T.G.I.F.

Thank God It Is Friday!  I used to say that all the time when I was working.  Nowadays the end of the week means that people will be relaxing usually outdoors so our lovely ever so quiet neighbourhood gets a little noisier as kids play, Dads mow lawns and people tend to sit outside, chat and enjoy the sunshine.

Today has seen some excitement.

Next door have a dog.  Ever since they have had it it has harassed us as we use our sideway.  It would charge up to fence as we walked down the sideway, bump against the palings and let out a snarl or a growl.  If you are not aware its going to happen then you can be startled.  This happens to both of us.  Over time we have become used to being snarled and growled at as we walk down the sideway.

I have spoken to the neighbour and he has said it just wants to play!  I have never been convinced.  It can bark as well but overall this isn't a real problem.

They have a couple of kids and this morning mum, dad, the two kids and the dog on a leash were walking to school as I finished my bike ride.  I said Good Morning as I rode past going in the opposite direction and suddenly the dog lunged at me and tried to bite me.  It took a bit out of my shorts I was wearing.

I stopped the bike and came back to them.  The dad wanted to know if I had caught my shorts on something.  I said that his dog tried to bite me.

The usual lines came out, the dog doesn't hurt anyone else, the dog plays around my mum and dad safely, the kids can climb all over it etc etc.  Finally he said that I must have done something to intimidate it and it has been after me ever since.  All the usual platitudes!

That the dog harasses both me and Trish as either of us walk down the sideway didn't seem to dawn on them. I said with their permission I would pat the dog and see its response.  They agreed.

I slowly and carefully put my hand down to pat it.  It snapped at me and bit me drawing blood from my hand.  Being half ready for it I escaped any serious harm.

Mum began crying and dad changed his tune and was extremely apologetic.  I have now offered to work with them to try to solve the problem.  I am heading next door this afternoon to have a couple of beers with him and try and get to know the dog!  I am not confident it will work.  Trish isn't at all keen on accompanying me!

I took photos and I have sent a report of the incident off to Council but I have asked them not to intervene as the neighbour and myself will try to solve the problem.

And I am booked in for Tetanus shot on Monday!

History tells us that if a dog will attack once without serious provocation, there is a top chance it will do it again. I certainly wouldn't have my kids around it.  The safest thing for them to do is to get a new dog!

After all this excitement I managed to get another brew on this morning.  This one is a "Nut Brown Ale" and was given to me by someone after I had helped them out by feeding their dog while they were away!  That dog was well trained and an absolute pleasure to check out and feed.  The only aggressiveness from "Chubb" was when he had a ball in his mouth as he wanted to play before I fed him!