Evidence of Trauma

As true geeks, we keep Sherlocking Muttola’s life before we adopted her. What happened to make her the sweet, yet quirky dog we enjoy?

Known Facts
1. She was kept in a back yard with other dogs.
2. At 11 months when we adopted her, she’d already had a litter of puppies. Based on her reaction to getting her butt sniffed, and the anxious/threatening bark she does at bigger male dogs, I call her my 'little rape victim'.

The Evidence
1. She’s great with adults and children, but growls at most 12-15 year old boys.
2. She barks intensely at anyone walking through the alley behind our yard. If they are on a bike she sounds like an aneurysm is imminent. Yet when she meets the same person in front of the house, she wags and licks them to death.
3. The first time I watered the plants with the garden hose she ran into the house, up the stairs and hid under our bed for hours.

And last night? We were in the back yard. As I brushed out the endless supply last of her winter fur, we heard a really loud pop. It sounded like one of those cap guns I played with as a kid. She started shaking and moved warily into the house. Even the arrival home of her Man barely distracted her. She wouldn’t play games and wouldn't go back outside until morning.

Conclusion
I’m picturing a couple neighborhood boys who enjoyed tormenting back yard dogs? I was so mad last night. I wanted to go find those kids and 'school them'.