Today I was goofing around playing with Ryuk to music with a frisbee reward. He was in "super turbo mode" so I was seeing however fast I could get him to do commands then I'd send him across the field after his frisbee.


After a great deal of begging, a demonstration, an appeal to the new office manager I finally managed to convince the office to let me work Ryuk off leash provided he doesn't slip up, ever....I'm confident he can be handled off leash in the complex in the back field as he's been worked there since i got him.

Now there's a lady with a big old fluffy dog I see walking every day. Her dog was supposedly attacked as a puppy and ripped apart she'll tell anyone who listens how "she almost lost him". I've seen this dog around other dogs who run up to him (one of the loose dogs from down the road). He's fine. His owner freaks but he is perfectly fine. Now when I see this dog, because I KNOW his owner is scared of dogs near her dog I intentionally move away from them.

Today while working I saw her and her giant ball of fluff walking towards us so I called Ryuk close and did some close work (heeling, spins, weaves etc) as they passed. They were walking in a straight towards the parking area. Feeling confident they were out of the general area I started throwing the frisbee again. All the sudden I realized the woman had sharply changed direction and suddenly appeared behind a car in the parking lot back near the field. My last frisbee throw came to rest about 30 feet from her, Ryuk was on top of it holding a down (we've been trying to work on a form of send out so I've been having him run for his toy on command then lay down). I apologized for throwing the frisbee "near" her (since I know she's nervous about it)

Her response

"like an apology is going to make up for the fact your dog just attacked mine"

Ryuk...30 feet away from her with his frisbee who hadn't even acknowledged her dog there and was holding a (perfect!) down.....I couldn't even figure out words to respond to her...

She threatened to report the "attack". Luckily I have 2 cars full of witnesses (12 people total) attending a party in the apartment below us who came to the rescue and DID figure out some words for her. They told her off and promised to back me up if I needed it. I'm not letting my housemates report the clouds of er "happy" that are floating up to our apartment from the party downstairs tonight. They may be potheads but at least they're sane.

BUT SERIOUSLY......WHAT IS WRONG WITH PEOPLE?!

Anyone know of a sane house share in Western Mass that's dog friendly? I'm sick of this, I want out of here.....

Some people are just grumpy.

But I could be wrong.

That woman is just jealous.
You can come to Minnesota any time.

I LOVE your apt complex stories. I sympathize though, cause I live in a crazy one as well. Koenig has never 'attacked' a dog that was 30' away though. Ryuk's got him one upped there. How in the world did he manage it? lol.

Crazy lady. It's one thing to be protective, or even worried. She sounds like she's going insane trying to protect her dog. I kinda pity her!

WOW! Some people... There are a lot of people that just like to be stupid and cause grief for others.

Reminds me of a time when we went to a park not knowing that it was a "no dogs allowed" park. We were 2-3 hours from home so taking our dog back was not possible. We were there for a meeting and it was hot but not unbearably. We gave Sandy (our first dog) water, left all the windows open and he was panting (after exercise by the road) and like I said it was hot but not like in the 100s or anything. This lady saw him before we had shut the door and came over and started yelling at me because I was "abusing my dog" by leaving him in the car.(BTW I was about 13 so I got super upset) Every window was open and he had a full pan of water and was sleeping! If that is abusing your dog than...well you get the idea. She called animal control and they called the park ranger (it just so happens that we were GREAT friends with most all the park rangers which all happened to also be at the same meeting) who told the lady he would take care of it. That is where it ended but there was a lot irritation on our part.

It is so cool when your dog proves ability to do something in a real situation! Go Ryuk! So glad you had people to tell the story right!

I don't know what is wrong with this woman. I mean I get that she's protective of her dog but...so am I....I'm very protective of my dog and have been known to be a jerk when strange dogs come up to him or me out of control. But....but....30 feet....and it is 30 feet (or a little over since she was further back) because it was the exact distance between the poop disposal station and the path by the dumpster (which I helped a groundskeeper measure one afternoon when they were trying in run extension cords for Christmas lights....).

This is also the lady that reported my upstairs neighbor and myself for dog fighting when while we were out walking together my neighbor's puppy tried to chase Ryuk's tail. She's also reported the across way neighbors (sometimes STUPID pet owners, but nice people) for dog fighting since their two puppies wrestle constantly when playing (on leash) outside.

 Quote: Jamie Craig

This is also the lady that reported my upstairs neighbor and myself for dog fighting when while we were out walking together my neighbor's puppy tried to chase Ryuk's tail. She's also reported the across way neighbors (sometimes STUPID pet owners, but nice people) for dog fighting since their two puppies wrestle constantly when playing (on leash) outside.

God forbid she ever see Koenig and Sara play. The noises and faces they make= pure evil!
Crazy lady. It sounds like she's really not a 'dog' person if she's identifying normal puppy exuberance and tail chasing as a fight!

 Quote: elizabeth anderson

WOW! Some people... There are a lot of people that just like to be stupid and cause grief for others.

Reminds me of a time when we went to a park not knowing that it was a "no dogs allowed" park. We were 2-3 hours from home so taking our dog back was not possible. We were there for a meeting and it was hot but not unbearably. We gave Sandy (our first dog) water, left all the windows open and he was panting (after exercise by the road) and like I said it was hot but not like in the 100s or anything. This lady saw him before we had shut the door and came over and started yelling at me because I was "abusing my dog" by leaving him in the car.(BTW I was about 13 so I got super upset) Every window was open and he had a full pan of water and was sleeping! If that is abusing your dog than...well you get the idea. She called animal control and they called the park ranger (it just so happens that we were GREAT friends with most all the park rangers which all happened to also be at the same meeting) who told the lady he would take care of it. That is where it ended but there was a lot irritation on our part.

It is so cool when your dog proves ability to do something in a real situation! Go Ryuk! So glad you had people to tell the story right!

I had the cops called on me on my campus when, in winter, my dog was curled on his dog bed with a heated water bowl and food crated in my car between my classes. The report was that a dog was dying of heatstroke in the car. I came back to find a police officer lounging a few cars away ready to tell me (laughing) about the report he'd gotten exactly how it had been called in. That's why I now have beware of dog signs up when I leave him in the car with my phone number on them asking to call or text me if there are problems.

That's pretty sad, this lady sounds very petty, at least there's some sanity around you even if it's chemically induced. Hope you find a perfect new place soon!

Same here, Kelly. Tessa sounds and looks very serious when she's playing, but it's all play. I've had people give me strange looks when we're out on the trails, but nobody's ever complained. They don't bother anyone else's dogs.

Oh, and they 'sing' to each other while mouth wrestling sometimes. That's just weird.

Dogs tend to be pretty centered and tolerant, its the people who pick the fights. Sorry about that Jamie. If you could deal with the commute, are there some options out of town, with more land and fewer neighbors? I'm thinking an old farmhouse or mill housing.