Red Alert

Is a Shiba wrong if it sounds the alarm?

Today there was a delivery to our home. The Woman was stretched out on the couch, wrapped in blankets, watching a movie. Belle was stretched out snoozing next to her, taking up the other half of the couch, while I was stretched out on the floor, feeling the periodic belly rub when The Woman's hand dropped down to give me a scritchy.

It was a scene of contentment and quiet until the doorbell rang.

The delivery of the new furniture had arrived. But Belle was not to be silenced and I began to suspect that she might be right. Rather than crating us, The Woman leashed us and let the Men only enter the front room to drop the boxes. Belle maintained full howl with fur raised and lunging, but I was behind her, fur raised, face snarled. Belle was quite impressive. She seemed very serious in her determination of expressing her attitude. I, however, was not in a mood to trust. I had my head and ears down, my lips were back but I was silent. Let Belle bark. I will get you where you are not looking.

I was not amused by this disruption.

Normally, in cases like this, The Woman crates us but something made her feel uneasy. Instead, she leashed us, and we were in front of her. The delivery guys dropped off their goods, and two commented, wow, you got some wild dogs there- as Belle lunged against her leash in full bark and I paced behind, unafraid and ready..

But again, I was not amused.

The Woman was expecting the delivery but there was something different here. She did not crate us, but rather leashed us, and stood in a doorway between the kitchen and the living room, directing the delivery. She appeared nervous to me. I did not have to relay this to Belle who took the alarm to its fullest. Instead, it was us between her and the delivery men.

We may weigh 20 and 30 pounds, but trust me, we can make an impression if need be.

I don't know who the workmen feared most- Belle lunging and snapping at them or me behind her with snarl and fur raised. Even when That Guy appeared toward the end of the delivery, we did not relax until everything was over. Then we enjoyed our dinner of salmon and kibble, and called it a night. Now, we are quietly resting, looking at the strange boxes and I have been told, I can not pee on them.

Sometimes when workmen come, The Woman crates us. She greets them and eventually, we are let loose to check out what they are doing. We may bark once or twice, but its all cool. In the end, the workman is doing his job with two Shibas overseeing.

Today, I got the message that not everything was cool. So did Belle. And who are we to disagree? She can not tell us what caused her to leash instead of crate us, but as us Shibas believe, follow your instincts.

And with Shibas, believe me, we will back your instincts.



I Am Shiba. I Am The Gatekeeper.