Currently August 2014

I am linking up with the great Farley at Oh Boy 4th Grade. 
August arrived quickly and I needed this little opportunity to think and read everyone's delightful posts. 

This will be short(er) since I need to get moving on my TO-DO list. 

Today, we are heading out to celebrate my father-in-law's 70th birthday. It will be nice to get together with family and celebrate him. You know though, that teacher/mother in me, is thinking about all of the things I still need to do in order to be ready for the first day of school. {Breathe}

I think my list is pretty self-explanatory, except my dog comment. So let me elaborate a little. 

Bandit, our sweet, almost 2-years old Labrador Retriever has been slowly acclimating to life in a house with a family full of active boys. He is doing great with us yet struggles with strangers. He desperately wants to protect his territory and BARKS a lot. 

In order to break him of this we have enlisted a trainer and are taking steps to get him use to being social. Making progress, and that is great. 

So the other day my darling husband (who is spending the week before school starts home with the boys) took the boys and the dog to the park to play and relax. On the way home, almost in our driveway, the dog next door bolted out of his house and approached our dog and boys. He sniffed then suddenly attacked Bandit.
My kids were frightened and my husband was freaked out. 

He bit him once, then let go and bit him again. This time he would not let go. Kids were screaming and crying and my husband was yelling. The dog wouldn't let go and his owner is still inside their house. 

My husband forced their dog off and takes off running after the kids and our dog. They quickly try to get in the house and now the neighbor is out saying, "Are you ok?" You can fill in what my husband said. 

They were scared and the neighbor's reaction was less than expected. They did not seem to think it was a big deal. I disagree as does my husband who had to force their dog to retreat then had to help the kids and Bandit recover. 

Thank goodness my husband was there and it wasn't just my oldest, whose chore is to take the dog on walks.

I called animal control and they were supposed to come out to talk with my husband and the neighbor but they did not show up. 

My husband talked to the neighbor and they are just in denial that it was a serious situation. It was and he has shown the tendency to bite strangers before, so we are really concerned. 

Our dog is ok, no injury, except to his ego. We are still working with him on behaviors and have talked with our boys about safety. Sadly, we are not allowing them to play with the boy next door at their house ever, unless they get rid of Kujo! 

Just another bump to learn from, right?

Well friends, I really need to get moving, that to-do list needs to be tackled a bit. Hope you are having a wonderful August!

Cheers-