Ooookay, SO... as I have mentioned, I have been experiencing some difficulty in keeping Kobi in the back yard. In fact, she was barely staying in the yard for more than a few minute before she was over the fence and trotting gleefully down the street. There are a few obvious problems with this: one, she could get hit by a car, which she nearly did last weekend. Two, she could get scooped up by someone a block over and adopted as their own and we'd never see her again. Three, my neighbors could firebomb my house.
Kobi is a perfectly friendly and sweet, non-aggressive little dog in almost any social setting. When visitors come, she might give a couple of warning barks, but then she warms right up. Out in the world, on a leash, she is friendly and approachable by even the grabbiest of small children. But off a leash, and loose in the neighborhood, she is a holy terror. For three mornings in a row, she burst out of the backyard and threw herself, hackles up, barking madly, at a mom walking with her two young boys and a baby stroller past our house. No amount of calling, clapping, shouting or pleading would get her to stop. I apologized and apologized, and the lady was very nice about it, but I know how I would feel if someone's annoying, yippy little dog had come running after me.
Then there's this: Sunday afternoon, Grayson and I were on our way out the door when Kobi jumped the fence and ran across the street to bark at the couple getting out of their car in front of their house. The woman is the mom of one of Grayson's friends. The man, I understand, is the friend's stepdad, and he's a real gem. He turned around and started cursing at Kobi and trying to kick her. "Get out of my damn yard, you!" Like he's somehow threatened by 16 pounds of barking Chihuahua. Grayson and I are standing right there, clearly attempting to call her away and get her to stop. This lovely gentleman didn't even acknowledge our presence, just kept trying to kick our dog. Nice. The world is so full of delightful people.
Actually, had his ill-omened boot made contact, I shudder to think what my reaction would have been. I don't think I would have been a model of self restraint or polite conflict-management. I think I would have gone over there and gob-smacked him.
ANYWAY... this charming person is just another very good reason to keep our dog in the yard. Ironically, on the occasion when he was attempting to kick her, we had been on our way out to the car to go buy an electric fence.
I installed the fence yesterday afternoon. I don't think it's too jerry-rigged. I was supposed to sink a copper grounding rod six feet into the ground. I bought four feet of steel rebar and managed to get about six inches of it driven into the hard soil around the back door. Best I could do. It also recommends that I set up some sort of lightning avoidance somethingorother... Um... no. I just set it up, ran the wire, and plugged it in. Then Grayson and I put the dogs out and went to the park. I didn't want to be around when they discovered the wire.
Well, the good news is that it worked just great for Kobi. We got home and Kobi was still in the yard. This morning I put the dogs out to pee and when I opened the door to let them in... Kobi was in the yard. The neighbor family with the baby stroller walked unmolested past our house.
The bad news is... well, of course the other dogs were sure to experience the wire, as well. I would have spared Flower if I could, but I'm afraid it was inevitable. I don't know when or how it happened, but it clearly made an impression. Poor Flower is now afraid to go in the back yard. I had to literally take her by the collar and herd her out the back door this morning, and she tried energetically to dodge past my legs and get back in the house. I'm sure it's because of the wire.
I feel terrible, but what can I do? Got to keep Kobi in the yard, so everybody suffers the consequences.
On a lighter note... I took Grayson to see "How to Train Your Dragon" on Saturday afternoon and it was AWESOME. Best. Movie. Ever. Made me laugh, cry, cling to my seat... it had everything. But mostly it had this fantastic dragon, Toothless. What a great character! And he never spoke a line. Perfect blend of real animal behavior and digital animation anthropomorphism. Loved it. Can't wait to see it again. I tried to post some pics, but Blogger is not cooperating with me on graphics today... so you should visit the site.
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