Who Let the Dogs Out?

On Wednesday, Cade went down for a nap in the afternoon.

It was a little later than usual, but he was sound asleep around 3:00pm. I was sitting downstairs watching Sabrina, The Teenage Witch, on TV. I am sure I had 100 other things that I should've been doing, but I needed some time to sit and do nothing while Cade slept.

I started to hear dogs barking. Loudly. Then other dogs joined in. It was coming from the back of the house--and also coming across Cade's baby monitor. It sounded like dogs were attacking something or someone. I went out the back door and saw two younger girls walking a medium size dog on the green belt. The dog they were walking was barking at two other dogs behind a fence across the way. All three dogs that I could see were barking and growling at each other--setting off a stream of barking dogs down the street. It was crazy. The girls pulled the dog away, laughing, and would let the dog go back up to the fence and stir up the other dogs again. I watched for minute, contemplating whether I should say anything, but then they finally walked away.

About twenty minutes later, I hear the dogs again. I swore they were going to wake Cade up they were so loud. I walk out the back door again, irritated that these girls were not smart enough to walk a different way home to keep their dog from getting riled up...and see the girls practically leading their dog up to the fence. They apparently thought making the dogs crazy was fun. I was not happy. And I spoke up. I am normally non-confrontational. I am the peace keeper. But, if you threaten my child's nap, I will threaten you. So I yelled to the girls, "I have a baby that is trying to sleep...could you keep your dog away from the other ones?" One girl screamed back that she was sorry but that the dog was too strong...which I kind of believed, but then between the two of them they could manage the dog. And I had watched them pull the dog away, and then practically take the dog back up to the fence. Amazingly enough, as soon I finished glaring at them with my best "Mom" look, they left. Peace and quiet at last.

Cade slept until after 4, so apparently the dogs barking didn't bother him at all.