Barking On Silence

This is just a thought... a suspicion, maybe.

I am not judging or have a place to say this. I may be jumping the gun here or just mistaken, but just want to satisfy my curiosity... and guilt too, if this becomes true.

You see, everyday when I go to work, I take the stairs down instead of the lift. Everyday, I will pass by my 3rd floor neighbour's front door which is in near the staircase.

Almost everyday, I will pass their opened main door, but with the metal gate closed, as they also prepare to go out for work. And almost everyday, their dog will be there to ward-off passers-by with its loud and vicious-sounding barks.

Almost everyday, I will face this barkings, but no matter how many times I get the warning barks, I still cannot get use to being startled by it.

Worst times are when you thought the dog was not there, but it suddenly ambushed you by running and barking towards the front door out of nowhere! It freaked me out several times and several times I would retort spontaneously "Oh My God!" and once regained my composure with "stupid dog!" or something.

The owner may have heard my remarks thought. I am sorry, but that was my honest reaction to these "morning ritual" ambushes.


I had almost been attacked by this dog twice before. Once when I was coming back from home and somehow the owner was too. He opened the door and the dog dashed out and climbed up the stairs to attack me.

My natural reaction was to swing my bag at it as a "weapon." The dog retreated back to its owner when he called it back sternly. The owner did not apologize, although the dog "invaded my territory."

Another time was when they were at their front door going out as a family. The dog was out at the corridor too. When I climbed down the stairs, the dog suddenly came up to attack me.

Same thing again. It retreated when the owner called out to it sternly. I was not able to climb down the stairs as it kept barking at the corridor without a leash. I would definitely be attacked if I advanced further.

I had to actually tell the family to restrain their dog before I could go on my way. They did, but no apology as expected... they did not even look at you to acknowledge. Snobbish neighbours, but I have no qualms with them.

My experiences with the dog is not quite unique to me alone. Wifey had her fair share of surprises too. I also heard surprised screams and startled curses from other neighbours who use the stairs when I leave my front door opened on weekends.

So! After that lengthy background, I experienced something different and puzzling this morning...

When I saw the dog at its front door after several days of no show or ambush, it had its neck bandaged, and it was not barking or jumping up and down.

The sight made me curious, restless even... with unpleasant thoughts during my journey to work.

I am suspecting either the dog is sick, or had gone through a miraculous behaviour modification through a crash-course at obedience school, or worse... had been devocalized!

Please let it not be the last one!

I cannot help but feel that it is inhumane to do such a thing to a pet!

Like I said before, I may be mistaken and jumping the gun here. I hope I am. I would rather have the dog go through an obedience school to stop the neighbours from complaining of its incessant loud barks and attacks.

I will feel guilty if I was a part of the decision made by the owner to "silence" their dog permanently.

Maybe it is just my wild suspicion. Hopefully.

I think I should give it several more encounters with the dog and also see if there are any barkings during the weekends as usual.

Wonder if this is the best route to go?