I get many of my stories about animals from my children, or other people, and here is a short one from my older boy, The SWAT cop. They were raiding another house, guarded by another Pit Bull, but this one was a little more threatening than the fleeing, felon dog.

After they had broken in the Pit Bull ran out of the house and across the yard and jumped into their SWAT van with all its equipment, etc. I may say here that SWAT cops and cops in general take a lot for granted. When they are out and about they seem to assume that the citizenary will respect their belongings from fear, or support, or whatever and they exit their vehicles, vans or cars, or whatever, leaving doors standing open or the engine running and the keys in it, etc. with never a thought to anything being taken or the vehicle stolen and usually nothing happens; although last year a woman locked in the backseat did somehow make it to the front seat and drove off in the police car which had been left running.

Anyway, they watched in amazement as the dog leaped in their van and took a very large leak all over the inside of it and then laid down and proceeded to guard it with more vigor than had been apparent in guarding its owner's house. I think that he had decided that since he couldn't keep them out of the house he would show his contempt in the only way he could. When they approached the doors the dog would growl and show its teeth and if they came too close it would stand and become more menacing, so they retreated.

Eventually the owner or some other family member was brought out and called the dog who went to them and the dog was taken back into the house and the SWAT cops boarded their van, which reeked of dog urine and was very damp in spots, for the return to the station. In this case the dog had demonstrated that there can be things worse than bark or bite.