Hi
This was on facebook and I thought it was good. I don't know if you've
heard of that stupid anchor woman in Denver who was bitten -- while
acting stupid (but of course it will be the dog's fault!) -- during a
broadcast
http://news.yahoo.com/blogs/cutline/rescued-dog-bites-nbc-anchor-face-during-feel-141755422.html
Here's some food for thought and I hope you would enjoy it as well as
taking it as a strong life lesson!
Picture this – it's a lovely day, and you are relaxing at a local park,
having a picnic with your family. A well-dressed lady you've never met
before with a large smile on her face exits her car. She automatically
lays eyes on your family and begins staring. Slowly, she moves toward
you, speaking gibberish and making baby talk, googly eyes, and grabby
hands. She begins touching your children, grabbing their cheeks. She
grabs one by the face, moves her face to within inches of baby Tommy's,
staring directly into his eyes and smiling. She grabs your husband by
the ears, sits on his lap, and firmly plants her lips on his mouth. She
gives you a little squeeze on the rump, hugs you tightly, and scratches
your 8 year old's head. Nearby stands your 3 year old nephew, she
quickly grabs his shoulders firmly and begins applying downward
pressure, while saying, "SIT! SIT! SIT!"
What if she then spied your lovely new Coach purse on the picnic blanket
and decided to throw it over her shoulder, cavalierly? "Oh, I really
like this purse!" She then removed your keys, approached your car, and
drove off with your credit cards.
OK, at what point during these events did you call the police? If anyone
did this to you or your family, you would think they were socially
defunct and may need to be removed from polite society. Would you, at
any point in this interaction, have acted "aggressively" by telling her
to go away? Would you have left the park? What would you have done if
you asked her to go away and she continued to harass your family?
This story seems absurd, like something out of a hidden camera show.
Sadly, this is not science fiction but an every day way-of-life for many
dogs.
In the eyes of the law, dogs are considered the "private property" of
the owner. Society apparently did not get the proverbial memo, so many
people assume, "all dogs are for me to touch." Many have excuses like,
"I LOVE dogs!" which they think gives them a free pass to wander our
communities, groping any dog that comes into their contact. Yes, folks,
there are serial dog gropers in your community.
No other private property that I'm aware of is considered "free access"
to the community. You can't just move into someone's house, take their
purse or car, or abscond with a cell phone just because you like it. You
can't pick up someone's kid and hug them just because the kid is cute.
You can't snatch up someone's picnic basket because you happen to like
organic chicken salad wraps, Petit Noir, deviled eggs and fresh fruit.
Yet somehow, when it's a cute dog, it's a free-f0r-all. Dogs are
approached without owners being asked, and are subjected to all kinds of
things that dogs don't like (more on this in a later entry), and are
expected to just deal with it. If owners ask for their dog to be left
alone, they're looked at as if they are some sort of green, three-eyed
monster with a serious attitude problem. For dogs, the rules seem to be:
*Someone steps on your tail? Deal with it. *
*Stranger steals your favorite toy? Too bad, so sad! *
**
*Have arthritis and someone pushes down on your rear, causing intense
pain? Deal with it. *
*Want to have a nice outing with your best friend without being
disturbed by strangers? Tough. *
*Don't like to be molested by strangers? Too bad, sit there and take it. *
I guess the question must be: are dogs ever allowed to have opinions? Do
we really expect them to welcome every type of social interaction, all
the time, in any circumstance? Do we expect them to tolerate pain,
social pressure, and molestation?
In the comments on the article I mentioned yesterday, a number of people
said something to the effect of, "if a dog is out in public, I assume it
is friendly and that I am welcome to touch it." Really? Where did this
sense of entitlement come from?
As citizens, we are allowed to protect our homes and property. We are
entitled to legal protection if someone threatens the safety of our
family, tries to break into our cars, homes, or bank accounts. Why are
dogs, which unlike all of these other material possessions, have
feelings, opinions, and comfort levels, the only "personal property" we
have that is subject to being assaulted by community members without
recourse? When will we realize that many actions which humans think are
friendly (more on this later, too) are perceived as active acts of
aggression by "man's best friend?"
The moral of the story is – my dogs are MY dogs. We may be out in
public, but that does not entitle you to touch them or force yourself
upon them. I have the right to say, "leave my dog alone," just as much
as I have the right to say, "keep your hands out of my wallet or
undergarments." Mokie, my Chow mix, really doesn't like being touched by
strangers. She tolerates it, but does not enjoy it, and looks at me the
entire time as if to say, "I'll get something for this, right?"
Sometimes, she just wants to go for a walk and NOT be touched by every
stranger along the path – in the past, I've had to resort to telling
people "She bites," (she never has) just so we can go on a peaceful
walk. Why have I done this?
Because people try to grab her without even asking or proceed to try to
grab her after I ask that we be left alone. She shouldn't be forced into
situations which make her uncomfortable, she's my friend and it's my job
to help her feel safe. Cuba, my Saint Bernard puppy, is a teenager and
does like to be touched but needs reminders on his manners frequently,
so if you want to pet him, you may need to wait a few minutes while I
make sure that he is standing at my side, on a loose leash, and not
pulling to meet you.
/*_So if you want to greet someone's dog, ask; and whatever their answer
is, respect it and don't take it personally because it's not intended in
that manner._*/ Most dog owners are not indiscriminate jerks, and if a
person says, "no," there is likely a reason – the dog doesn't feel
comfortable being touched by strangers, the person is in a hurry, the
dog is working, the dog is in training, the dog may bite you.
Dog owners are private property owners: if we treated dogs with the same
respect we treated a Coach handbag, a lot fewer people would be bitten,
dogs euthanized, and dog owners forced to deal with the stress of
judgment for securing their dog's physical and mental well-being.
Dogs Are Not Public Property. Groping a stranger's dog is like groping a
stranger's wife – just NOT. COOL.
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