Blog topics

Control

It doesn't take much for a blog topic to pop into my head.  All I need to do is to go out into the world and it offers up loads of topics.  Yesterday as I pulled out of the gym parking lot, a scene played out before my eyes.  It was a topic just waiting to be written about.  I wish I could have taken a photo but I was driving so I couldn't.  It was a head shaking moment.

As I pulled up to the light I noticed a couple on the other side of the street.  They had a few dogs with them but I couldn't make out what kind.  I was stopped, waiting for my green to turn left as they waited for the green to walk across the street.  I watched, trying to figure out what the deal was.  It looked like a mess, that's all I can call it.  Three dogs, two people but it was a tangled mess. 

Finally I was able to figure out what was what.  The woman who was up ahead of the guy had one dog on a very long leash.  The guy behind had two dogs on VERY long leashes as well.  The two dogs that he was holding were walking up ahead of the woman on either side as the man tried to reel in the leashes.  There was leash everywhere.  I watched the mess as it played out.

I swear the guy was going to hang himself in all the leash length that was flying around.  The dogs were out of control and the people had none themselves.  The man looked frustrated as he reeled and reeled, preparing to cross the street.  He finally gave up; you could see it in his face and his body language.  Throwing his hands in the air he assumed the drag position and away they went.  

Two dogs were beagles and they were quite literally dragging their owners across the street.  The humans were at such an angle that I wondered if these were some sort of SUPER BEAGLES as they were not very big.  While the beagles pulled the other dog which was a black mix of some kind; a tad bigger than the beagles ran all around the couple, tangling all the leashes.  It was a canine/human mess.  

I watched, trying to analyze the whole scene.  At least I was being entertained while I waited to turn left.   The car in front of me and myself were waiting for this group to cross before we could turn left.  I watched closely, breaking down the whole messy scene before us. 

The woman walked out ahead with her one beagle and gave the guy behind her a look of disregard.  It was like she felt he was a lost cause.  The guy had given up, maybe more than just the walk; he was over all of it.  He was not having fun; everything about him said he was over it. 

The whole scene gave me anxiety just watching it.  I can imagine how these two felt walking like this each and every day.  Not fun, not fun at all.  They finally got across the street wrapped entirely in leashes.  (Please use appropriate length leashes when walking.)  They turned down the street and away they went to continue their tangled pull-a-thon.

Life with dogs is suppose to be enjoyable.  Our part in the canine/human connection is to teach and guide.  If we fail our dogs by not teaching them anything then...well, we go along for the ride.  And that ride is not always a fun one.  Shrugging and being the victim doesn't work with dogs.  We must step up and lead the way, it's our job, not our dogs job.