Saturday Photo Hunt – Daily (Dog Drama)

Bailey (top right) and Pixel (bottom right) peacefully engaging another dog.  A rare occasion indeed!

This week’s Photo Hunt theme is Daily.  One thing that is a part of our daily life, come rain or shine, is walking the dogs… and the drama that comes along with it.  I snapped this photo last week while we were out for a walk in the snow, you can see my two on the right checking out this little dog we came across.  Look! They aren’t even trying to kill her!

The thing about our dogs is, they are hell to walk with.  As cute as they are and as much as I love them, walking them can be a nightmare at times.  Not just because they both apparently consider other dog’s crap to be a delicacy, but they think they are the bees knees and any and all dogs they encounter should bow down before them.

I suppose in some way we are to blame for this.  Perhaps we didn’t try training them at a young enough age or we baby them too much.   I’m not sure what it is we did but they are really ridiculous.  I tried watching The Dog Whisperer for tips but we still haven’t broken them of their aggressive behavior towards other dogs.   Some of the tips did work though.  After dragging Pixel a number of times (and feeling very badly about it, especially when other people saw and I’m sure thought I was the worst thing since Cruella Deville), she did eventually learn to walk beside us and not pull.  As did Bailey… until we see another dog, that is.

I don’t think Pixel is as aggressive as she is afraid, or perhaps she goes back and forth as she has different barks for different occasions.  One which is your usual I’m gonna get you sucka! type of bark, then another high pitched, mega loud, neighbours looking from every direction to see who is torturing their puppy, OMG DON’T KILL ME PLEASE!!! yelp which you have to hear to believe.  Both of which are usually triggered by Bailey barking, if he barks, she barks.  If he doesn’t bark.  She stop, drops and rolls like she’s on fire.  Belly up and ready for attention.

Bailey?  He has two modes too.  Come here and let me chew your face off!!! and Hmm, how YOU doin’?! You can see in the above photo that the dog is a female and he’s in getting all Rico Suave on her.  A few minutes after this photo was taken Pixel was belly up, attention whoring her little behind off.

Usually, when we are out for a walk and another dog comes along, it goes a little something like this:

• Bailey barks and snarls his arse off like he’s twice as big as he is and has been trained for the dog pits.
• Pixel catches on and yelps like there’s, literally, no tomorrow.  She is about to die and she wants everyone in the city to know.
• I, red faced and embarrassed, either shuffle quickly along with them in tow or yank, growl and bark at them both under my breath as I try to get them to sit, be quiet, stop it, OHMYGODSHUTTHEHELLUP or whatever ends up working – which is usually none of the above.  All the while the two of them completely ignore me, continue barking and lunge in the direction of the passing dog until it is out of sight.
• The other dogs owner looks at me either with understanding, pity or distain, depending on how well behaved their dog is.

They need doggy training… or maybe we need owner training.  Regardless, this routine is a part of my daily life and is the first thing that came to mind when thinking of what photo to use for today’s hunt.