Every neighborhood has one. That ONE neighbor that keeps junk on their lawn, or reports every little annoyance to your HOA. That person you smile and wave at, but secretly you’d throw a party if they moved away.
Well, I used to be that neighbor.
Neighbors would walk on the other side of the street to avoid my home. When I WAS home, no one would come and visit. And when I took walks in the neighborhood people gathered their children around them.
The embarrassment, the shame, and the GUILT I felt made me feel like a terrible person.
So, did I smell bad? Was I mean to others? Did I have a disfigurement that made others uncomfortable?
Nope. I had dogs with bad behavior. They RULED my life. Neighbors crossed the street because my dogs would bark, paw and slam at the windows of my house when they walked by.
No one came over because my two 70-lb dogs would jump, scratch and hurt anyone who came through the door.
And when I took walks with them through the neighborhood they would lunge, growl and jump at children and scare them. They even attacked other dogs. No wonder parents gathered their children around them!
I was embarrassed, ashamed, and most of all…felt GUILTY that my dog’s behavior was my fault. That not only was I a bad dog OWNER, I was also a bad PERSON for not taking responsibility for my dogs.
NOW…my neighbors and their kids love seeing me! Their kids come running up to pet my dogs…and I’m known as the “dog lady” around the neighborhood.
Some of the things I hear the neighbors say? “Your dogs are so well behaved!”….
“I’m glad my kids can pet your dogs…they are usually afraid of animals.”…
And, “When we get a dog will you please train it?”
So what changed? Did I get new dogs? Or put them on medication?
Nope. I learned how to talk to my dogs. I learned how to tell them what was acceptable and what was not.
Now, my neighbors love seeing me. It’s a great feeling to have, and I’m sure my neighbors are happy as well!
