What can bring one person and eight cats straight up out of a sound sleep in the middle of the night?The answer--Boone's 'there is someone out there bark'. Thankfully he doesn't use it often. His 'there is a varmint' out there bark is entirely different. For human varmints he gives a huge booming bark. Just one. Then if they don't go away he will wait a few minutes and give another. By then, it's up to me to take over, he seems to think. Trust me though, when I hear that bark I'm halfway out of the bed before I'm even awake. The four legged varmint bark is loud and offensive, and repeated, but not nearly so serious sounding.
Mostly the two legged varmints mess around down in the road, screeching out their car windows or hoping to prowl the empty house down there. Usually they don't linger long. I've not had anyone actually come up on the property that I know of.
While Boone is a big sweet heart, and has never, ever offered to bite, I sure wouldn't want to be creeping around in the dark up to no good. I think the big boy might get serious about his job if he had to. I know that he can look pretty serious.
I do trust him to sound the alarm if anyone dare get close to the house. Ashley on the other hand, I unfortunately don't pay much attention to. She is busy alerting to all kinds of things--like birds and squirrels and cats and leaves blowing.
They make a good team though, since Boone does have one serious Home Security System flaw. He sleeps very sound. I mean really, really sound. And he snores loud, really, really loud. This was quite the problem before Ashley came. Back then his co-watch dog was old Ariel, the blue merle collie, and she was almost deaf. So they would both sleep through all kinds of things. While Ashley may be considered a little on the flippant hysterical side, she does her duty by waking up the big boy. Although it isn't because she barks at two legged strangers. You'll not hear one collie word out of her if there is a person out there. But she does run and look, and that usually wakes up the big Boone. In fact if Boone barks once, and Ashley is eerily silent, then you can bet your bottom dollar that somebody is out there!
What? You expect me to work 24/7? 
14 comments:
Sounds like a real good system those two have established. Now I wish mine would tell me what the heck their system is.
I know you must rest easier (asleep or awake) knowing that God has given you these two "guardian angels" to watch over things!
I miss having my big dogs but Dixie is quite a big mouth and gosh knows Squirt the beagle is a bigger mouth. It is a comfort to know which bark means what and singles like us need our own reliable security system!
It's always good to have that security system outside. I know what you mean about the deep sleeper though. My Shep does the same. Some nights I get worried because he doesn't bark at all--usually we find him asleep :)
Amy
I can't imagine that anyone would want to get close enough to Boone to find out if he was aggressive or not!
I am absolutely in love with your big, red dog...
Excellent system! Our only watchdog these days is the little small William -- the other two don't want to get involved...
Boone is so terrific!
He's such a good boy!!!
Please give him a scritch from me.
Sounds just like my Bandit and Lucy. You know something is going on if Bandit barks.
Way to go Boone! Who the heck needs one of those fandangeled security systems when you have the big boy there!
I have an "Ashley" system here too. Bark at the birds. Bark at the wind. Bark at the fly.
Just the mere look of Boone is enough to put anybody off. I don't mean that nastily because you know I have had his story on my pin board for months! Every time I feel a bit down, I read that and I feel cheered up. The world is good place after all, sort of thing. However, he does look pretty fierce and must be very reassuring for you to have him around.
Actually, he's quite a pin up now, isn't he, with his shiny coat and cute? face. You have done wonders with him.
Blessings, Star
I love it! Boone cracks me up. :D
Nancy--you would be surprised! I have had people actually come in the yard (w/out permission), and tell me it was the collie they were worried about! Oookay...I've also found that people either instantly love Boone or they are instantly uneasy and give him a wide berth. Of course he expects EVERYBODY to love him! ;-)
Tammy
Gosh, what a Handsome dog is Boone! I know I'd pay attention to what he wanted me to do. And then...do it!
Thanks Sandra,
Glad you stopped in. Boone really is a big sweetie, but I too would be respectful if I didn't know him.
Tammy
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