Strange Barking Dog

Merci, Sam, Marcus

Sam:  Has anyone heard the one about ... uh, no, that's not it.  I'm just supposed to ask a direct question.

Merci:  Okay.  So what do you want to ask?

Sam:  How do you keep a dog from barking in the front yard?

Marcus:  Oh, I know the answer.  That's easy.  You give him a treat. 

Merci:  No, you don't reward  him for barking in a stranger's yard.  You command him to be quiet! 

Marcus:  Jan tries that all the time with us and it doesn't work. 

Merci:  Yes, but I assumed the dog Sam asked about isn't one of us.  Sam?

Sam:  Well, no, it's not one of us. 

Merci:  See, I told you it isn't one of us.  Sam is obviously asking about how to stop a well-trained dog from barking in the front yard.

Marcus:  Yes, but why would a well-trained dog be barking in our front yard, Sam?

Sam:  How would I know?  Perhaps he's delivering a package and needs someone to sign for it.

Marcus:  A little testy, aren't we, Sam?

Sam:  Of course I'm a little testy.  I'm trying to tell a joke and you two have desiccated it. 

Marcus:  Oh, I'm sorry.  How do you stop a dog from barking in the front yard?

Sam:  You put him in the back yard. 

Marcus:  What's so funny about that?  Now you have a well-trained, strange dog barking in the back yard.

Sam:  Yes, but he's not barking in the front yard any more.

Marcus:  Jan is going to get awfully upset with you for putting a strange dog in the back yard without her permission. 

Sam:  The only strange dog in our back yard is you, Marcus!