Glass Testing

Not every dog appears to be satisfied with protecting its property from inside the house.  On the first route I walked there was a house with a large picture window adjoining the mailbox that had a large chesterfield placed back to it.  It supplied an ample platform for a small high-strung dog with tufts of hair emanating from the ends of its ears to charge back and forth yapping vociferously and shaking its head vigorously.   Sentry duty began the moment it caught sight of me and continued well after I’d disappeared in the distance.  At least this dog confined itself to its side of the glass. 

 

Some dogs seem to feel it their duty to test the quality of the glass in their owners’ picture windows.  Imagine the shock a relief experiences when he approaches a home all unsuspecting and suddenly a large canine launches itself at the window.  Aside from the wish that the glass hold, one wonders what effect this constant buffeting has upon the glass—the scratches, nose prints and claw marks left behind and the objects upset upon landing.  I’ve seen vases, crystal, tea sets, and similar items precariously situated.  In one case a very large dog actually wrenched the curtain rods right out of the wall and defecated all over the carpet and furniture.

 

On the first full-time route I walked a large Lab did a circuit of the living room at high speed to gain momentum and then sprang from the middle of the room to land with all fours on the glass, bounced off the glass and landed back on the floor to repeat the circuit until I had departed the area.  I’m thankful to report the window managed to hold but one could actually see the glass rebound from the impact. 

 

Not all windows survive these constant barrages.  Fortunately for letter carriers when most dogs come crashing through windows the resulting concussion and surprise stuns the dog long enough to allow for a hasty retreat—concern for the dog not being upper-most.  I had personal experience with a dog breaking a window sufficiently to get one of its paws through the glass.  Fortunately for the dog I found its owner working in the wood shop in his garage.  I was later informed that the dog not only broke a thermal pane window, but also bled all over the sofa and carpet and required 14 stitches to close the wound on its leg.  This was my fault, of course because I didn’t deliver the mail in the morning when the dog normally took its nap.  No matter that officialdom at the time had other ideas about when I should be delivering the afternoon portion of my walk. 

 

People it would seem are dogs in the manger.  They want their mail delivered, but they don’t accept responsibility for confining their dogs so that such encounters won’t take place.  Somehow, it’s always the letter carrier’s fault.