<p>The mysterious tenant knows a secret way in that no one else does? Or do the police think maybe the landlord wasn’t quite telling the truth about when the locks were changed?</p>
<p>If you get the police reports, be sure to challenge anything that isn’t accurate. Policemen make mistakes like anyone else, and sometimes they let their own ideas about what happened distort the record of what was said and done. This can really throw a crimp in things if they do catch the person and have to prosecute.</p>
<p>Thanks for the above suggestions conyat and paying3. Good ideas.</p>
<p>The wonderful pitbull is back with her owner (the girls really miss her) along with a 50lb bag of gourmet food, a fancy new food storage container and assorted new squeaky toys as payment. She truly is a great dog and did her job well, both as a physical deterrent and emotional support for the girls.</p>
<p>I’ve been reading this story along and as a dog-lover, I vote a lifetime of ‘squeakies’ and milkybones for the said dog. As a 19-year-old girl, I will soon face the “living alone or with another girl” here soon as well. For the past two nights I’ve been staying alone at my sister’s house which is a good 30-45min drive from my own home. My parents were both concerned, and even I was a bit hesitant. When I picked up my sister’s great dane/greyhound mix (she’s only 105 lbs, and just a beautifully shaped dog with the great dane size and head with the sleek greyhound body) and brought her back to the house, she immediately curled up right by my and put a paw on me. When my friend came to the door, she was up and barking quite loudly before I even knew he was there. From that moment on, I knew that if I was ever living alone, I would find a dog to live with me. I figure taking good care and loving unconditionally a dog will in turn give the dog the responsibility to protect the hand that feeds/loves/throws squeakies for. Even my own lab mix dog at home is super protective (which is great for when the little 6’ 13-year old brother attacks me) and I always feel safe when at home with him.</p>
<p>I keep telling my aunt (super dog lover) that she needs to start a business that “lends” well-trained dogs out to single females in DC (where she lives). Even if the dogs did 2-4 week rotations with each dog, anything is better than the girls being alone.</p>
<p>shoebox10, I think that would be a wonderful business for your aunt. People train and “hire out” guard dogs–why not companion dogs? Hmmm, maybe a goal for my empty nest years?</p>