General Discussion
Related: Editorials & Other Articles, Issue Forums, Alliance Forums, Region ForumsDo people still write poison pen letters? They used to be a major mystery story plot device.
TreasonousBastard
(43,049 posts)Iggo
(47,594 posts)mahatmakanejeeves
(57,738 posts)I'm asking for a friend.
MurrayDelph
(5,304 posts)We had a Sasquatch (a Malamute/Pyrenees mix, since decreased) and a Dachshund/Terrier mix. If the dogs were in the front yard (fully fenced) when people walked by, the would bark. This being Oregon, most who walked by would recognize the Sasquatch's greeting as "come play with me," and would respond in kind. Apparently, one neighbor didn't.
A few weeks before the Sasquatch passed away (complications of epilepsy), we adopted a bonded pair of senior dachshunds, whose owner had passed away. During their transition to their new home, they barked at everything from people walking by the front of the house to me coming back upstairs from my basement office.
That was when, at age 66, I received my first poison pen letter, from an anonymous "group of neighbors" (who was probably just the obnoxious asshole a few houses down who'd "suggested" we fence in our backyard, which was not a feasible alternative), who threatened legal action, despite the fact that we'd bring the dogs back in if they were truly obnoxious.
We posted an open letter in response, explaining the situation. The new dogs are still adjusting, but are much quieter, and other than people reacting to the jerk letter or expressing sympathy for the loss of the Sasquatch, haven't heard anything else.
PoindexterOglethorpe
(25,928 posts)Trust me, those of us who aren't all that fond of dogs in the first place do not like listening to them.
I've considered recording 45 minutes of barking, and then figuring out how to play it back under the neighbor's bedroom window at 3am. Luckily for them, I'm not sufficiently tech savvy to do so.
MurrayDelph
(5,304 posts)They rarely bark, and when they do are brought bank inside promptly.
And they sleep inside at night.
PoindexterOglethorpe
(25,928 posts)are convinced they rarely bark.
Inside at night is good.
MurrayDelph
(5,304 posts)But was your takeaway of my story of my seven-and-a-half-year-old dog, who loved everybody, dying from status epilepticus, where he went into seizure after seizure until his heart gave out, that at least there's one fewer noisy barker in the world?
PoindexterOglethorpe
(25,928 posts)I can assure you that his barking was not appreciated by your neighbors.
At least with cats, you can't hear them meowing half a block away.