u/_trashmaggot

My first attempt. I might need to change some things. It's harder to come up with your own than I expected it to be!

During this year's P4A I'd purchased a package that I could have sworn included the ability to submit a question for john/hank to answer, I think on their podcast. I vaguely remember hearing that we would get an email about it, but I never saw anything. I'm assuming I've missed it and it's long passed by now, but...? Maybe someone knows something that I don't lol

what do the ranks mean? i'm on a waitlist for a class but i'm rank # 3. not really expecting to be able to get into it. just curious what that system actually is.

So, I have two dogs. One is a puppy GSD mix in training, and one is an 11-year-old St Bernard mix who had a rough go for the last couple of years and ended up in our care when my partners ex surrendered her. The puppy often tries to play with the senior, who has no interest in playing or barks when she is playing. The puppy stays silent, but the senior’s bark is diabolical.

Because of this, we only let them outside together for a maximum of five minutes at a time, once or twice a day. Usually around noon and, if there is a second period, around three. I’m really anxious about the senior’s barking, so we never let it go longer than about thirty seconds before we’re actively intervening and separating.

Today, shortly after noon, I had let the dogs out. I ran to the washroom before joining them, so there was roughly a minute of her barking when I wasn’t there. Then I got outside and played fetch with the pup for ten minutes, during which time there was no barking. As I was getting the dogs to come in, the puppy was trying to initiate play while the senior was trying to make her way inside, causing the senior to bark. It took me maybe forty five seconds to get them inside, and she was barking.

I know that the time intervals are so brief and that the hour of the day is reasonable, and we’re trying our best under the circumstances. The senior is showing signs of cognitive decline and is just loud. They don’t usually go outside together at all because of this, but we try to let them out together even once a day for some short exposure. Obviously it doesn’t last long before we have to bring them in. But her bark is loud. It sounds aggressive, though they aren’t aggressive with each other.

As I was bringing them inside today, the senior let out one last bout of barks before they both trampled inside. As they walked in the back door, though, the neighbour who has a backyard kiddie corner to us opened up her back door and yelled “Shut up already!”.

I’m not a confrontational person, I’m an anxious person. I’d never yell anything back or let it continue. That’s why the intervals are so short and few, I’m constantly anxious about pissing anyone off. We got the beep and vibrate collars (no shock), and it works to distract the puppy momentarily, but the senior couldn’t care less. To be honest, I don’t even know if she hears it. She just had her annual vaccines at the vet who said that her physical health is perfect considering her age, but she mostly just sleeps all day and likes to be outside in the backyard (by herself) when she isn’t sleeping.

So anyway. The neighbour yelled. The dogs didn’t make a peep afterwards. I’m an anxious wreck. I love this neighbourhood and can’t stand the thought of anyone resenting us. I would understand if the dogs were barking all day, for long periods, or even if the time intervals were late in the evening or early in the morning.

I feel sick to my stomach and idk what to do. I know it’s probably fine, but god I hate it. Is there something else I should be doing? Do I write a letter? Is that too much/will it make things worse?