Patton vs, his arch nemesis

Any dog on the other side of the fence.

Everyone in our neighborhood has a 6 foot privacy fence surrounding our backyard. This was new to me when I moved here. Any home older than 10 years out here in the Valley has one. I struggled with this when we first built the house. I remember as a little girl, running and playing in everyone's backyard. It gave you a sense of community. However, after living here awhile, I have come to love the fence. We have complete privacy - love it!

Anyway, Patton was attacked last year but a pit bull. My friends out here remember how bad it was. The side of his head and ear where torn up very badly. It was horrible. We were out for a walk in the evening, one street away from our home, on our regular walking route. Out of no where comes the pit and latches on to Patton. It took 3 neighbors to pull him off. The only reason P survived is becuase it was a puppy.

Ever since then, Patton has been a mess. Anytime he hears another dog on the other side of the fence he cannot see, he loses his mind and becomes Cujo. I don't blame him. He cannot see the other dog, and is terrorized by the attack. Over the past year, we have worked with him, and he is still very attentive to dogs he hears and cannot see, but does not lose his mind on walks.

However, he has become a mental case in the backyard. Both next door neighbors, and the neighbors behind our house have little yappers. They make Patton mental. He runs to each side of the fence, barking, snarling, huffing, and growling. Everytime we hear him, we're out there with water bottle spraying him.

Now, he has become sneaky. I've watched him. He runs to the fence, looks at the house, barks, looks at the house again, waiting for one of us to come out. I'll run out, hit him with some water, he'll look at me, bark, and then dips his head, waiting for the hit of water. I swear, that dog lives to make me nuts.

Sherman? Angel dog. He just sleeps.
Patton - loves to make me crazy.