be so incredibly stupid and inconsiderate and it’s usually the dogs that suffer as a result! Bad dogs aren’t the issue … it’s the selfish people who own them that are the problem!
For a moment, I thought you were gonna share that you ‘stepped’ in ‘it.’ Damp, while not pleasant, is probably a whole lot better than steaming if you get my drift. I have one of those menace dogs in my ‘hood, perhaps I could get a recording of your ‘get the heck outa here’ shouts to play for this rotten bag of snarling fur? It’d save my shoulder which keeps getting pulled out of its socket by one particularly scrappy Ninja girl who won’t take nuttin’ from no one.