Country Dogs/Loose Dogs

Residents of Chelan County, like in many rural areas, have slightly different ideas about domestic animals. Particularly outside the small towns, dogs and cats are "free range," in other words, run all over. Well, the cats certainly do. And some dogs. At first, the black lab that showed up every time we pulled in, was cute. It romped with Sage like there was no tomorrow, but when we tried to leave, it would chase the car. We'd spend lots of time trying to get it back home, even leashing it and walking up the road to it's house.

Now there is a neighbor with a pit bull/lab mix who allows his dog to run everywhere. I have frequently had to stop and wait while it stood in the middle of the road. When this dog sees us it is now beginning to think it can mooch food. It is sneaking up to where I feed the girls. I have no idea if this dog has fleas, been vaccinated, has kennel cough, who knows. Last year I asked the neighbor to keep the dog on his property because I was worried about Sage's knee. But that lasted about two weekends.

It drives me nuts. I would never let my dogs wander to other people's property. When I am out of the city, I want to relax with my dogs, not be worried that the dog will try to eat Sage's food and start a dog fight, or give Annie fleas, or...and the dog is no longer responding to my yelling at it to go home. It thinks it owns the place!

Yikes!

Murphy's day.