When Sampson, Delilah and I walk the neighborhood, I always have my eyes sharp. I’m on the lookout for someone walking, whether it’s by themselves or with their dog. I’m also watching for squirrels, chipmunks, wild turkey, deer, cats, cars and mice. Yes mice. One windy morning Delilah perked up over what I thought was a leaf. I don’t know who was more surprised when the mouse ran right under her nose, her or me.
Anyone watching me would think I was either drunk, slightly off my rocker or both. I know which yards have the e-fences where the dogs lurk in the back yard only to come charging out when you approach. Or the yard that doesn’t clean up after their dog and has huge piles on the lawns.
Typically I cross the road to avoid the potential hazards, with the exception of the lawn with the disgusting piles. The house across from the yard with the piles has a dog on an e-fence. Gretchen is very excited to see another dog and keeps her ears sharp, I usually hear her well before I see her.
Such was the case on Sunday. We were approaching Gretchen’s house and I had my eyes and ears sharp, listening for her. I heard her, she was inside. I think there was a little party at her house because there was a few cars out front and the house was all lit up.
I walked along the street, the dogs beside me walking along the edge of Gretchen’s yard. Just as we passed the front door, it opened and one of the little guests let Gretchen out. Here she comes tearing across the lawn to greet the dogs.
I was quick. I moved out into the street bringing the dogs with me and then struggled getting Sampson away as he wanted to greet Gretchen as much as she wanted to greet him.
Meanwhile the little guest kept calling to Gretchen who of course ignored him. I finally got Sampson a safe distance past the house, cursing and mumbling under my breath the entire time.
Did you see that? I was SO close.
Once I got home I changed my pants and relaxed. 😉
How do you handle the situation with guests and your dogs? Do you allow your guests to let your dogs out, or do you handle it differently?
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oh my only you, only you I swear. Just when you think the coast is clear then whammo! All Sampson wants to do is play 🙂
Nope, a guest is a guest and nothing to do with me at all. Have a terrific Tuesday.
Best wishes Molly
Ha! I wish. On the rare occasion that Mom let’s ANYBODY walk me, there are so many warnings and instructions, that she might as well have done it herself. Or I might as well have stayed inside…..
Love and licks,
Cupcake
We train all our friends and family before that are allowed to walk our pups. We work hard to keep the rules consistent and dogs always under control.
As for letting out, our dogs are pretty good about knowing that just because the door is open – doesn’t mean they get to go out.
On what planet would you do that? Go back pretending to be a carol singer and punch that party goer on the nose!! I on occasions let other people let my dogs out, however I am usually stood within arms reach and have fully assessed the situation. Plus that is letting my boys out into my secure back yard, no way in hell is anyone taking either of my boys out the front door!
Do you ever get to have a nice relaxing walk?
Since we have a fenced in yard, luckily it’s not really an issue for us. Even so, most of my guests know to ask me if it’s OK to let the dogs out.
We don’t have guests over to our house. Problem solved…lol.
But seriously the answer is no with the exception of the dogs’ breeders/co-owners. They look out for the dogs as much as we do and they would make sure the coast was clear. You sure have bad luck on walks.
I don’t know how you do it. I would have stopped walking them a long time ago. I don’t think my heart could take all that excitement. Or maybe I would just take to wearing Depends on the walk since there seem to be ample startling opportunities for the soiling of undergarments. “Depends – not just for the aged with incontinence issues, also for people that walk their dogs in neighborhoods like Jodi’s – pick yourself up a box today!”
My guests are not allowed to feed my dogs or let them out or even touch them. They are allowed to look at them. I am not what you would call a gracious hostess.
Oh dear lord, where DO these people come from?! I guess it is true, some people just need a sympathetic pat… on the head…with a hammer. BOL
I learned the hard way to never allow anyone else to be responsible for Honey when I’m there.
But I don’t expect smart decision making from people who get electric fences. Even if it keeps your dog from leaving the yard, how does it keep you dog safe from someone getting into the yard?
Can you imagine combining human eyes and ears with dogs sense of smell? Wow, would that be amazing…probably sensory overload times a bizillion! Our moron neighbors with the mean dogs and the invisible fence stopped putting the collars on the dogs so they were coming off their yard and going after us in the street. Boy was Mom mad! Idiots! They even tried to get poor Katie who is like a 90 yr old grandmother. Thankfully, they are wearing them again, but it went on for like 2 weeks. Idiots!
When their is any kind of party at my house or guests come to my house for a visit. At that time i keep my dog in their room. At the last of the party i take them with me or with any other member of my family. We cannot ignore them when their is any kind of party in my house because they are also a member of our family.