Bruno Report; dog park edition

If you've followed the Bruno Reports, you'll know there've been some issues. Like his penchant for wanting to kill other dogs.

We flagged that as a nasty character trait early on. I've been dutifully taking him to the Owen Sound off-leash dog park for months now, hoping he picks up some social skills.

I've had mixed results, but we seem to be trending in the right direction. He left a poor first impression on a dog park regular, Lilly, on his very first visit.

Lilly is, I think, mostly a standard poodle. She used to, in the aftermath of that first encounter, bark for the entire time Bruno was in the park, and wouldn't get anywhere near him.

That eventually got whittled down to a welcome bark, mutual butt-sniffs, and sauntering around the park together.

So I know we're making progress.

Today we arrive at the park and there's nobody there but an old dude with a "rat-terrier cross."

Penny.

I had no idea there was such a creature. Looks like a terrier, but it's the size of a rat. It's half the size of our cat, Doublewide.

I've got the big boy on leash, and I'm holding on tight, because this could turn real ugly real fast. 

Penny wouldn't be more than a mouthful for Bruno.

Buddy doesn't seem concerned.

"Let him off, just let him off! She'll tune him up in no time."

So I did.

And so she did.

She, half the size of an average cat, bared her teeth and growled at my 150 pound mastiff. Whereupon he immediately fell to the ground in total submission.

Obviously, she doesn't know she's little, and he doesn't know he's twenty times bigger.

And then they embarked on the most enthusiastic romp Bruno has ever had at the dog park!