Dogs in the News: Things I Don't Want to Find in the Backyard Edition

OK, I know I complain about squirrels a lot, but it turns out that there are worse things that could taunt me in the backyard: alligators.

Now, some of you probably live places where alligators are pretty common. I can assure you, in the middle of Indiana, they are not so common. Which is why this story from Columbus, Ohio, is so scary. You see, Columbus is very similar to where I live - in the middle of the country, seemingly safe from warm weather dangers arising out of the murky depths of swamps. But, apparently, I was mistaken about what one can find here in the middle of America:

Sales manager Jeff Colucy had his Weimaraner in the parking lot at a Columbus company that makes office fixtures when the dog went "on point" Wednesday morning.

Colucy told his boss he discovered the dog was focused on an alligator hunkered down in a puddle.

You know what the scariest part about that is? The alligator was not even in a swamp - it was in a PUDDLE. I have an entire mini pool in my backyard, think of the number of gators that could live in something like that! Terrifying.

This? This is a horrible thing to do to your dog (but illustrative of the horrors of alligators and dogs, even if it is in costume and not actual form). I'm sure Sarah is already considering this for one of my Halloween costumes this year.

On the plus side, perhaps this will make Sarah reconsider the pool (and, more importantly, dressing me up to go swimming).