July 10, 2003
living with dogs
For those who share their lives with dogs. I just love that sign. It is so different to the authoritarian signs on South Australian beaches that increasingly ban dogs from roaming free on beaches with their guardians. Even deserted beaches in mid winter.
The phenomenon of dog attacks is increasingly being used to ban dogs from public places. There are less and less places where dogs can run free in a city, such as Adelaide. They are less free than the violent, abusive homeless kids who roam the city streets destroying houses and cars. It is the dogs who are monsters not the kids.
The above link is via Joseph at reading and writing. He has a lovely post on having dogs around, being included in their animal lives and living with them like an animal in the world. He expresses a way of living with then in a shared world. I have yet to Santayana's Animal Faith and Spiritual Life. But here is a link to a book by a philosopher writing about living with dogs.
Here is a photo of Ari, our apricot standard poodle, taken at Secret Beach Mallacoota.
The photo was taken when we were on holidays in May of this year.
And this is Agtet, our grey standard poodle.
The place is Petrel Cove in Victor Harbor. The photo was taken just prior to going on holidays.
Ooops, Suzanne says that the photo was also taken at Secret Beach in Mallacoota. And she is right.
Beautiful photos and a great post, Gary.
I love Joseph's on the summer camp, it's a bit like this here with the current pack of four I share my life with. One of the best things about sharing your life with dogs is witnessing that pure canine joy, often when running free in parks - and especially at the beach. It's so sad that the hysteria surrounding dog attacks has led to their absence along the deserted shorelines of winter. Alas, the scared and joyless will inherit the beach. Missed your link to Gaita btw, which I read last year. Would be interested to read your review of it.
I don't mind dogs running around so long as the owners pick up after them and actually train them before taking them out off the leash. I've been attacked by several dogs through no fault of my own (kicking a football around, cycling, walking down the street don't count as provocations in my book). One of these dogs (bull terrier) gave my ankle quite a good bite. The owner was offended that i kicked it, apparently i was supposed to be nice and let it maul me. She obviously had not trained it, because she had very little ability to control it off the leash.
Posted by: dj on July 11, 2003 04:46 PMOf course dj - most dog owners want these basics observed not only in the interests of humans but our own dogs as well. I've had to fend off a few roving aggressive dogs rushing mine as well over the years. I just think it's regrettable that such (marginal?) behaviour means that soon the only beaches available for good dogs to frolic freely will indeed be "Secret".
Posted by: boynton on July 11, 2003 09:04 PMlovely snaps, Gary
Posted by: Gianna on July 13, 2003 07:06 AMDJ,
agreed. The examples you mention do not count as provocations.
Some breeds should be banned as they are fighting breeds.
But you are also talking about the owners--the control they exercise or do not exercise over their dogs.
If you have a dog in the city then you should do mor ethan register it. To register the dog you should be required to go to a dog training school and obtain a basic certificate in dog handling.
Some owners see having a dog as a power trip. Their power trip. So they encourage their dogs to be aggressive.
Posted by: Gary Sauer-Thompson on July 13, 2003 04:50 PM