Today
October 8th, 2007
I took a bath last night to alleviate the Great Uterine Escape, and while it worked, I got a little overzealous with the bath beads — as in, I think I put in nine, thinking hey! We have a big bathtub, why not? And when I emerged, I was … well, I was all lubed up, is the nicest way I can put it. I emerged from the water with a thick buttery sheen — I’m quite sure I could have shot myself up to Boston if I’d launched myself on a set of satin sheets. A shame I don’t have them, really. I could have had dinner with friends in no time!`
And ha ha, do you know what nine little oil balls will do to your drain? And more importantly, do you know how to extricate them from said drain? Because right now (HA HA HA … oh God) there is about a half an inch of oily residue-y lube in the bottom of my bathtub, and I can’t … well, I can’t drain the little gelatin balls, as they’re sitting in the drain just out of reach, and it’s starting to freak me out. I knew nine was too many! I KNEW!
Adam, by the way, had today off, which was delightful for him, as he slept in, had a leisurely lunch and went for a bike ride. HOW LOVELY. I, on the other hand, slogged through a particularly trying day at work, while listening to the periodic reports on his day which, again, was leisurely and likely involved loungewear and maybe a smoking jacket.
My day ended with pet fluids, and I’m starting to believe those of you who think I live with particularly oozy creatures. I changed cat litters, and while yes, I know (AH KNOW) I should have changed more gradually, dude, the cat has always been super laid-back about litter box changes, provided it stays clean — no, no, PRISTINE. And I was so happy, for Tidy Cat Crystals kept the house wonderfully odor-free and fresh-smelling. Except tonight, not so much, for I was greeted with a rather large puddle, which might as well have been a giant neon sign screaming “ME NO LIKE TIDY CAT NO WELCOME THANK YOU.”
And Mr. Man of Leisure did not notice this of course. He was too busy lounging about in his smoking jacket wondering if Colonel Mustard really did it, and was it with the lead pipe or the rope?
And look, as much as I’ve tried to keep television out of this, you have to understand that look, I’m sorry, I was SO EXCITED about Friday Night Lights! SO EXCITED! And then there was some sort of rogue murder foil and all the characters became caricatures and it all, oh my God, it all fell apart, and I’m embarrassed.
And finally, our neighbors got a pit bull puppy, and I’m perfectly fine with pit bulls, really I am — rottweilers, chows, American bulldogs, honestly, I’ve known darling dogs of every breed — because I firmly believe it’s the owner, not the dog. But — and this is something I feel very strongly about — if you’re going to take on the responsibility of a powerful dog, then you must be an even more powerful owner (an alpha, if you will), and you have to know what you’ve signed up for. A pug, for example, is not a large amount of responsibility in that arena, given that by the time they mustered up the energy to hurt someone, they would realize, hey, it’s snack time! And HOO BOY, I am so tired! Wait, what? Do YOU have any bacon, maybe on your cheeks, that I could lick off? Because I totally smell bacon somewhere. Ooh — Bacos!
And given the way that the dog — who is very, very sweet, by the way — is walking all over them, I daresay our neighbors are not the owner this dog needs. Last night, Sunny and I were trapped behind our front gate while she barked and growled at us menacingly, and this morning, she chased me halfway down the street as I ran, barking all the way, until I ducked into a neighbor’s gate. She’s a puppy now, and a sweet one at that, but without training and socialization, what’s going to happen to her as a dog? How will she know not to bite people, or that other dogs are not for snacking? And again, all dogs are capable of this, but I do firmly believe there is a difference when it involves a large, powerful dog. And sadly, it is often the dog that suffers the most, provided no one is seriously injured — our shelters are full of pit bull and rottie mixes, because the wrong people got them to begin with.
And again, I hate to say this, but size and power really does matter, honestly: If Sunny acts up — which she never has, seriously, her teeth have never touched human flesh and in fact, um, if she feels threatened or frightened, her solution is to first go belly up, and then beg for belly rubs and also maybe lick your fingers? Please, may I lick your fingers, master? Because did I mention that my dog is a pansy-ass pussy? — I can just pick her up and cart her away — she’s tiny, and her teeth can barely crush kibble. She would also like you to know that she is very hungry and tired, and does anyone know where there’s a secret stash of Jumbones? OR BACON!?
Frankly, I’m nervous, and I feel bad for the dog.
I would be a lot less nervous if it were me kissing Peter Petrelli instead of that Irish chick, however. HELLO HOT PETER, HOW ARE YOU?
Like, dude, I could so totally kick that pit bull’s ass, man. Hey, do YOU have any bacon? I might get up for bacon.
Happy Tuesday!
Zero 7
Entry Filed under: Nuttin'
26 Comments Add your own
1. AndreAnna | October 8th, 2007 at 7:21 pm
Funny you should bring this topic ot light. Last Monday, we had to put our dog to sleep. It was one of the most horrible experiences of my adult life. Realizing that I was the deciding factor in deciding in ending a life – a life that has brought so much joy and loyalty to our family – was an excruciating pain, and the guilt from that decision with leave scars on my heart forever. But, after two years of raising her from a puppy, our pit bull/lab mix went after our baby. Tried to bite her face. She was also terrible on a leash, and around other dogs. She would lunge and growl and try and attack kids and other dogs, but not until the day she went after my baby did we take action.
And the thing is – we knew about the breed, and we spent hours and hours and thousands of dollars on training sessions and even took her to doggie daycare (where she was fine actually) once or twice a week for socializtion. And she STILL became agressive.
Do I blame the breed? No. I still firmly believe that the owner and how you raise a dog has more of an impact than genetics. But I just had a firsthand experience with a beloved pet, who we raised lovingly, but firm, and STILL was aggressive to a bab who did nothing but try and sit near her under a table.
Needless to say, we won’t be getting another dog for a long while (we did just get a kitten I named Leonardo DiCatrio) and I don’t think I could ever trust a pit bull near my child. It makes me feel like a hypocrite, but this is my family, my child. And for that, I was eat my words.
2. AndreAnna | October 8th, 2007 at 7:23 pm
Wow, could I have anymore typos in that comment? Sorry. Am very tired.
3. Jennie | October 8th, 2007 at 7:27 pm
Ah crap… I was about to start watching Friday Night Lights. Maybe I’ll pass.
But, seriously, can we share Peter?
Our new neighbors have a pit bull and it scares me, too. I’ve yet to see him on a leash, and Molly is none too happy. She can’t frolic quite as freely as she used to.
4. Artemisia | October 8th, 2007 at 9:13 pm
Oh, I agree that certain breeds demand strong, no nonsense owners. Unfortunately, it sounds like that puppy already runs that household.
I am worried for you and Sunny. Can you approach your neighbor and just let them know you are concerned the puppy has acted aggressively toward you and Sunny?
Just about a week ago I contacted the sheriff’s office to go over the state and country laws of dogs on leashes out of town. And yep! That chow that chases my dogs and I? The German Shepard that chases us back to our house? Need to be on a leash. I have no idea who even owns these dogs, let alone how to approach them about keeping them on their property or controlled. Very. Frustrating.
Good luck!
5. TwoBusy | October 9th, 2007 at 4:01 am
“…there is about a half-inch of lube in the bottom of my bathtub”
Riiiiight. Enjoy those google searches.
6. Sadie | October 9th, 2007 at 5:48 am
ohhhhh, I hate to hear this about your neighbor’s dog – it sounds like a horrible accident waiting to happen and one the dog will likely pay for. And AndreAnna, I am sorry about your dog – but I think you did the right thing.
oh! and Artimesia – do you have animal control/a dog warden in your area? If you see a neighborhood dog roaming or wandering without a leash, and you don’t know whose it is, you should call animal control to come pick it up. That way the animal is safe from being run over or lost, and you are safe from rogue dogs. I have NO patience for people who let their dogs roam – nearly all towns have leash laws. I will knock on a neighbor ‘s door ONCE if I find their dog, and after that I call animal control.
Finally, my dog is a pit/lab mix (from the pound) and though I have trained him carefully and put him in doggie school, the fact that his personality is so friendly and meek is really just luck. My dog is also a complete, abject pussy, and for that I am grateful – but just like people, dogs have inherent personalities and it’s hard to train that out if a dog is aggressive.
7. Jen | October 9th, 2007 at 6:01 am
Please don’t give up on “Friday Night Lights!” I’m not ready to yet, even though I seriously wanted to throttle those two twits. Hello, CALL THE POLICE. I think the hot coach can bring it all back to good.
8. Orange Peacock | October 9th, 2007 at 6:02 am
Artemisia – the neighbor’s (loose, uncontrolled) dog went after my dad when he was on his bike a couple of months ago, and my dad would have sooner shot himself than seen the animal taken to a shelter and put down, so he had the animal control officer come out when the family was at home to explain to them the local leash/control laws. He feels kind of bad, because now the evil neighbors just keep the poor thing in a small caged area 24/7, but it was on its way to being hit by a car. Some areas have better animal control departments than others, but it’s their job to protect people and animals and clarify the law. It’s possible your neighbors are just stoopid and didn’t know/care about leash laws. Ours didn’t.
If you can’t identify an owner, though, it’s probably best to have them picked up. Uncontrolled dogs switch to being strays easily, and I worry that people who don’t care where their dogs go or if they come home won’t be too careful about keeping them current on vaccinations, which is dangerous for all the other humans and animals in the area.
Ahhh, sorry for threadjacking!
And I have no idea how to help you with the overgrowth of bath beads, but doesn’t it feel weird bathing with that much scented oil? I don’t have a tub so really any kind of bath is Weird and Icky to me, but that must have been one highly-scented bathroom!
9. Assertagirl | October 9th, 2007 at 6:31 am
It’s illegal to breed pit bulls here in Ontario. It’s pretty controversial, actually. I agree with what you’re saying about the owner, but pit bulls are bred to be vicious dogs. I’d be scared if I lived next to one, too.
10. Andrea | October 9th, 2007 at 7:46 am
I have a mutt with a little bit of chow in her, which I can only tell from the purple spot on her tongue and her curled tail. I don’t know what else she has in her blood, except maybe a little bit of rocket fuel and maybe some bungee cord because man, that dog has some energy. The hardest thing I’ve had to deal with for her has been her tendency to jump on people when they first arrive at our house. It’s gotten much better as she’s aged, but we have had to work with her constantly and she just gets so excited! Although it’s a happy jumping on people, and not an aggressive jump, it’s still something we’ve tried to get her to quit because it’s not acceptable. I don’t know exactly what I would do if it were aggression, but I do know that I would take responsibility for it.
AndreAnna, I’m sorry about having to put your dog down, but you’re so right about it being your children over the pet. I think many people forget that little nugget of wisdom.
11. claire | October 9th, 2007 at 8:37 am
Hello, your friendly neighborhood pitbull-advocate, here… Well, i mean sorta. ahem.
Jonna, i totally agree about the strong/alpha owners with these dogs. I had to learn a lot (A LOT) when I moved in with the boyfriend and his LittleDog. LittleDog is a pit-mix and as far as i’m concerned is kind of a mess. She has these pussified, submissive qualities mixed in with some definite anti-social behavior that needed to be taken control of. If you don’t have a strong disciplinarian streak, these dogs will find no trouble taking over. But that goes for any dog; they all try to figure out where they stand in your family, and if no one takes charge, they will. Some of them are just bigger and stronger than others.
If you don’t know how to control a dog (any dog) you shouldn’t get something that has the capability of running the show. It’s just not safe for you or anyone else. However, if you do some research, training, socializing, etc. – pitbulls can be the sweetest, gentlest animals. And holy crap are they smart.
I just read an article yesterday about a pitbull that’s being certified as a hearing dog for a deaf man and the controversy this dog is causing. The poor thing doesn’t deserve that kind of negative attention – he’s a well trained dog that is doing a job (which is GREAT for a breed like this. dogs like jobs.) and isn’t bothering anyone. Bah. People can be so mean.
My pit-mix is no where close to perfect, but our next door neighbor’s American Eskimo Dog is the biggest asshole of a dog i have ever met. Little, white and LOUD. Obnoxious. Don’t judge a book by its cover is all i’m saying.
Um, end rant. Sorry about that.
Hopefully if you’re friendly with your neighbor, you can actually talk to them about the pit. There’s no way that situation is going to get any better without some control. Out of control puppies make out of control adults. Only way less cute.
Some people think their misbehaved dogs are just ADORABLE. Not unlike children….
Ok, done now. Really.
12. claire | October 9th, 2007 at 8:39 am
Oops. Article didn’t work. i suck at the htmls..
http://content.hamptonroads.com/story.cfm?story=134184&ran=142465
13. bellydancer | October 9th, 2007 at 9:18 am
Uncanny. I just got new neighbors with a litter of pit bulls. They are the cutest puppies– but I’m afraid one is going to grow up and eat my puglet. My pug stands on her side of the fence in my yard and threatens those puppies, “you better stay over there, you little runts, because I’m the Big Bad Pug– you’d better believe it– bark bark bark” but you know she’d cave for bacon. Who are we kidding. She never met a mammal she didn’t like– needy little pug. I adore her. She’s the perfect doggie. Your pug is cute, too.
14. Suebob | October 9th, 2007 at 9:44 am
I volunteered at 2 animal shelters. Usually about 1/2 the dogs there were pits/pit mixes. It seems that those types of dogs often attract irresponsible owners who see them as some sort of mix between a weapon and a badge of macho (so they won’t neuter the males). Then they have some sort of life change and the dog goes to the pound. Very sad because most are never adopted – they are destroyed.
Goldie and I were attacked by a loose Akita and pit and it was very frightening. I kicked the Akita as hard as I could and both dogs ran off. I carry a ski pole now when I walk her in our neighborhood. I may look like a total dork, but I want a weapon to keep them off of us.
I hate, hate people who let dogs run off leash in public areas (Goldie and I go to a remote beach to run). It is really stupid for everyone involved.
15. jonniker | October 9th, 2007 at 10:12 am
“Biggest asshole of a dog”
HEH.
I agree with you. It would be most unfortunate if Sunny was an asshole, yes. The only point I was trying to make there was that a small asshole can do much less damage than a big asshole — the biggest issue I see with pit bulls are that they’re much more muscular than other breeds and they were bred for their dog-aggression in many cases. While none of these issues can’t be overcome, it would be foolish, in my mind, as an owner of a pit, to overlook these tendencies and let the dog run wild and free.
And with Sunny, we worked really hard to make sure she was well-socialized and around ALLLL types of people, dogs and kids, so that she didn’t grow up into an asshole.
Kids are Sunny’s favorite. They’re usually covered in sticky food for her to lick off, PLUS they’re her size, which thrills her to bits. Sunny-size people! What joy!
16. ali | October 9th, 2007 at 10:58 am
mmm…Peter Petrelli….
17. Beth | October 9th, 2007 at 11:26 am
If the neighbor’s dog was chasing you, it was out of its yard unsupervised and off-leash (redundant technicality), so a call to Animal Control would have been appropriate. Personally, I think calling Animal Control and reporting incidents such as this (and there will be other incidents) is very important, as it will create a paper trail and could help you down the line in case something more serious happens (God forbid).
My neighbors’ Lab escaped its yard several times and I finally just called Animal Control. Some people don’t respond to friendly notes or requests; they change their behavior only when they experience consequences.
You may want to talk to your neighbor and let him know his dog was chasing you and that is NOT acceptable, but I have a feeling you will thank yourself down the line if you stay on top of this issue with Animal Control from the beginning.
18. claire | October 9th, 2007 at 12:20 pm
Absolutely – Sunny-sized assholes are way easier to deal with, safety-wise, however Sunny-sized assholes can also piss off Cujo-sized assholes, which causes all kinds of problems with big dogs attacking little dogs and the little dog owners screaming murderer on the big dog when it was the little dog that instigated the fight in the first place and gah. Dogs are not as easy as some people think.
Also – re: Suebob and the shelters? A co-worker of mine saw a pit puppy on Petfinder and wanted to adopt it. I had a real problem trying to give her a quick education on why or why not a pit is a good pet and actually STEER her away from the pit puppy. I knew that her family was not going to be able to deal with what they were getting and i was afraid for that dog’s future because i know that she and her family would just bring it to a shelter if they weren’t happy with the dog. Luckily they didn’t get that one, they got a sheppard mix… that they are giving away because they’re not happy with the dog.
People suck.
