Bow-Wow
using the neighborhood as your pet sitter
I could not help but notice the sound of nothing. It was like the father or mother listening to their child breathing soundly to know that all was well. And then that nothing sound happened, all of a sudden. The silence was almost supernatural. This was not right; something must be wrong, I thought to myself. The few minutes that passed seemed like hours as the silence persisted. It was only then, just as suddenly, that I was relieved to learn that all was normal again when that dog down the block started back up with its barking, almost never-ending barking. Apparently it was a momentary distraction that had brought the neighborhood a brief minute of relief. I could now rest comfortably with the knowledge that the condition normal had finally returned to the neighborhood and that the noise I found so disturbing was back and will continue virtually uninterrupted.
Apparently, the owners prefer to leave their dog outside in their front yard for others to endure. While this arrangement is barely tolerable during the day, it becomes less tolerable when the sun goes down. If there was any momentary lapse in barking during the busy day, that little pooch would make sure everyone knew of her distress in the quiet of the evening, presumably when the owners had not yet returned home. I say presumably since I cannot imagine they can tolerate the noise that their dog creates. I suspect that they may be oblivious to the uninterrupted barking that goes on in their absence.
As to why they might wish to entrust the neighborhood to this unwelcome noise, perhaps they are clueless as to how their dog behaves when they are gone and believe they are doing the dog a favor by letting it loudly plea for relief from its owner: “Where are you and come right home,” hour after hour. Then again, perhaps the dog is not welcome in the home when the owners are away.
While I live a short distance from the source of this barking, there are many homeowners who live much closer. Perhaps they and others have come to embrace this noisy intrusion as if it did not exist. Perhaps I'm alone in thinking that it’s about time to invite “Little Precious” back into the home.
If the owners are using the neighborhood as their pet sitter, it’s about time to consider other less intrusive options.
Ron Johnson, 7 January 2011