For the Love of a Dog

The saying goes that dog is man's best friend.  Today I think that was certainly true.  A little after 7 p.m. today I had a knock on the door.  A look out of the peep hole showed a young guy in a T-shirt and shorts, looking normal and happy.  I answered the door, and he introduced himself as a neighbor from the apartment complex.  My dog Toby stood right by myself barking initially, and continuing to growl.  After his brief introduction the guy launched into this sales pitch about selling magazine subscriptions.  I told him right now was not a good time, but maybe he might have a flyer that I could contact him by; I asked what apartment number he lived in.  He said quickly that he was from a unit in Building A (which does not exist in my complex), and that maybe he'd stop by again next week.  He then hurried away.  My dog Toby stood right by my side, growling quietly, the entire time.

I had heard of scams like this before.  In fact in the few months before I moved I had heard of quite a few incidences.  I questioned the man about his apartment number not because I was really interested, but because I thought he might be lying about his residence here.  As it turns out I was right.  A quick call to 911 ensured that someone came out to the complex to make sure he had left the premises and was not bothering more tenants.  The problem is that these salesman have a history of becoming violent and attacking the people they're "selling" to.  Robbery, assault, rape, and murder have all been committed by so-called door-to-door salesmen. 

Living by myself like I do, it's a very scary thing to think about.  I'm so proud of and thankful for Toby, who knew that there was something about this guy that he didn't like.  He may be small, but he's got a big voice.  He might not be able to save me from an attacker, but I'm confident that he wouldn't stand by quietly.

So for anyone who's reading this right now, take a moment to appreciate your dog.  Maybe they haven't always been the best; I mean sure there's been carpet stains, chewed up shoes, and muddy paws.  But if your dog is anything like mine, he's loyal, he's loving, and he would put himself in harm's way to protect the people he loves.   

So until next time...thanks, Toby.