Intruder Alerts and Attack Chihuahuas

My daughter Anna got new bedding that features pictures of horses
running across fields. I was thinking the horses looked fairly
realistic, but I didn't realize just how realistic they might look
until I heard insane angry barking from the other room. Anna's
chihuahua was in a standoff with the pillow sham. This is the same
dog that tries to run off the cows every time California Dairy Council
commercials come on the tv.

FurPaw...

Hey, I'll bet you sleep better at night knowing that your house
is well guarded from televised cows and pillow sham horses!

Chihuahuas - gotta love 'em!

Otto Bahn...

Either that or drop kick them through the goal posts along

Paula...

What? You want your ass kicked by two little girls and a German
Shepherd, too?

with all the fscking poodles.

Kevin S. Wilson...

I was going to say, "Chihuahuas! Can't live with them, can't
eviscerate them."

Then I realized that you can. Also, I would prefer watching the ARK
chycks eviscerate you rather than me.

Paula...

Don't ever show your face at my house. Anna and Mimi might look small

Otto Bahn...

Not a problem. Some people find yappy little dogs more annoying
than they are worth. Though as Chris noted, only the bitey ones
actually need the boot.

Growing up I learned to have zero tolerance for aggressive dogs.
They respect that. One direct hit with a rock will do, and even

Amy Dahl...

I figure, when you don't have a captive audience, you have
no choice. If the person you are trying to teach views you
as "safe" and generally reinforcing, they are much more
likely to try what you suggest.

Shelly...

I had a huge object lesson in that not too long ago. A friend of
mine prefaced an e-mail to me with "Don't yell at me, but I want to
get a dog. Will you help?" She knew enough to suspect that she
might not be the best home for a dog, but she wanted one, and she
was going to get one one way or another, so helping her make the
best decisions she could was about all I could do. And that's what
I did. No, she *isn't* the best candidate for dog ownership, but
her dog is reasonably well cared for.

Anything that gets across improves the situation (assuming
your suggestions are constructive). Try to focus on that, and
not on comparing the subject dog's life to your ideal.

Shelly...

Abso-freaking-lutely! This friend's dog doesn't have the sort of
life mine has, and I am absolutely positive that mine doesn't have
the sort of life that yours have. I expect that all our dogs are
pretty happy, though.

TaraG...

Couldn't have said it better myself. And I didn't :-)

In all seriousness, I totally agree.

Amy Dahl

a bicycle can be a weapon -- come and get it. (A bike makes a
wonderful shield if all you want is to defend yourself). I'm glad
you raised yours correctly. In my town a lot of people had dogs
more for protection than affection. Fscking dobermans. I still
hate them, and I'm a dog person.

Glenn Knickerbocker...

I grew up with nasty, nasty Dobermans down the road (along with nasty and
even nastier kids) that I wouldn't go anywhere near, but somehow every
Doberman I've happened to meet since then has been gregarious and
huggable. Go figure.

Otto Bahn...

There was a period where Dobermans were the guard dog du jour.

Glenn Knickerbocker...

These WERE guard dogs. Good ones, too. They were just ALSO well
socialized and well fed.

Paula...

I grew up with a German Shepherd we all hated and feared next door.
That carried through to not really liking GSD's in adulthood, either,
until Meat Terri convinced me to give them a chance. Now I love them.
I don't even really blame the one I grew up next door to now that I
know what it does to a dog to live like that one lived and be treated
by its family like she was. Poor doggie!

Otto Bahn...

A properly raised Shepard is an esteemed family member.

IIRC, Chihuahuas have an innate fear of a cocked leg. Either that
the ones I've known were bitey once.

and weak, but dissing both their dogs will get you an ass-kicking.
They'll get help from Molly, Sammie the poodle's best friend.