Dog encounters of the third kind
Most dog owners (D insists on calling them "caretakers"; no one can "own" a dog, he says) are thrilled if you pat their dog. They'll even urge him on if he's reticent. "Say hello," they'll coo. However, there is a brand of owner I detest. The Impatient Owner.
(Disclaimer: I know sometimes people are in a rush. But this one today rubbed me the wrong way...literally.)
Anyway, I saw a beautiful white dog. It looked like a petite, snowy wolf. I squatted to pat it and it looked at me tenderly. It was one of those dogs I have a special connection with. The owner tugged on its leash, and it held its ground. I was mid-pat when the owner yanked the leash. Ow! It was one of those chain-link leashes, and it hurt my shoulder. I looked up and the owner was completely oblivious. But he cut short my dog time and my shoulder is still sore. He is on my bad list.
Then I saw a man sitting on his stoop with a dog on his lap, belly up. The dog plainly had cataracts. He invited me to pat her, explaining that she couldn't see or hear. Her name is Gracie. I patted her tummy and her head as she lay peacefully on his lap. I got into a nice conversation with the man, whose wife takes yoga, and even gave him one of my yoga cards so he and his wife can come to class. (He asked me where I was from...he had an Irish accent...and I said Massachusetts. He said, "Oh, I thought you were Israeli...") He didn't own the dog, but looked after her a couple times a week. He was very affectionate with her.
So he helped make up for the other owner, but my shoulder still hurts.
(Disclaimer: I know sometimes people are in a rush. But this one today rubbed me the wrong way...literally.)
Anyway, I saw a beautiful white dog. It looked like a petite, snowy wolf. I squatted to pat it and it looked at me tenderly. It was one of those dogs I have a special connection with. The owner tugged on its leash, and it held its ground. I was mid-pat when the owner yanked the leash. Ow! It was one of those chain-link leashes, and it hurt my shoulder. I looked up and the owner was completely oblivious. But he cut short my dog time and my shoulder is still sore. He is on my bad list.
Then I saw a man sitting on his stoop with a dog on his lap, belly up. The dog plainly had cataracts. He invited me to pat her, explaining that she couldn't see or hear. Her name is Gracie. I patted her tummy and her head as she lay peacefully on his lap. I got into a nice conversation with the man, whose wife takes yoga, and even gave him one of my yoga cards so he and his wife can come to class. (He asked me where I was from...he had an Irish accent...and I said Massachusetts. He said, "Oh, I thought you were Israeli...") He didn't own the dog, but looked after her a couple times a week. He was very affectionate with her.
So he helped make up for the other owner, but my shoulder still hurts.
Comments
I bet Alex would love you.:)
I may be in Virginia in November, so pats may be in store :)
And does this mean that dogs should wear sunglasses to help prevent the formation of cataracts?
vk - interesting. i never thought of cataract operations for dogs. most likely the owners don't want to put them through the trauma. i think it happens with age, not through sun exposure. but i don't know for sure.
When I told Alex you might be coming for a visit, his eyes got wide and his tail wagged. That's usually his response when I talk to him, but I think he really understood what I was saying. ;)
suzy - it's true. i think this one was probably nice to the dog most of the time, though...just a feeling i got :D
Liz - that's awesome! i am sending him a long-distance pat :)