19. Jamie | October 9th, 2007 at 2:01 pm
I’m with you on the breed thing – I’ve volunteered at a couple shelters and fallen in LURVE with a couple bully mixes, but alas, my condo board won’t allow anything with “pit” in the genetic mix.
Oh, and my sympathies to AndreAnna. What a sad moment, to have to put your pupster down. Thinking of yoU!
20. Josh | October 9th, 2007 at 2:44 pm
First, “the Great Uterine Escape” … I love that. Awesome! Second, pardon your man, smoking jackets just put you into a whole ‘nother world. Missing the pee puddle was a complete accident. Not to mention Men are, due to our gender, completely incapable of visually recognising anything floor related unless we step on it or it needs to be repaired. It’s not our fault.
Um third, or fourth, no wait third. Screw it. I completely agree with you on the dog owner issue. I own a cat for that reason. In fact I did not even want a cat at all. That little demon was a suprise gift from my loving yet evil brother and sister-in-law. And even the independent feline species tests the bounds of needyness I can deal with in a pet. The only pet I ever actually took upon myself voluntarily is my Red Tail Boa, which gets held briefly from time to time, but really only requires about a half an hour of care every two weeks. I don’t even own plants.
Seventh or whatever, what’s wrong with Ireland McSexypants? Peter could do a lot worse. Not only is she incredibly hot, but she is also a criminal with an accent, which boosts her to some sort of uber-sexy magical atraction level. Look at the dork Claire is dating. What a creepy little pretty-boy pansy. Now beef him up, give him a tatto gun, plenty of firearms, make him rob people, and possibly speak like an Aussie/Russian mix, and I would like him. Oooh he can fly! Who cares. Apparently his powers don’t include being remotely cool so ditch him and get a real man.
21. Jennifer | October 9th, 2007 at 4:08 pm
Love the photo of Sunny, she looks to be deep in thought, even if she’s only thinking about bacon. I saw a woman walking 2 pugs today, a fawn one like Sunny and a pure black one. I asked if I could pet them and when she said “Okay!” I knelt down and they were all over me, wriggling and squirming and slobbering and wagging their whole bodies. That was so great! If I ever get me a dog (I’m a cat-only person now), a pug is definitely going to be in the running.
22. Page | October 9th, 2007 at 10:04 pm
FNL… come baaaack! Just when I got my Crucifictorious shirt going… I’m so hoping next week makes it better, but seriously. Tyra. Landry. Everything. Except Grandma S. Seriously!
23. Jeanne | October 10th, 2007 at 9:14 am
Sunny’s picture is sooo cute! Check out this link for a monitor cleaner that I received today:
http://comedyoption.com/pics/monitor_cleaner.swf
24. maya | October 10th, 2007 at 7:55 pm
Sunny is so adorable! I am pro-owner screening and pro-pit, in principle. Unleashed dogs of any breed bug me. Its irresponsible!
25. Mauigirl52 | October 10th, 2007 at 9:19 pm
Jonna,everything you said about your neighbor’s pit bull is right on the mark. If you have any kind of relationship with her I’d just talk to her about it and let her know about the incident where she seemed aggressive to you and Sunny. Was she actually snarling or just barking? Our pit bull girl does this “demand bark” thing that means she wants to play or wants attention, but it looks very scary as her teeth can show when she does it. When we first adopted her it was a bit alarming until I started to understand what she meant by it. She is actually the biggest lovebug and ADORES all people and is usually good with other dogs – but I’d never let her off a leash because you never know. The worst thing is that it seems your neighbor’s dog is running loose. That is not acceptable. So if she keeps doing it then a call to Animal Control is definitely in order.
As a pit bull owner, the last thing we want is for there to be another tragedy in the newspapers involving this breed.
AndreAnna, I’m so sorry you had to put down your dog…it’s ironic that your dog was a pit-Lab mix. Our previous dog was a pit-Lab mix as well, and she could be kinda scary. She guarded her food or bones, and would indeed snap at people if they got too close. We didn’t have kids so were just super careful to make sure she didn’t have food when other people were around, because she was a wonderful dog in so many other ways. Since we now have a full Pit Bull (from a rescue organization that does all the socialization and training first before adopting them out) and she’s such a sweetie, I’m almost wondering if it was the Lab part of our previous dog that was the problem!
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