Problems

All I do is bark to warn you, mom.

I'm watching him!

I don't like little boys.

The north side of my backyard is visible by the neighbors with no obstruction from plants. My neighbor has a young son, I think he is now 8, that has several problems. I won't go into that now, but this summer the kid is bored. When he is at home after supper, he likes to come into his backyard to play. With a squirt gun. Uh huh.

I don't know Jake's history other than he was picked up as a stray at approximately 8 months. From his behavior, Jake is not a man's dog. He reacts to all young boys, say from toddler to young teen. Jake is getting better being around grown men, but boys, not so much. So my conclusion is that Jake was teased and possibly abused by a young male.

I don't allow the dogs out in the yard unless I am with them, or standing at the door. Just my little phobia since I lost Sarge. So, in my presence, this kid walks up to his fence and lifts the squirt gun over the pickets, and squirts water at Jake. Just his presence at the fence line is enough to cause Jake to go ballistic. I have explained this to him. DON'T TEASE THE DOGS!!! But he is 8 years old, and bored.

My fear, of course, is if Jake ever meets this kid face to face, the reaction is going to be over the top. And I want to avoid that. Don't want anyone to get bit, and I don't want to lose my dog. But I have zero control over the neighbor's son. I also am not fond of confrontations with neighbors, especially this one. In order to have a conversation with this woman, I need a spare week. Yeah, one of those. And even with 7 days, I might be able to get my point across. Then again....

So I think I am going to try for a conversation with the boy. He is lonely and wants attention. And I am on a quest to reduce any type of animal abuse. To me, teasing and squirting my dog is abuse. Sigh. It's never easy, is it?
Linda