Doggie Do

Tonight we delayed our evening walk with the dogs as we were uncertain about the approaching rain storm. Finally, we decided we would chance it as our nightly walked has become somewhat of a favorite activity for our two hounds.

As we stepped out our usual course upon circling the second cul-de-sac, I had Lexi and my daughter had Lulu in tow, I heard a man calling out to me "Hey lady....ladies". I turned to see a neighbor ( however distance, he lives on a completely different street from us) yelling out to grab our attention. Now, I have no clue who this man was, I have never been introduced to him, but that fact did not slow him down one bit as he wasted no time or effort launching into his diatribe about our dogs.

I will paraphrase what he had to say " Hey ladies, I would appreciate it is you would not allow your dogs to go to the bathroom in my yard". I said "excuse me, are you speaking to me?" "Yes, he said and I would appreciate it if you would keep your dogs out of my yard." Now mind you, both of our dogs were on leads. There were three of us me, my mother and daughter and our two dogs. We do not permit our dogs to walk in our neighbors yards, and we certainly have never encouraged or permitted out dogs to do "their business" in any of our neighbors yards.

As you can guess his accusatory tone set me off and so I wasted no time with my retort . "I think you are confused. Our dogs are on leads and we came no where near your yard. Furthermore, we do not permit our dogs to use the bathroom on our neighbors lawns. I carry a spray bottle full of water to ensure our dogs do not even attempt to enter another yard. Therefore, you need to save your accusations and criticisms for those who are guilty of such offenses, which would not be us."

He continued on with how he saw (15) dogs pass by his yard yesterday alone and all he was asking is that they stay out of his yard. I said, "Well you are directing your comments to the wrong people. I can assure you, I am just as tired as you of shoveling dog poo off of our lawn from owners who permit their dogs to do their business in our yard or leave their dogs to roam lead free." He responded with I am just politely asking...to which I stated "there is nothing polite about you or your tone."

It is amazing to me how this man, who I believe to be active military or at the very least retired working a contracting job has enough time on his hands that he can sit perched in front of his window to count the number of dog passing by his house. His time would be better served addressing the owner of the beagle who lives two doors down who charged our dogs, when his owner allowed him to roam free out of his home/yard last night, or how about the bull dog that lives across the street and wanders around hiking his leg where ever he deems necessary.

As I set off for the top of the hill still fuming over this guys accusatory tone and absurd accusations, I turned to my mother and said. "I am going to need for you to make some jackets for the dogs, which they can wear on our walks. I would like for you to embroider the following saying on them: If in your yard some dog did what dogs do, please know I am not the dog who left the poo!

Well needless to say, I have no plans on altering our walking route. I just hope this lovely man has sense enough to stay inside next time instead of verbally assaulting a neighbor he has never met or spoken to before.