Otis and the Fence – A Lesson in Bravery, Barking, and Better Conversations

Our little dog Otis is not a large creature by any means. He’s small, fluffy, and generally friendly — a sweetheart who loves ear rubs and curling up in a warm lap. 

But when Otis is in the yard and there’s a fence between him and the neighbor dogs, something curious happens. He transforms. Suddenly, he’s all teeth and bravado, barking and growling like a dog twice his size. The moment that barrier disappears, though? He’s back to his usual, gentle self, tail wagging and conflict forgotten.

I’ve been thinking lately: maybe Otis isn’t all that different from some people online.

You’ve probably met a few “keyboard warriors” in your social media scrolls — those who seem bold, sharp-tongued, and unrelentingly critical when cloaked behind the safety of a screen. Like Otis behind his fence, they are fierce only when buffered by distance. Their bark travels through comment sections and Twitter threads, but face-to-face, they’d likely choose more civil tones, if they said anything at all.

It makes you wonder: is it the physical distance or the emotional one that allows us to forget basic decency?

Social media has done wonders in some ways — connecting people across the world, sharing ideas, giving voice to those who might otherwise be unheard. But it’s also become a noisy backyard full of growling, nipping, and posturing from all sides. The fences — the screens — embolden us to say things we might never say to someone sitting across the table. 

Just like Otis, we often feel the need to defend our territory, even if that “territory” is just a personal opinion we posted fifteen minutes ago.

But imagine if we took the fences down. What if, instead of assuming the worst of others through their curated posts, we had actual conversations — with eye contact, tone of voice, and the grace of real-time empathy?

Otis is a good dog. He’s just a little louder when he feels safe behind the boards of the fence. People aren’t all that different.

Maybe that’s one more reason to step back from the barking yard of social media and invest more in face-to-face conversations — the kind that build real connections without all the growling.

Because let’s be honest — we’re all a little better when the fence is down.

Written by David L. Burton

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Take the Engaged Neighbor pledge and become part of a movement! The pledge outlines five categories and 20 principles to guide you toward becoming an engaged neighbor. Sign the pledge at https://nomoregoodneighbors.com. Individuals who take the pledge do get special invitations to future events online and in person. Contact the blog author, David L. Burton via email at dburton541@yahoo.com or burtond@missouri.edu. You can also visit his website at https://engagedneighbor.com.