St. Bernard Owner Calls Out News Station's Story on House Keeping Skills

A Belmar Boulevard woman is defending her House keeping abilities and calling out Channel 19 for a police blotter item on the station's website.

WOIO’s lighthearted look at the crime in Avon Lake—or there lack of—last week has prompted an Avon Lake woman to defend her care of House, the family St. Bernard.

This article on WOIO, Tales from the suburban police blotter, essentially pokes fun at the lack of police news in the city:

“It's starts off ugly, a caller told police they often see a St. Bernard dog with no shelter tied up outside a home on Belmar Boulevard,” the article said. “ went by but there was no dog there.”

The story lists a bunch of other non-violent criminal activities in the blotter, including a house (of the non-canine variety) and some not-so-criminal activities including a man in camoflouge putting something in the back of his truck by the railroad tracks.

House’s owner, Dawn Johnson, saw the WOIO item and took offense. She contacted Patch to set the record straight.

“As the editor of The Patch could you please let everyone know that House is never, ever tied up,” Johnson said. “Our yard is fenced and he goes out there to do his business. Furthermore, if we even tried to keep him outside longer than he agreed with, he would simply let himself back in the house. After all he knows how to open our sliding glass doors. Which basically means that House would let himself back into his house.”

Johnson said House has been a part of the family for four years.

“My husband did not want a dog,” she said. “I bought this cute St. Bernard puppy and brought him home. I told my husband he could name him. He ended up naming him after his favorite TV show. That was how House became House four years ago.”

Johnson said the yard is fenced, the dog is not tied up, and he can open the sliders to get back in even if the Johnsons tried to keep him out of the house.

She also left a comment on the WOIO website telling them, “That is my dog you idiots - he goes outside to use the restroom. Get a life!”

So there you have it, Avon Lakers. House is well-loved, well-trained and well-cared for. Let the record reflect that.