Barking Mad

Recently there has been an increase in pooches in our area. And unlike our perfect pooch who just likes to chill out during the day, these dogs bark. ALL. THE. TIME. The one directly across the road, barks and cries most of the day. The one diagonally across the road howls most the day. The one diagonally behind us barks during the day and night. And the one across the other corner yaps. YAPS during the day. And YAPS during the night.

Yes it is only when he is left, and it seems the other dogs too. Our pooch Jack is lucky that I’m home a lot of the time. But people have to go to work, so these dogs are left a lot of the day.

So the yapper got so bad one night that we messaged our neighbours. They felt awful and left a little card in our letterbox apologising. I then felt bad that we had complained. Then the other night the dog yapped from 9pm till 12.45am. I was reluctantly half way through messaging the owners when their car pulled up and the dog ran back inside through his doggy door. We didn’t send the message, but part of me wished we had so the owners knew what had been going on.

To say we’ve become a little precious about our sleep is an understatement. Every parent knows how important it is to get as much sleep as you can when you can. Sophie thankfully has been sleeping through the night on and off for the past month, yet we haven’t been able to get a full night sleep. Whether it’s the stinking hot weather, people walking past outside making noise, or the bloody dogs barking, a full uninterrupted nights sleep has eluded us.

The point to my rambling is this. I fear that I’m turning into an annoying whinging neighbour, and an old fuddy duddy. While we didn’t end up sending the message the other night to the yappy dog owners, if it happens again, I fear I won’t hesitate to let them know their dog has been keeping us up for hours yapping his little head off.

I don’t want to piss the neighbours off and you know, end up on Today Tonight, but surely there must come a time when enough is enough?

Would you have a whinge? Or just grin and bear it?

Through a dog’s eyes…

I wonder if they'll take me home?

Hi, my name is Jack, and I thought I would tell you a bit about what it’s like to be the dog, the top dog, in the Streeter household.

I started out as a pound puppy and remember the day my future parents came to the pound. I saw Dad walking around and while my fur brothers were going nuts in our pen, I decided to play it cool and sat very straight and very still. One look at me and Dad was a gonner. Cue the puppy dog eyes for mum, and yep that was it, the deal was indeed sealed.

Once I got home Dad was adamant that my mat was to be at the back door, just inside. I didn’t take too many liberties, and just thought I would bide my time. Pfft, bide my time! I could count the number hours on my 2 front paw fingers that I’d been at my new home before my mat was now in it’s properplace, in the loungeroom with the rest of the fam.

Chillin in the loungeroom

And really that’s just how it started. I knew mum was a softie, so when Dad went away last year to the snow for a week, it was really no great surprise to anyone that I somehow ended up sleeping inside with mum.

It then turns out that dad was actually a bigger sucker than I thought when he didn’t kick me back outside! I now enjoy my cosy inside bed, and always sneak into mum and dad’s room about 5am for a sneaky snuggle with mum before a lovely brisk morning walk with dad.

Sooky boys warming up by the fire!

If I was any closer I'd be in it!

I’ve also become particularly fond of the fire this winter. There’s nothing better than being nice and toasty on a cold winter’s night.

So as you can see, life in the Streeter house is pretty darn good, for a cute lil kelpie like mwah. I have noticed lately though that mum’s tummy has been getting awfully big. When I snuggle into her tummy it seems to move. I have a feeling that there might be something in there, and I’m really hoping that it’s a new play friend for me. I could do with something energetic to play with.

C'mon Mum, throw the ball already!

Ever since mum’s tummy has been expanding her energy has been disappearing. She had no hope of keeping up with me on walks, so thank god for the oval, a tennis ball and a tennis racquet.

So thanks for tuning in for a little look into the life of an 18 month old kelpie, who seriously has his parents wrapped about his little paw. Yep, I think I done pretty good for a pound puppy!

Catch you next time for another installment in the life of Jack. No doubt I’ll have plenty of stories once that thing appears out of mum’s tummy!

Fun Friday: Baby Lamb

So I borrowed stole this link from Paula Joye. Couldn’t resist! So cute.

Happy Friday!