Teddy

Our neighbors have a great big black dog named Teddy. Not sure what breed he is exactly, a mixure of retriever and collie and bear maybe? Or horse? Teddy loves us and thinks we are his second home. That privacy fence between our yards doesn't stop him from coming over for some loving.

Daily, or middle of the nightly, we hear Bang Bang Bang as Teddy gets on his hind feet and jumps against the back gate till he pops the latch open. Since the fence and gate are connected to the corner of my house (zero lot lines) and right under my bedroom, I never miss it when he comes over for a middle of the night romp in our lovely grass.

Teddy is neurotic. No, really, he's mental. He has issues! He's huge and looks scary, yet he trembles with fear if a stranger talks to him. He barks at the sprinklers and then runs back inside to cower in the corner. He loves balls. He really really loves balls! He's obsessed! If you throw a ball to him, he's overjoyed! He retrieves the ball puts it on the ground and hops on it just right so that it comes flying right back at ya. Show me another dog who can throw the ball back, I think that's pretty cool! Teddy also has issues with loud noises, rain, fireworks, full moon, etc. He gets so scared! Thats when it only takes on bang on the gate to come running over. Funny thing is, even if his family is home, he runs over here for comfort. Crazy Dog! Last time was when we had the earthquake and the neighbors were home! He was in our house under my husband's arm calming down from his trembling fright.

Wanna know what kinda presents he leaves for me in our yard? Naw.. I didn't think you did. Use your imagination. No, bigger! There ya go.

So, nearly every morning Teddy welcomes himself over to our yard, leaves a present and then comes panting at the patio door. Princess Gracie opens it and greets her buddy saying "Hi Teddy, Come in, Come in" He does. He is kind of hyper and neurotic, can't sit still to save his life! So he comes in, paces, walks in circles, wags his giant tail, licks the toddler, sniffs around for a ball, wants back out. Then they go outside and run through the grass, around the trees, laughing and giggling and tail wagging. Gracie and her dogs. Oh, yes, our dog joins in the fun.

Gracie is almost as tall as the dogs now. They still beat her about the head with their tails, but what they lack in grace, they make up for in sloppy tongue kisses. The three of them have the best time! They go to the other side of our yard where we have half privacy fence and half fence of bars. This is where they all three stick their faces through and say hello to Charlie.

Charlie hasn't figured out how to get out of his kennel or how to open the gate. I'm not teaching him either. He's a nice dog, but who needs a pack of dogs leaving gifts in the grass? Charlie is also a golden retriever, so it's a good group and they are great buddies for Gracie. When he is out, Charlie does the same whack wag his tail in the face maneuver that Sandy and Teddy do to the shortest princess.

Now, I could fill ya with Teddy stories since he's a big lovable clumsy neurotic oaf, but I'll just keep this brief (hahaha) and give you today's little story.

The usually fuzed to the tv teenage neighbor girl comes over, taps on our patio door. She's looking all worried and worked up. She says "I just found Gracie in our yard so I brought her back"

Me: ok
Neighbor Girl: She was screaming and laughing so she's ok, but I thought you didn't know where she was.
Me: I knew.
Neighbor Girl: Well....
Me: She's been back and forth all day with the dogs. Teddy keeps opening the gate and I keep taking him home and latching the gate and he just opens it again. I finally gave up and left it open
Neighbor Girl: He did that?
Me: Yes, he does it every day. He comes over every morning, poops out a log in my yard, and plays with Gracie, then he goes home and I shut the gate and we do it all over the next day.
Except today he kept coming over.
Neighbor Girl: oh
Me: Yeah, see his big giant pile of steaming poo right over there? At the bottom of her slide? That's his latest.
Neighbor Girl: I gotta go home now, I'll take Teddy and shut the gate.
Me: That'd be great.

The mere mention of dog poop sent that girl running home just as scared and neurotic as her dog. Guess I'll go out and scoop up that ten pound turd and fling it over the fence.