The expansive front lawn held the most beautiful bushes and flowers. A small table, with two chairs for a show of hospitality like having morning coffee or afternoon tea with a friend, lay in its midst. That afternoon, I walked my Yorkie on that block for the first time and enjoyed the beautiful landscaping of the home. Suddenly, a small dog confined within the front yard caught sight of Bubble and ran to the gate yelping loudly.
Just minutes before, I had passed by a friend’s house and stopped for a chat in her front yard with Bubble relaxed by my side. But I had only to walk to the end of the block and around the corner for my little Yorkie to get met with this ferocious reception. My Bubble, with his sweet disposition, hesitated and then moved closer to the curb as we continued the walk. As we walked past the growling dog, a stranger approached from the opposite direction and, as she got closer, said to me, “That dog is always barking.” Bubble and I continued our walk as the dog ran the length of the gate as he continued to bark at Bubble.
Three days later Bubble and I were out for a walk and, while we had taken a different route, when we rounded a corner, there we were by the house with the beautiful lawn. We had all but forgotten the barking dog. But there he was. As soon as the other dog saw my Yorkie, he started his loud bark again. This time, the owner who sat on the front stairs of her home told her dog to be nice to the puppy passing by. But as the dog kept up his bark, Bubble walked up to the gate, and as he observed his foe, he seemed to say, “Ok. So here I am. What do you want with me?”
