The Dog Blog: A neighbor's dog growling at Dixie

Saturday, May 27, 2017

A neighbor's dog growling at Dixie

I DIDN'T HAVE A CAMERA WITH ME TODAY,
SO I'M USING AN OLD PHOTO AGAIN.

Dixie can't protect herself, so she's always scared when we meet other dogs. As we did today.

I was walking Dixie near a neighbor's house, and the neighbor came out to pet Dixie and talk to her. Suddenly, someone cursed and the neighbor's two dogs got out of the house.

One of them (the one that barks at us constantly when we're walking) pretty much ignored us. He just ran off and began peeing all over the neighborhood. The other one (I'd never seen it before) came straight over to Dixie and growled at her.

As I said, Dixie is afraid. She's a fat beagle with a leg missing, so she can't protect herself. She sat down and pretty much gave up.

Fortunately, our neighbor, her husband and her brother were there. They got the growling dog away from Dixie, and they spent some time (I don't know how much) chasing the other dog. The neighbor apologized to me at least twice (it wasn't necessary; I know all about dogs getting loose).

Dixie and I walked home with the other dog around us but not threatening us. When we went back outside later in the day, the other dog was back outside; this time, he was on his usual line.

I don't think of him as a threat to Dixie or me anyway. He's just curious. And loud.

• Woof! (translation: Go away, kid; you bother me)