Take Down

If you've read previous BLOG postings, you should remember that there are neighborhood kids that come to my door and ask to play with my dog.

Last night, two of the kids showed up at the door and asked. I said sure, as I knew them both, and they've been doing it for quite some time now.

Not more than three minutes after putting my dog out back, I hear yelling, screaming, and commotion of all sorts. I look out back and see that there are 4 kids out back in the yard, and 2 waiting on the other side of the fence. Out of these 6 kids, I know 3 of them. So I go out back to be with the kids, and to make sure Bailey and the kids play nice.

The 2 kids waiting on the other side are girls. I only point that out, because up till now all the kids Bailey has played with have been boys, and as such, they like to wrestle and play very physical with Bailey.

While my back was turned, the one girl came into the yard. I'm OK with it, and just tell her NOT to run. "If you run, he will think you are playing, and he will catch you. Do NOT run." -- that's actually very good advice for everyone. The worst thing you can do with a strange dog is run; walking away is not near as bad as running away. The dog is more apt to chase you if you run.

I bet you realize from the title of this post, and what I've written so far, where I'm going with this...

So, what does she do right after I tell her NOT to run. Yep, she runs. Not only runs, but screams while running. Bailey thinks this is just another game, and starts to run after her. I yell over to her, to stop. She does, and Bailey winds up trotting past her heading somewhere else. As soon as he passes her, she runs and screams in the opposite direction.

A 60 lb. 8 year old (I'm guessing here), has NO chance against a 130lb dog. He takes her down almost immediately. And winds up just standing over top of her. She's face down on the ground.

I run over and by the time I'm there, Bailey has moved on to someone more receptive. I get the girl up (Jessica), and check her out.

"Are you all right?"
"Yeah."
"Are you hurt?"
"No."
"Nothing hurts?"
"My nose."

And then the screaming and water works started.

I looked at her nose. No bleeding, and after a minute or two, it wasn't even red anymore. I think it was more shock than anything, but this girl screamed when she cried.

Eventually the kids left, and went over to another's house and played in the backyard. I was almost expecting a call or a knock on my door later that night from the girl's parents, but nothing yet.

New rules...

1) Whenever the kids ask if they can play with Bailey, I will find out EVERYBODY who plans to play. Before last night, everyone who was going to play came to the front door... Last night they only sent 2 representatives.

2) NOBODY allowed in the backyard until I clear it with their parents, or the adult responsible for the child. Bailey is a big friendly dog. But he is 130lb. and he does like to wrestle. He can easily hurt a child without really wanting to.

The main group of kids who come to play with Bailey have been doing so for almost 2 years now, and I know all the parents, and none of them have any problems with the kids playing with Bailey unattended, so for the most part, I'm covered; I just have to talk with the other parents.