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An Open Post....
Mar. 4th, 2019 08:22 pmTo the woman I saw walking her dogs a few houses away from us when I was walking Pepper at 8:30 this morning:
I think I've seen you out with them before. A lab mix and a collie mix, I'd guess. You put raincoats on them when it's raining, but no winter coats for them when it's below 20F out.
You're trying to train them, or reinforce their training. I get that. But being behind you for a mere block this morning took almost every drop of joy out of my experience. Every time either of them stopped, slowed or turned to check out the black doggie on the leash behind them? THEY were quiet. YOU barked.
"LEAVE IT!" Heard that one repeatedly. Heard it, too, when a couple of our previous pups took their obedience classes. But you weren't referring to a dangerous object, or a prey they'd sighted. You meant me, or more to the point for them you meant our dog.
I knew instantly, or rather remembered from one of those earlier raincoaty days, that you want complete control over your dogs, and no interaction with any others- at least not with ours. So I slowed a bit, tried putting more distance between us. But you can't stop a dog from being a dog. Your labbier one (dumb as rocks- I know- we had them for 18 years) kept slowing and looking back at the cute rambunctious puppy who was breathing a little excitedly but was otherwise behaving herself, giving you (or more to the point your "mommy") your needed space.
"NO! THERE'S NOTHING FOR YOU TO TURN BACK AND LOOK AT!"
Pepper didn't understand any of this, and I've been hurled worse insults, but your dogs? They got it. Walks aren't for interaction, or socialization, or communication. You're probably only walking them because you can't stand the thought of their dog shit marring your fine-trimmed lawn. (Never did see either of them take a dump. Maybe by now you've made them just as anal retentive as you are.)
When we got to the end of the block and we started turning away from the three of you, I got to witness one last moment: one of them checking out the pole with the street sign on the corner opposite from us. And you, yelling at them even for that. That, which to you is an icky spot of yellow or brown but to them is a whole story, a history, a dogstory. We have e-mail; they have p-mail.
You want a beautiful perfectly behaved canine? Call a taxidermist. Dogs are perpetual toddlers with two extra legs and no diapers.
Worst of all? If I heard correctly, you named one of them Gromit. That is such a cool name. Your dogs don't need to be as crazed and controlling as their namesake (if that is the name)-
- but fer cryin out loud, let them lighten up and have a little bit of fun in their lives.
You might even try it yourself sometime. I promise not to call Animal Control on any of you:P
I think I've seen you out with them before. A lab mix and a collie mix, I'd guess. You put raincoats on them when it's raining, but no winter coats for them when it's below 20F out.
You're trying to train them, or reinforce their training. I get that. But being behind you for a mere block this morning took almost every drop of joy out of my experience. Every time either of them stopped, slowed or turned to check out the black doggie on the leash behind them? THEY were quiet. YOU barked.
"LEAVE IT!" Heard that one repeatedly. Heard it, too, when a couple of our previous pups took their obedience classes. But you weren't referring to a dangerous object, or a prey they'd sighted. You meant me, or more to the point for them you meant our dog.
I knew instantly, or rather remembered from one of those earlier raincoaty days, that you want complete control over your dogs, and no interaction with any others- at least not with ours. So I slowed a bit, tried putting more distance between us. But you can't stop a dog from being a dog. Your labbier one (dumb as rocks- I know- we had them for 18 years) kept slowing and looking back at the cute rambunctious puppy who was breathing a little excitedly but was otherwise behaving herself, giving you (or more to the point your "mommy") your needed space.
"NO! THERE'S NOTHING FOR YOU TO TURN BACK AND LOOK AT!"
Pepper didn't understand any of this, and I've been hurled worse insults, but your dogs? They got it. Walks aren't for interaction, or socialization, or communication. You're probably only walking them because you can't stand the thought of their dog shit marring your fine-trimmed lawn. (Never did see either of them take a dump. Maybe by now you've made them just as anal retentive as you are.)
When we got to the end of the block and we started turning away from the three of you, I got to witness one last moment: one of them checking out the pole with the street sign on the corner opposite from us. And you, yelling at them even for that. That, which to you is an icky spot of yellow or brown but to them is a whole story, a history, a dogstory. We have e-mail; they have p-mail.
You want a beautiful perfectly behaved canine? Call a taxidermist. Dogs are perpetual toddlers with two extra legs and no diapers.
Worst of all? If I heard correctly, you named one of them Gromit. That is such a cool name. Your dogs don't need to be as crazed and controlling as their namesake (if that is the name)-
- but fer cryin out loud, let them lighten up and have a little bit of fun in their lives.
You might even try it yourself sometime. I promise not to call Animal Control on any of you:P