THE CLEANUP...AND BOB

The last few days flew by with so much activity that I wondered if I would be able to keep up. Grump’s wounds required hot compresses 4 times a day, and there is the morning and evening walks, each dog his turn, on leash. Gone is the luxury of just opening the door and letting them go outside to sniff their domain to their hearts’ content. They are having difficulty coping with the restraint, and it is taking huge chunks of my time.

I had previous clients call me looking for urgent help, which meant digging out papers that were buried under those mountains stored in the garage. Visitors showed up in the evenings and stayed late. My truck was making funny noises that needed to be checked out. Added was the preparation for cleaning the garage on the weekend; contacts made for proper disposal of what was there; more boxes and bags being packed and readied for said disposal.

In the end, the truck and trailer and strong arms showed up early Saturday morning. By Sunday evening the job was done. Shelves were even constructed for the documents which I needed to keep until I can have them returned to various companies. The BBQ worked overtime. The work was done by volunteers so the least I could do was feed them.

During all this my neighbor (we’ll call him Bob), the one with the vicious dogs, must have decided to go off his meds. Bob spent his time walking his animals back and forth just outside the limits of my property, sending my two doggies into frenzy. He even stops on the gravel road directly in front of the gallery, the only place where Grump and Smooch can see them clearly through the trees, and lingers there; talking aloud to his own dogs, repeating over and over that nobody will stop them from going where they please. My male friends who were helping clean the garage went out to talk to him, but he ran off and hid in the bush.

It started on Saturday, and since then he has been doing this three or four times a day. It seems he also went by the house of another neighbour and, when told to buzz off, threatened that he would turn his beasts loose on this man’s new dog. This is the same man who was babysitting a Pomeranian for his niece while she was on vacation last year, and the poor little thing was torn apart by Bob’s five huge brutes. At that time the police were called. It wasn’t the first dog they had killed, so Bob was obliged to get rid of the two most aggressive, and to make a pen to keep the others from running around which, as anyone reading my blog knows, has not functioned too well. On more than one occasion they have been back here, and each time there is a wicked fight. This is the reason why, although I have 4 acres where Smooch and Grump used to run freely, I am obliged to keep my boys on a leash. Mine don’t go out of my yard unless the others come here looking, and then they will give chase, a reaction from any normal dog.

I’ve tried personally negotiating with the fellow, in more ways than one, but nothing has worked. I fear the only solution now is to go to the police and lodge a complaint. Other neighbours around here want to start a petition to send to our Municipal council. It was done last year but, other than a letter of warning which Bob totally disregarded, there has been no reaction from that quarter. It’s another sad case where dogs are eventually going to pay for an irresponsible owner.

Other than that, the weather has been fine, Grump is healing well, and my goddaughter just gave birth – it’s her first, an 8 pound, sweet, baby girl. My grandson’s purchase of his first house has been approved, my daughter is on vacation and will be by later to help organize the boxes for those new shelves and...oh yeh...I can finally see my garage floor!!

Life is good and this lady is SMILING!

Luv from the Bush in Quebec.