FOLLOW-UP ON THE MAGGIE-EATING DOGS

["Tracey" <tracey@tbt.co.za>]

Hi, all.  You'll remember the thread I started a while ago about dogs attacking other dogs while I was on a ride.  Well, things have started to deteriorate around here.  Despite numerous friendly requests, and some less-than-friendly ones, the owners of those dogs still leave them outside the gate.  The other day, I watched as Mrs UndisciplinedDogs drove off, closing the gate behind her - WITH THE DOGS OUTSIDE.

 

 

Needless to say, they have now started chasing cars, and are going for the horses' legs.  More worrying is that the Doberman no longer backs off if you charge her with the horse (I have even hit her with my crop, but she will stand her ground).

 

 

Yesterday, I came up through the veld and lo and behold, all three (Ridgeback, Boerbul and Doberman) were out.  Saxon, my German Shepherd, who has developed an active dislike for the beasts, went between the horse and the dogs, holding them "at bay".  I went to ring the bell on the gate when the Boerbul went underneath Toc's stomach, causing him to spin and me to fall off.  Next thing, the Boerbul went for me.  Saxon dived in and the Boerbul backed off. 

 

 

The owner's excuse?  "We run a business from home and can't be responsible for people who let our dogs out.  You should ride somewhere else".  When I told her that I have actually witnessed her letting the dogs out, she lost it and screamed "I have just lost my eighteen month old baby, don't you care?"

 

 

Now, I'm sorry her child died.  I wouldn't wish it on anyone, but that is not relevant to the point at hand, which I told her.  Moreover, the dogs were a menace before the child died.  Now I am being branded heartless because I am not sympathetic to her loss, and am trying to take her dogs away from her (I told her that it they were in the road again, I'd call the authorities and have them shot).  And I told her that trying to use emotional blackmail to get me to back off was out of line.  If she couldn't deal with me, I invited her to call her husband to speak to me.  She just walked off screaming, telling me I was an "awful, awful woman"

 

 

So call me heartless.  There are kids who use that road, they could be next.  My dogs and horses are my kids, they could be next.

 

 

All I can say is, thank God for Saxon.

 

 

Tracey