Carolyn Holm

Dear Alpha Mom,
It’s a lot of work to keep us all safe. I have to be alert at all times!
XOXO Poppy

Dear Poppy,
Yes, well I’m glad you brought that up. We really need to talk about the alert level.
Love, Carolyn

Dear Alpha Mom,
Did I miss something??????? I try to bark at everything!!!!!
XOXO Poppy

Dear Poppy,
Yes you do. That’s the problem.
Love, Carolyn

Dear Alpha Mom,
There’s a problem?
XOXO Poppy

Dear Poppy,
There’s been a LOT of barking lately. Especially on warm spring days when the windows are open.
Love, Carolyn

Dear Alpha Mom,
I love when the windows are open!!!!!!!
XOXO Poppy

Dear Poppy,
We all do, but it makes you jumpy.
Love, Carolyn

Dear Alpha Mom,
I can hear everything in the neighborhood!!!!! It’s wonderful.
XOXO Poppy

Dear Poppy,
No, actually it’s not. Not when you can hear a kid on a bicycle a block away. Honey, you don’t need to notify us about that.
Love, Carolyn

Dear Alpha Mom,
But it’s nearby!!!
XOXO Poppy

Dear Poppy,
No it’s not nearby. It’s a block away. You shouldn’t be barking at things going on a block away. That’s just WAY too many notifications.
Love, Carolyn

Dear Alpha Mom,
What about people passing on the sidewalk in front of the house?
XOXO Poppy

Dear Poppy,
Let them go by, sweetie. You don’t have to challenge people who walk by. For one thing, there are a LOT of walkers in our neighborhood. And many of them are our neighbors. It’s not very polite to holler at them every time they walk by our house.
Love, Carolyn

Dear Alpha Mom,
I’m not hollering! I’m celebrating that people are walking by!!!! I’m letting YOU know!!!!! I’m letting them know!!!!! So that they know I know and that I’m letting you know!!!!!
XOXO Poppy

Dear Poppy,
It’s even worse when they have a dog with them. Then you really go crazy.
Love, Carolyn

Dear Alpha Mom,
That’s as it should be. I don’t know why you don’t understand how this works.
XOXO Poppy

Dear Poppy,
And kids on skateboards. You go nuts.
Love, Carolyn

Dear Alpha Mom,
But listen to them! That’s such a provocative sound!!!!!!!
XOXO Poppy

Dear Poppy,
Okay, I’ll give you that. We’ll make an exception for the skateboards. But when a couple of ladies go by with their pooches on a walk, I would appreciate it if you would calmly and quietly let them pass. I really don’t need a notification.
Love, Carolyn

Dear Alpha Mom,
What about the mail guy?
XOXO Poppy

Dear Poppy,
Okay, another exception. Skateboarders and the mail carrier.
Love, Carolyn

Dear Alpha Mom,
Skateboarders, the mail guy and people with dogs who aren’t nice to me!!!!!
XOXO Poppy

Dear Poppy,
No, honey. That’s enough. Go chew on your rawhide and see if you can relax. And I think I’ll close the windows for a bit.
Love, Carolyn

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