I grew up in a city, but I haven't lived in a city in decades. I just thought I would share this with you...and ask your thoughts.

We live down the road from a horse boarding/riding facility. I was just out in the front by the road, mowing my lawn (when will I ever get rid of all this lawn!) Often times, folk will ride by, and just as often they will *walk* their horses by...I have been told it's b/c their horses have not spent much time outside the arena, and are learning trail skills (not to spook, I guess.) Anyway, this (pretty obviously city) couple walks by, leading their horses, and they've got a dog with them. As I'm mowing the lawn, the dog runs into my yard, so I reached my arm up and said: SHOOO! and waved him away. Then I stopped mowing, and said "Good Morning" to the couple on horseback. They walked away without replying to me, but the guy started saying something derogatory to the effect that my shooing the dog away indicated that I was unfriendly, etc. (!) I just figured that having a dog run into my yard was appropriately dealt with by shooing him out...after all, loose dogs can get as much as shot around here! A dog under control would be different.

My question: Should I get a dog so I can understand the world these days?! LOL! Finish my fence? Or do folks from the city have a different code of behavior? Or was I really just rude?!

-- sheepish (rborgo@gte.net), June 22, 2000

Answers

Just like everywhere there are clueless folks in the city and reg'lar folks. Most cities have leash laws and those folks are self-centered egotistical pigs. You non-violently protected your property and followed with a polite greeting. THEY were incredibly rude!

-- Deborah (ActuaryMom@hotmail.com), June 22, 2000.

i know what you are talking about. we lived here on 6 ac. things got tough so we sold 1 off, a couple moved up built a house and brought their dog, notice i said nothing about a kennel or fence. they now live in the country so why pen her up! well i could deal with her for awhile did not want to get off to a bad start,everyday she would come closer and my dogs would go nuts.the neighbor from hell {remember her}?called animal control on me because of the barking. make a long story short i finaly went over and told them what was happening their reply" donot worry she will be dead soon any way" found out she is 15 yrs. old 90% blind, death and not eating well. can you imagin letting a dog like that run? i just hope she does not get hit by a car. city people somstimes think they have all the answers!

-- renee oneill (oneillsr@home.com), June 22, 2000.

Sheepish, I really just think that folks don't know any better. They are wondering why you should be bothered by their dog! I actually get a kick out of watching folks in a new element. My favorite thing as a kid was watching our northern family visit, and take photos of themselves picking oranges off of our tree, this just always intrigued me. Folks visiting the farm who want to know which one of the does is my bucks "wife". Finish the fence. Vicki

-- Vicki McGaugh (vickilonesomedoe@hotmail.com), June 22, 2000.

I'd finish the fence. Some slicker might lose control of their horse and take a spill in your yard, then sue you. People are crazy these days. And no, you weren't unfriendly. They were in the wrong, not you.

-- Green (ratdogs10@yahoo.com), June 22, 2000.

sheepish,

My father-in-law (many moons ago) had some city folks move in across the back pasture. Their high-priced dog chased his cows. He complained to them a few times to no avail. He finally shot the dog. New neighbor got mad and wanted him to go with him to sheriff's office. F-i-l agreed. N-n explained to sheriff his side f-i-l did same. Sheriff asked n-n how much his dog was worth. N-n quoted a price. Sheriff agreed that sounded fair. Sheriff then turned to f-i-l and asked how much he figured he had lost in weight run off of cows. F-i-l figured how many cows, estimated how much weight lost and current market price then quoted his loss. Sheriff said that sounded fair, turned to the n-n and said subtracting amount you say dog is worth, you owe this man 100$

-- Mona (jascamp@ipa.net), June 22, 2000.

Mona, that sheriff would put old Solomon to shame! :) Thanks for your replies.

-- sheepish (rborgo@gte.net), June 23, 2000.

Being from the city and "California" I can say they were extremely rude. I think city folk know what correct behavior is but figure they will never see you again so they can get away with it. The reason I say that is people are much nicer to you at work where they see you every day then let's say the store where they probably never see you again

-- Silicon Valley Man (netorcs@pacbell.net), June 23, 2000.

_They_ were just plain rude. But I think I'd finish the fence as soon as convenient. Most city folks can't see a boundary unless it has a border.

Maybe you should have chased their dog around *your* yard with the mower. "But I was just playing with him !?!@?, Doesn't your dog know how to play ? " Of course, your mileage may vary...

J

-- j (jw_hsv@yahoo.com), June 23, 2000.

J , I loved your sugestion about the mower and dog , LOL.

-- kathy h (saddlebronc@msn.com), June 23, 2000.

Sheepish, Aren't people interesting? You of course, were being very nice, as any country person would tell you. And the horse people have no idea what is right or what is wrong, or they would not have their dog running loose. A fenced yard is a wonderful thing! I hope to get mine fence before too long and I would advise getting yours too. The next dog might not shoo away. Have a great day and give those horse people a Californee Howdee from me! karen PS Oh I know you guys have watched the Beverly Hillbillies movie.lol

-- Karen Mauk (dairygoatmama@hotmail.com), June 24, 2000.

It's selfishness and embarrassment, I think. They were embarrassed about their dog, which then turned to defensiveness. They were also offended that you responded to their precious dog with anything other than delight. You weren't rude at all. And you have a right to your own reaction to their dog on your property. What if you'd had a dog who had responded aggressively to their dog's intrusion? Unfortunately, to these sort of people it still would have been YOUR dog's fault.

-- Betsy (sassyweitzel@yahoo.com), June 26, 2000.