Shannon Stacey


Mini’s heroine moment

People laugh at me when I tell them I sleep better since we got Mini, especially when my husband’s away overnight. I understand that. She’s not exactly the kind of dog that inspires fear.

But the problem I had was lying awake, listening for odd sounds. I have a pretty wacky imagination and could scare myself into paralysis within minutes. Now I let her listen for sounds while I sleep. All she has to do is let me know somebody’s coming and I’ll take it from there.

There’s been a growing problem with break-ins around here. Non-violent. Just taking a few small things of value like laptops and iPads and such. There was actually a little kid who went into his mother’s room and told her there was somebody in the house. She told him he was dreaming and tucked him back in. They were shy some possessions in the morning.

Our screen door’s a little messed up. Every so often the button doesn’t move the lever thingy and, when you pull the door, it catches with a little metallic thumping sound. The other night, about 1am, I was laying awake and heard that sound just as Mini launched herself off the bed, barking like an entire pack of prison hounds. (Only higher-pitched.) As my husband started flipping on lights and going after her, I got the phone at the ready. Whoever it was wasn’t stupid. Dog barking and lights on means you’re not getting my iPad without a fight. And that was that.

So she may be a little frou-frou diva princess, but she kept her home (and her mama’s gadgets) safe.

14 comments to “Mini’s heroine moment”

  1. Liza
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    1
      · July 22nd, 2011 at 9:17 am · Link

    Way to go Mini! Your humans are so glad you saved all their apple products. You are a warrior(even if you are a frou-frou diva princess)!



  2. Lee Laughlin
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      · July 22nd, 2011 at 9:20 am · Link

    Awesome!! Go Mini Go!



  3. Jean
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    3
      · July 22nd, 2011 at 9:32 am · Link

    Yay, Mini! All you need is an alarm. As you said, you can take it from there.



  4. Alison Kent
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    4
      · July 22nd, 2011 at 9:55 am · Link

    As much as I hate barking dogs, I love barking dogs. I don’t even answer my door half the time because when finally I get there, whatever sales person it was is long gone. UPS hits the doorbell and runs. The pack does sound like they’d eat you alive, yet while they’re making all that noise, they’re inside wanting tummy rubbings. ;)

    So glad your Mini safety system works!



  5. Ellen Blakley
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    5
      · July 22nd, 2011 at 9:59 am · Link

    Small dogs are the best watch dogs. I have a little poodle named Taz, he is the best watch dog ever. When my husband has to travel for work I know that I will be well protected :)



  6. Kelly Boyce
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      · July 22nd, 2011 at 10:50 am · Link

    Yay Mini! I have a golden retriever and we always joke he’d show the intruders in and lead them directly to the valuables tail wagging all the way. But the other evening I was out walking and there was a guy standing on the sidewalk about 20 feet away. Whatever it was about this guy Cedar did NOT like. He switched sides and put himself between me and the guy, had a deep growl going on and would not take his eyes off the guy. Even after we passed him, Cedar started walking backwards just to keep the guy in his sights. So maybe he’s not a great watch dog, but I think he knows to protect his people. It was a proud mama moment for me.



  7. Lisa J
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    7
      · July 22nd, 2011 at 11:15 am · Link

    My little girl is 30 pounds but she doesn’t bark (she thinks she is a lab and since they don;t bark she doesn’t). The big guy is 81 pounds and I know if someone scratched behind his ear or his tummy he would show them the TVs, the computer, my jewelry, whatever they want. The good thing, my neighbors all know I am the house with the dogs. They mention it at Halloween when the dogs stick their noses out the door. I couldn’t stay alone without the hounds.



  8. Danielle West
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    8
      · July 22nd, 2011 at 12:48 pm · Link

    Yay Mini!! She saved her pillow pet! … oh and the apple products! :)



  9. Monie/Monica
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      · July 22nd, 2011 at 1:59 pm · Link

    My cavalier/bichon Teddy barks a lot. It is annoying, but I also love it because I know when I need to answer the door by the way he barks. He is very protective and does his job very well — even if he is only 20 pounds. He has scared people off! My maltipoo pup doesn’t bark. She leaves the guard dog duty up to him and jumps in my lap if he barks in a certain way if there is someone or something he really doesn’t like. She only barks at him to upset him!



  10. Ellen Fisher
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    10
      · July 22nd, 2011 at 2:24 pm · Link

    Yay for Mini!

    My dogs are big loves in the daytime, but at night they’re totally different dogs. They go into guard dog mode at night, and I sleep much better knowing they’ll let me know if anyone’s around the house!



  11. Lynda the Guppy
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    11
      · July 22nd, 2011 at 3:10 pm · Link

    YAY, MINI!!!!

    And why can’t she be a Frou-frou diva princess AND kick some burglar butt? You go, girl!

    I’m the same way about scaring myself. I can freak myself out when I’m home alone like nobody’s business. Luckily, I have the FEWS system installed. (Feline Early Warning System). AKA my cat would freak out if someone was in the house. And since she sleeps on my lap or curled up right at my side, I’d now the second someone would try to enter.

    Thank god for our pets. They give us love, entertainment, and a sense of safety.



  12. Laura (in PA)
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    12
      · July 23rd, 2011 at 8:42 am · Link

    I have the same feeling with my dogs. They bark at everything, but at least I can count on them barking during the night if they hear something.

    Congrats to Mini for chasing the bad guys away!



  13. Jeff Rivera
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    13
      · July 25th, 2011 at 8:15 am · Link

    Too bad my dog died last year… He could have done the same thing.



  14. Shannon
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      · July 26th, 2011 at 11:14 am · Link

    According to my teenager, way back in the olden days being an “alarm” was the role of the Shih Tzu. They were the pampered pets bedded down with the family members and, if there was a problem, they’d yap like mad and alert the big dogs, who then ripped people’s throats out. We don’t have the big dog, though.

    I’m sorry, Jeff. It’s always so hard to lose a beloved pet.







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