Now, on the whole I`m a pretty quiet dog, really easy going and laid back. But, what my owners did not realise, they were getting a highly trained guard dog almost on the level of the SAS. I am there to serve and protect. So far this week I have alerted them to the dangers of the Amazon delivery man, the Asda delivery man, the post man (on several occasions), 2 pigeons, a hare and a dodgy looking carrier bag on the grass.
They do not always appreciate my interventions, but I have to keep them safe. So in an effort to keep the element of surprise, I will at times bark at nothing just to keep them on their toes. That is especially effective in the car when it is nice and quiet and they have almost forgotten I was there. That can really make them jump.
Now, let me tell you, although I am highly skilled there are times when I can also be caught off guard. For example, there was the time a neighbour put out some cardboard boxes for collection. My mum thought we should just walk past them!! Was she serious? I was not for budging so I had to be carried past. I have to admit that was a little humiliating, especially when there was no danger at all. There was also the mysterious sign that said “Santa Please Stop Here” – under no circumstances was I walking past that on a dark night. Evasive action was called for and we had to cross the road and back every night until it was gone. So even a highly trained guard dog like myself can get caught out.
The moral of this tail is.………...not everything needs barked at. Sometimes you are better off crossing the road to keep out of harm`s way, rather then making a big noise that might frighten people away.