A fresh start

Turns out the folks next door moved last week, and left their dogs behind.

That would explain why their aggression has been ramping up, to the point where by yesterday, they were standing in front of the house barking, for hours on end. Poor Bruno was afraid to go out for a crap.

We’ve watched the long-term disintegration of the folks next door, so their moving does not come as a surprise. But it pains me to see those beautiful German shepherds suffering because their owners made poor life choices, and there’s no way around it; fentanyl is always a poor life choice.

So yesterday we started making phone calls. We soon discovered it’s not as simple as looking up “dog-catcher” in the phone book.

I called the township. They’ve contracted their dog-catching out to a local shelter. They won’t come and catch the dog, but if you catch it, they’ll come pick it up.

Angry, frightened, and hungry shepherds rushing me with their fangs bared?

No thanks!

I called the OPP. At least they were well acquainted with the neighbours. Alas, they got way more on their plate than barking dogs, but an officer was thoughtful enough to call back a couple times to see if they were still barking.

Late last night, after many hours of barking, I put out a dish of kibble for them. I know that’s not a great strategy for getting rid of hungry dogs, but at least it let them settle down for a few hours.

By 4 a.m. they were ready for breakfast, and the barking started up again. The Farm Manager got on the phone and made another half dozen calls before noon.

Early this afternoon I happened to be standing at the window and witnessed their apprehension.

A white 4 door Jeep drove slowly through the slush and came to a stop. The dogs were already on the road, tails wagging. The driver’s door opened and a hand reached out to pet the dogs. They haven’t barked since the guy stopped. He gets out and puts a leash on one of them and guides it into the back of the Jeep. The other dog follows.

This dude is a serious dog whisperer!

I would have thought these dogs had a bleak future, but after witnessing this interaction I felt hopeful. Get them in a shelter, clean them up and feed them properly, and for the right owner, they would make affable canine companions.

Which is a much better outcome than getting shot!

I’m hoping they get a new start. They’ve earned it.