by michdwy
on 5/13/2010 at 5:21 AM
in Dog Walking
I recently wrote a blog entitled "The Joys of walking a Pack, and then I thought about an incident which occurred some time ago, which was perhaps more amusing at least to me, rather than joyful.
I frequently walk several other dogs with my own, they are usually as someone once called out to me "an eclectic pack". On this particular day, I had my two greyhound mixes (as the site calls them, but in England we call them lurchers), my pug-zu, a labrador (my granddaughter's) and a weimaraner (a neighbour's dog, that I walk daily. If he escapes from his own garden, he comes to my house and seems to ask "are you coming out to play?)
All the dogs enjoy as I do our trips into the hills on the wild moorland of Yorkshire, and despite the differences of their breeds get on fine with each other, and any other dog that they meet. Dogs love being with others of their kind if they have been treated naturally.
As we were climbing a hill following a path in the bracken, all the dogs off leash, happily running around, some chasing each other, others sniffing around, I saw a lady coming down on the same path. She had a young cocker spaniel with her. Although my dogs were clearly just enjoying themselves and showing no sign whatsoever of causing trouble, she did to my mind the worst possible thing that she could do. She picked up her dog. I have worked with malinois, police attack dogs and know that any dominant dog would immediately interpret this as a threat.They do not take into consideration that the weaker dog is being lifted by the owner into this direspectful position. Taking up a higher position than a dominant dog is failing to show the more powerful dog due repect. The cocker spaniel left to its own devices would simply have shown by body language, perhaps cowering or rolling on to its back that it offered no threat. This weimaraner is the largest of its kind I have ever seen and a male, but I know he is also the most gentle, not typical of his breed. The lady, who obviously had no idea of dog behaviour, and of the possible danger she had placed her dog and possibly herself, said to my amazement "It's disgusting!". I asked what. She replied "Having so many dogs - it's like a pack!". To which I said with a laugh "Well it is a pack. Don't you know that dogs are pack animals. They should be in a pack. Depriving dogs of the company of other dogs is cruel. Naturally they should be with others. They are happier that way." I suppose she thought I was some sort of nutter.
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