dog tales

I live in a small city, on what some might call the wrong side of town. I love it, most of the time. What I don't love is the dogs.

I'm not much of a dog person. I had a really bad experiences in my teens and then my 20s with dogs. And with the exception of Logan, Izzy and Harry I could live without them.

Living in an urban environment, everyone has dogs. Not cute furry dogs, but big dogs like retrievers, mean guard dogs or those yappy little Taco Bell dogs. Each spring I re-learn where the rottweilers, pitbulls, and dobermans live. And then avoid them.

There's one house I cannot avoid. I have to pass it to go home. They have some sort of small furry matted brown dust mop things that bark from the minute they see you coming to well after you've left. But they don't just bark. They spin in circles and jump much higher than the rickety fence. They snarl. They nash. They terrify me. And the owners make no attempt to shut them up or discipline them. I am certain one day I will come home with one attached to me as it flies to attack me. They are insane.

Today Sharon and I walked. They were already in full psycho mode when we got there. A man was across the street walking his very well-behaved dog.  So I said to Sharon, "lets cross the street, those dogs scare the heck out of me". A voice replies "Me too. That's why we're on this side of the street."

He was 6'4" and walking a pitbull.