jan 9 2021 bark #2

 so why...?????  why would our dogs go from  absolute chaos one night and teh next  to not a sound.  ( i suppose the comment could also have been "citizens"  -- but moving on about dogs....)

 

So many times in the training of dogs and instructing of handlers I admonish people for jumping to a conclusion for seeing only what is obvious and therefore missing other possibilities .---- once a conclusion is reached Many people are relieved to have decided their conclusion is correct and dismiss the whole idea of intellectually pursuing what  obscure details they may have missed ....as  they bash on with other daily mundane mind boggling  details of their lives.. like cov or leaking diapers....

 

. this barking dog bit is no different .. I am ashamed to say that yesterday's daily doggie did not mention the fact that my house dogs  all  six of them .. we're also upset ...they did not bark but they came in to my bedroom and poke me with their noses to wake me up .. something they never do at night .. but I was aware that although they weren't barking they were walking around and around and around ,,  very upset..... and every once in awhile they would stop and freeze while they were obviously listing or smelling something that I was not aware of . 

There is a complicating  detail with my house dogs.....  I I don't know if they first woke me up because they were upset about something I don't understand .. or after the phone  call from a camera person alerting me to the uproar , I was upset and my  house dogs were then  reacting to the fact that I was not behaving normally .. Particularly fizzle and Gemini   would stop and stand still and look at me with a quizzical expression of  “ why can't you hear what I'm hearing or seeing or smelling “  .

And   “ as our leader go make it stop” ..

 

I have heard of zoo  animals doing this if there was an impending earthquake .. but since I didn't feel anything or hear any reports we  can get rid of that idea --- I think .  the dogs ability to smell is so far superior the humans capability that it's incomprehensible ..  they also have a totally different range of hearing then humans .. so although I was obsessed yesterday with the possibility of wildlife in the barn rattling food cans ... I did not consider the fact there could be a high pitched sound that we humans  couldn't hear .  a sound that was new to the dog’s normal range... so they were alerting....

 

The fact that there was an hour of constant loud barking one night and absolutely nothing the night before or the night after .. these dogs are not random .. they had a reason and I don't know what that reason was .. but it was something that definitely turn them on and then  as  the cause went away and they were quiet .   why???

the  CP person who listens to the dogs all night long and notes any unusual sounds often remarks about airplanes going over which could produce a high pitched noise ..

but as far as I know it wouldn't be sustainable because they fly over And go away .. we haven't generator  that runs a test every so often which could produce a high pitched noise .. however I think it runs that test only at noon  on Wednesdays  but I will check... ..  the only other mechanical thing on my property would be the heat system with its fans ...which could produce a high pitch noise .. but if that was the case why did it stop .?

 

something happened...  a strainge smell Would certainly be another possibility .. if it was summer I would suspect mosquito spraying or aerial spraying of something .. that's the only smell I can think of that Could be here one   day and go on the next .  usually we are notified if the town  is doing that....

 

In the past ... I have had more than one occasion of a person on the property at night, unknown to me-------  I did leave a path along my  property line for people to access the willodale state forest paths behind  me...  and I have had more than one cheerful Inebriated soul  who couldn't find his  own driveway at 2:00 AM  both in a car and on foot.... – along with 2 people getting in a loud  fight at the state boat ramp.. and the guy who gets in his car to go t the airport at 4am, banging doors and yelling  goodbye to his wife...

 The neighborhood is not silent all night.   I apprecoatre having the dogs  tell me  and also remind  people that they are on duty.

 

whatever it was ,  was not there the day before and was not there in the day after ---   so there has to have been some change.  to think that the dogs are just random means that we just don't understand and are too quick to draw conclusions .

 

that leaves me with why?????    What am I missing????  I am sure I will get ( and welcome ) ideas.

 

6:59 am.. an abrupt change in dogs..  barking... 7:00 would be  “the changing of the guard” as staff  drives in , punches in and out in the cellar and at 7:06  it is   totally quiet again.

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Hi Carlene,

I hope this email finds all well with you!  After reading today's DD and the mention of rabid animals, I wanted to share an experience Hoodsie and I had on the July 4th holiday.  Our house is on a small pond and woods surround the perimeter of the development we live in.  As such, the wildlife is abundant at our house and includes bear, fox, fisher cat, deer, coyote, frogs, snakes, geese, heron, osprey and egret, etc. Because of the pond we also have lots of mosquitos and other insects.  We also have bats who feast on the insects.  That weekend, we came out of our house and saw a tremendous amount of guano (bat droppings) on the front porch and windowsills which indicated bats were under the eaves of the house.  Being the holiday weekend, nobody was available to remedy the situation. The temporary solution was for us use a different door to enter and exit the house. The next morning there was a dead bat on our front walk.   Late the following evening, Hoodsie and I went outside to toilet him; as we were walking about 5 feet away from the house, I "perceived" bats flying above.  Immediately the situation escalated and there was a colony of bats flying around and surrounding Hoodsie and I at my eye level.  Hoodsie remained relatively calm as he was trying to get closer to me and establish eye contact with me. I do not know if the bats had contact with Hoodsie as my eyes reflexively closed in fear.  The bats flew into my face, scratched and/or bit me and actually knocked my eyeglasses off one ear. Hoodsie came in close to stand right next to me in a brace position and by doing so he helped me regain my composure and we moved forward together swiftly and effectively.  

I was advised by Hoodsie's veterinarian that CDC recommendations said he did not need a "rabies booster" as his vaccine was administered several months earlier.  I was not as fortunate and had to do the series of rabies vaccines and the rabies immune globulin.  I was very grateful that Hoodsie got me through the bat experience and helped to keep me more focused and calm, certainly his SDP training did not include a similar experience!  Hoodsie was with me at each of my rabies vaccination appointments and he made some good friends and admirers in the hospital ER.  I am also grateful that my health insurance paid all but $200.00 of the $12,100.00 bill for my rabies treatment.  

All the best, Hoodsie and His Grateful Partner.