Originally Posted by sourgrapes
The Napolean portion of her testimony bothered me, all of it.
First, she is standing there watching Travis and Napolean didn't even know she was there? Then, Napolean "barks, and runs up to me for hugs" (paraphrased). Huh? I've been around dogs my entire life (40 yrs) and I cannot think of any dog barking once and running for hugs. My dogs either barked or whined and it wasn't ever just a "ruff". Strange.
Second, Napolean "always left the room when Travis was angry". Really? My dogs either didn't care or would actively and aggressively get between the two people arguing. If one was a family member and the other was not, the dog(s) would defend the owner/family member (no matter how friendly the dog was in the past with the other person). She mentioned Napolean leaving the room, like a child does when the parents argue.
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You bring up some great points about dog behavior. I've owned two, at different times in my life, and neither would EVER act as Jodi has described Napoleon in the wee hours.
First and foremost, dogs are FIERCELY protective of their owners. They don't cower when the owner is arguing with someone. They rev-up to attack whomever they feel is threatening their owner. Napoleon would likely have known something was fishy about Jodi standing their in silence, with Travis not aware she was there.
And secondly, dogs are alarmed by the slightest, FAR AWAY sounds. Mine routinely ran to look out our 2nd floor window and barked like crazy -- warning us when people were walking or chatting outside, several buildings away.
Most dogs are smart, and I'd expect no less from Napoleon. Every fiber of my being says the dog would have barked at Jodi's car pulling in at 4 a.m., if he was down in the office with Travis. I really doubt she parked at his house.
He also had to be barking at their ruckus and the gunshot, no matter where in the house he'd been stashed. Poor, poor baby...
Like this family:
