Let me tell you a little story...

Several months ago, one of our neighbors got a new little black lab puppy. It tends to get out a lot.

One morning early, I was just bringing my dog into the house. He is always on a lead. And DD was with me.

Now this puppy was starting to get bigger and was already much bigger than ours (he's a min pin). He suddenly came running up out of no where onto our deck just as we were trying to get in the door.

The puppy immediately started jumping up on DD and she in turn started screaming. I mean it was a strange dog. (We don't know these neighbors.) Well that got my dog all in an uproar. As I pulled my dog off the puppy's neck (yes, teeth were on their way into the skin) after he had wrapped himself around my legs, I tried to get the puppy off DD all while my dog was barking in my ears very loudly and clawing me trying to get to the puppy as it (the puppy) was jumping all over me now!! I guess my yelling finally scared the puppy off. This was my first encounter.

Probably a month or so later. I was standing out on the deck, leaning over the rail looking over the side, talking on the phone. When I turned around this dog's paws slammed into my chest! I nearly had a heart attack! It scared me to death. I didn't know he was there. My poor mother on the phone! I screamed in her ear and practically hung up on her! I immediately tried to get it off my deck but not before it urinated on my deck, right at the kitchen door!! I was so very angry! Luckily my dog was inside but he was going nuts barking and trying to climb out the closed window.

Later, it got loose again, and my dog again tried to attack it. This time the neighbor's son came running to get it. I told him he needed keep it on a leash. (There are very few fences in our neighborhood.)

Well, this evening DD was playing in her little pool. I was walking up the driveway (her pool is in the driveway) and here comes the dog. UGH!! I immediately stopped and tried to catch it to help and to try to keep it from my dog. It of course jumped all over me and got dirt and mud all over my clothes. Then immediately ran at my dog. Now I had a hard time getting my dog off it again. (Rather funny site, my little min pin at barely 9lbs taking on this probably 50lbs dog!) My dog is very protective.

I again told the kid as he came running up that he needed to keep the dog on a leash and that we do have a leash law in this state. Now, I will say that I probably was speaking loudly because I was trying to talk over my barking dog in my arms. But I wasn't yelling or anything but I'm sure he could tell that I was very upset.

Well, tonight as we were eating dinner, the boy's dad came over to apologize to me. It was nice of him but it embarrassed me. He kept telling me that his son was only 10 years old. I wanted to say, "Well, maybe he shouldn't be taking the dog out if he can't control him." But I didn't. I hate confrontation. I did tell him that I was worried about my dog hurting theirs. He told me to do whatever I need to do but that they are trying to wait for payday to get one of those underground fences for him. I wanted to say, "Well, till then, put it on a leash!!!!" But again, I didn't.

I just don't understand why people don't take care of their animals. You know, when we first got our dog, he was a puppy. We didn't put him on a leash but he never left the yard. When he did start leaving the yard it because someone else's dog kept coming into our yard but, I immediately put him on a leash. He's been either on a leash or on the lead ever since.

Anyway, I feel terrible now for telling the kid to put the dog on a leash and I shouldn't!! This is a huge pet peeve of mine, other peoples dogs or cats in my yard. I'm so embarrassed that the father came over. I had never met him before either. He didn't introduce himself just started in by saying he wanted to apologize. I felt like he was getting on to me at the same time for my comment to his son. I'm probably being too sensitive, I know, and I should just take his apology and let it be. I'm hoping that this will help me. Getting it out here. We'll see, I'm not very good at letting things go.

Oh, by the way!! Remember a few posts ago, about 4 or 5 I think, I said that I was afraid to get excited because in the army everything can change? Well, it has and so I will be waiting a little longer. You guys could say prayers for us or cross your fingers for us or whatever it is you do, that my DH will be home soon. I would really appreciate it. Waiting is getting harder and harder. I know that I'm really fortunate that he is coming home at all but the waiting is getting hard. The kids are having a hard time. DD doesn't understand why her friends dad's are coming home and her's isn't. Especially those who left after her daddy did.

Well, I guess I'm done with my blabbering for now. Goodnight, dear cyber friends. Until next time...