Doggy Daze

           I always enjoyed watching the dogs in Madrid, Spain and was quite impressed as well. Whenever and wherever I walked in Madrid, there were usually no less than 4 dogs being walked by their owners. Usually it was more like 6-10 dogs on a sidewalk if it was later in the day. These dogs were impeccably well behaved. They all stayed by their walkers side, never did more than sniff the other dogs and I never heard a growl or saw raised hackles. It is all the more impressive because I never saw a leash on a single dog either. They all walked and heeled without a leash. No running after other dogs or squirrels, no bounding into traffic, no jumping up on other people. Quite a feat and one where the owners must spend a lot of time to make it happen. They weren't quite as good at scooping up doggy poop but I guess you can’t have both, well-mannered dogs and owners.

            I try to go for a walk daily here. And there are a lot of dogs and they are not near as well trained as the dogs of Madrid. I saw all types and all ages of dogs in Spain and also do here but there any similarity stops. There are a few dogs here that walk next to their owners without leashes but just a very few and usually the owner snaps on a leash if they see another dog coming their way. It appears that most of the owners here are not bothering to do any training at all other than teaching the dogs to poop outside. The dogs are hither and yon and all over the place on their leashes. Given the chance, most of them will be happy to come to me to see if I smell good or to jump up on me. If they see another dog or a squirrel, the owner is straining to hold them back (on the big dogs – the little dogs just get dragged away). There are a few runner dogs, dogs that jog with their person. Usually these dogs are a bit better behaved in that they do tend to jog in a straight line with their people but I have seen them take off upon seeing something of interest and just about drag their person off their feet. So again, I have to comment that you must not be able to have both. Either people spend the time training their dogs and then just make sure they poop out of the way OR people pick up after their dogs and let them run to and fro and wherever they like.

            Of course, there are exceptions to every dog’s world. Didn’t see an exception in Spain as far as having a dog on a leash but I’m sure they must start out that way. I also did see a few people clean up after their pets. Here, the best behaved dogs are the groups and the really old dogs. There are several people that either have multiple dogs or at least go out and run with multiple dogs. Saw a lady yesterday running in the park with three big dogs (retriever types). The dogs were running ahead of her and almost in perfect sync. One got out of line briefly and she smacked it with the leash handle. I would like to know how she handles the cleanup duty for three dogs as they are bound to leave big piles AND there wasn’t much room on what she was wearing to carry a pooper scooper or even plastic bags. Hmmmm, more investigative reporting is needed here.

            There are several older dogs that live around here. One is a corgi. He is old and overweight and very close to the ground. When he walks, he waddles. His owner doesn’t take him far and not sure if it is because the corgi doesn’t want to go far or the owner can’t go far. The corgi just walks along next to his person and never turns a head or blinks an eye at the distractions. Maybe he can’t hear or see them anymore. The other dog winning the best behaved award is an English lab.  He is also older and overweight and would rather be sitting than walking I am sure. He won’t come over to greet you but should you stop to greet him, he is delighted.

            I’m not really a dog person even though I grew up with plenty of dogs around me and always had a pet dog until I left the childhood home. Always had cats too and I stuck with cats. Someday I might get a dog again but I think about it and how hard it is to have one now. Used to, put a collar on the dog with the rabies tag, teach it where it’s house was, and then just go out and call it in for supper. Dogs ran all over the neighborhood and everyone knew whose dog it was and where it lived. Nobody had to clean up dog poop because they were pooping in the fields or the gullies which washed away. Not sure I could do the whole leash and pooper scooper thing these days and would I be one of those who just let the dog run anywhere on the leash or would I be like a Madrid owner? I may never find out but I enjoy watching the dogs and playing with the cute ones whose owners are happy to stop and have someone pay attention to their dog. That’s enough for me at this time.