Toby and the Cop

We have a large dog. He is a St Bernard/Great Pyranees mix.

Toby is very protective of our little family. When someone new is near, he barks. When the kids across the street tease him, he barks. When a dog is close, he barks. Now, I will admit that this can be annoying. But we try our best to curb this and bring him in when it begins. We do not leave him outside for extended periods of time when noone is home.

Which brings me to today; Brenna was napping (YEA! Only 15 minutes of gut-wrenching sobbing) and I was outside (with the monitor) putting her carseat in the truck. Toby was with me. A police car had stopped across the street. The policeman got out of the car and Toby barked. When the policeman came back to his car Toby barked. So the policeman decided, in his infinate wisdom, to come and stand at the end of our driveway. So, Toby continued to bark.

I stop what I am doing and ask the cop if there is anything he needs. He tells me that my dog is "a nuisance" and he barks too much. I reply that my dog only barks at strangers and if he would leave my dog would stop barking. He tells me, again, that my dog's barking is a public nuisance and writes a warning. On this warning it says "Dog barked continually at officer."

Well, DUH! He doesn't know you, you are approaching him and he can sense your body language, and he can sense mine. Of course he's going to bark. And, buddy, if you had laid a hand on me he probably would have ripped into you, too.

Seriously. What did this genius expect a dog to do?

So, I now have a "nuisance warning" on my dog. "No action will be taken" unless a complaint is issued. But, I am sure I am on someone's list. I can just see this cop cruising my house 5 times a day, waiting for my dog to bark.

Crap. I'm gonna have to get a bark collar if he wants to be outside for any length of time. Freakin' dog hating cops.