It never hurts to invite someone over for snacks, especially cheese

By Strider the Dog

Hi Strider,

Perhaps you’ve noticed how crowded it is at Ashland’s Dog Park. When my dog was a young puppy, we eagerly awaited the development of a second dog park in southeastern Ashland.  Now he’s almost 10 years old and still dislikes gangs of dogs. Will he ever see this new dog park that would be on our side of town?

Thank you for any insights.

Woof.

— Bea B.

Dear Bea,

Totally get this. I, too, await the second dog park anxiously. How many times have I waited patiently in the car at the Shop’n Kart parking lot, only to hear Tod say, “It’s too far to go back into town to the dog park. Let’s just go home”?

Sigh.

Shadow would agree with your dog, too. She hates the crowds at the north end dog park. I love them myself, but we’re all different. If there was a less crowded one at the south end of town, she might stop standing by the gate staring longingly at the car the whole time I’m just trying to enjoy myself. Win win.

Let me ask my editor. He says we did a story on it a long time ago, but since then, silence. Maybe we can get our ace reporters on it. An in depth news story about the need for another dog park might get things moving.

Wag and a woof back at you!

Dear Strider,

As a human, I’ve never written to a dog before, but your column has convinced me that you’re wiser than many humans, so here goes. 

Our neighbors have a couple of very chatty dogs (I’m being generous here: they actually bark day and night). We hesitate to complain, because it’s not the dogs’ fault they are outside and get worked up about other dogs, mail carriers, etc. But it is stressful listening to the barking all the time. What’s the best way to approach their humans about it, in the interests of being good neighbors but also getting a little peace? 

— Humans with barking neighbors 

Dear Humans,

Snacks. Definitely snacks.

It’s my experience that snacks help resolve just about any difficult situation. I hear our ace reporters, Holly and Morgan, say the most important thing a journalist needs to know is to always bring snacks. You can offer them around. You can snack on them yourself if things go squiwiff. They are acceptable even in the tensest of moments. They make friends. And friends listen to friends.

Have you tried inviting the neighbors around for some of the same? Salted nuts? Deviled eggs? Perhaps even cheese?

Cheese is my favorite.

They may not know the dogs are bothering you. They may be deaf, who knows? Or they may be clueless. But at least if you invite them, in the spirit of neighborliness, over for snacks, you’ll have a better idea of what you’re dealing with, which inevitably leads to an idea of how best to approach the problem. You guys might get to be friends. The dog barking may stop bothering you so much. The neighbors might become more solicitous of your needs. Conviviality over snacks could lead to any, or even all, of these excellent outcomes.

Snacks. They work wonders. If nothing else works, if the neighbors aren’t friendly and won’t listen to you, I bet you can retrain those dogs by hushing them over the fence, and then rewarding them with . . . guess what?

That’s right. In that case, cheese would work best.

Good luck.

Got a problem? Need advice or maybe just want to vent? Strider the Dog is here for you, even if you don’t bring cheese. Just email [email protected].