There's the bad "Momma", and then there's the "Momma" that's snapped because of her patience being tried beyond its limits—and "Momma" snapped when Reilly barked again. "Momma" made very clearly known in a cold and *****y tone that
she would use the spray bottle on Reilly if Reilly barked again—and
Reilly got the hint and the explanation that "[i]f ["Momma" has] to be cold & *****y, she will be cold & *****y—do not kid yourself!"
Reilly knows—or at least "Momma" hopes that Reilly knows—that "Momma" would neither abuse nor try to abuse Reilly, and "Momma" congratulates anyone whom can—depending on which scenario is theologically correct—be canonized as the patron or matron saint of pets and pet owners even while he or she living, sit at the right hand of Jesus, or do both.
"Momma", meanwhile, also knows that even
Reilly is more of a saint than most humans on the planet—let alone "Momma"—and that every pet owner has had his or her bad moments, and that the bad moments are compounded both in terms of number and frequency for pet owners with issues such as mental illnesses and physical disabilities—
as "Momma" all too well knows.
Besides, so to speak,
bringing out the inner ***** in "Momma" is sometimes the only way that any creature—whether a human, canine, or non-human and non-canine creature—
can give "Momma" air and aura of authority—after all, even
the Bulldog of the Senate, for example, is known for being the same way in some respects (i.e., she's short, single, and able to command respect because of a, so to speak, powerful bark and bite—not to mention that she may be Jewish, as has been rumored for years, since
dark hair is not an Ethnic Polish trait or even any kind of Slavic one).