The New Dog

I know that I announced that this post would be an exciting journey through the NYC subway system and how people who use it have the incredible ability to get me angry on seriously impressive levels, but that will have to wait for now.

A new couple (not the previously established shoe store owners) has moved in down the hall from me and they have a small dog.  I love dogs.  In fact I love dogs more than most people (not you, my dear reader, you are awesome, it's all those other jerks that I can't stand!). This dog is left alone for the usual work day, like most dogs, but unlike most he is left alone almost every night as well.  Why is this a problem?

Tangent: the hallway on my floor has amazing (or absolutely awful, whatever) acoustics.  You can hear the slightest sound from the far end of the hallway as if it were right outside your door.  Needless to say, a dog that whines and whines and WHINES for hours on end, all the while clawing at the door - can be heard throughout the floor.  This wouldn't be so awful and annoying if those sounds didn't catch the attention of the three other dogs (who are all well behaved, I might add) and drive them quite mad!

Seriously people, is it that hard to train a dog?  Aside from that, who gets a dog and leaves it alone for 20+ hours EACH DAY?

Clearly this situation must be resolved, and apparently I am not the only person who feels this way.  This evening there was a note on this person's door.

 The text is as follows:

Hello neighbor,

You may not be aware of this but when you are out, either at work during the day, or well into the evening, your dog whines, cries and scratches the door incessantly.  Because of the terrible acoustics in this hallway your dog’s cries are heard in every apartment on this floor which (aside from being maddeningly annoying), over time, causes the other dogs on the floor to bark in response.  

This situation cannot continue - aside from the cruelty of leaving a dog alone for 15-20+ hours a day, it is annoying and disruptive to your neighbors.  

Please look in to training for your dog as he/she clearly suffers from extreme bouts of separation anxiety and loneliness.  It is the right thing to do, for the dog and for your neighbors.  

We all have to live here together - let’s do what we can to make that as nice as possible.  

Thank you.

I have to say, I am impressed!  Why that story made me think of this I will never know:

And while we are on the subject of dogs, here is a great protip for you: don't EVER pet my dog without asking me if it's ok FIRST.  How would you like it if I went up to your child and patted him/her (I refuse to write him/her every time, so the child in this scenario is a boy.  Don't like it?  Stop reading!)  on his stupid head?  You'd call the cops, probably after assaulting me.  So why is it perfectly acceptable in your mind to walk up to my ANIMAL who you don't know at all and stick your grubby hand near its mouth FULL OF TEETH?  The times this has happened to me I almost wish I had a real asshole of a dog who would tear your arm off just for being an unknown person within two feet of me.  Alas, I have the sweetest dog that has ever existed, so there is no threat whatsoever in approaching her, but if we have never met before, YOU DON'T KNOW THAT!  KEEP YOUR HANDS TO YOURSELF!