With “er indoors TM”, “Darcie Waa Waa TM”
and all the dogs in the attic room I had a reasonable night’s sleep. I got up
at seven o’clock and it wasn’t long before everyone was up and about.
I
scoffed toast and tablets whilst littlun watched strange videos on her
grandmother’s mobile whilst periodically haranguing the dogs. She seems to have
taken to Bailey, and poor Bailey is finding ever-more ingenious hiding places.
We
got ourselves organised and set off to Dog Club. Pogo was a tad reactive at the
start. All dogs are. Sadly we had a minor incident at Dog Club this morning.
Some family who came for the first time last week brought their smallish dog
along again this morning. It was running about having rough and tumble like all
the dogs do every week, but Morgan was getting a tad over-excited, so I caught
him for a time-out. At no point was there any aggression between the dogs.
A few minutes later the same happened again, and the woman
of the family got rather aggressive, slapped Morgan and got personally abusive
with me about what a nasty dog I had and how he should be on the lead and her
dog would never learn to socialize with his being so aggressive. She loudly
announced that the combined experience of the people who bring their dogs along
every week was nothing compared to her knowledge of dogs, and matters weren’t
helped by her teenaged son trying to be mouthy. The regular attendees
effectively told her the error of her ways and she and her family stormed off
threatening to tell her story all over Facebook.
On reflection and on talking with everyone who watched what
happened this morning between the dogs, what happened was pretty much run of
the mill dog behaviour. The dogs were doing what dogs do every week. Pretty
much the same thing happened at the end of the session when we stayed on until
the 10 o’clock group arrived. Bailey was frightened by a Dalmatian and screamed
in terror but kept going back for more. As dogs do.
It’s a shame this woman had to be so confrontational… There
is rarely an issue with dogs; any issues are always with the people.
We came home. “er indoors TM” took
littlun up to the shop and came back with a croissant for me which I scoffed
with a cuppa before setting off to the late shift..
As I drove up the motorway I didn't listen to the radio.
Steve wasn't on this morning and his stand in was... to be fair the chap had
the sort of voice which would have been wonderful for a radio show in the early
hours of the morning; say between two and four o'clock. Quiet and restful and
relaxing. But hardly the lively and raring-to-go that a Saturday morning needs.
Instead I sang along with Ivor Biggun songs. As I drove I found myself behind a
moped. The sort of thing the mods used to scoot about on back in the day. I
didn't think those things were allowed on motorways?
I got to work and did my bit. Although I can see from the
calendar that I'm not, it feels as though I've been doing quite a few Saturday
late shifts over the last few months. Probably swapping out of all of my
Saturday early shifts for dog club makes me think this?
I spent much of the shift thinking about the morning's
episode at Dog Club. We've never had anyone carry on at Dog Club quite like
that woman did, and the way the chap with her and her son reacted reminded me
of some of the more aggressive mothers that used to bring their children to
cubs. There are those that really do go through life shouting out the orders at
everyone else, and for the most part everyone else goes along and doesn't
argue. These people cannot cope with anyone who doesn't acquiesce to them.
What was I supposed to do? Just listen to her ranting and
apologize for a dog doing what dogs do?? Part of the shrieking woman's rant was
that Morgan was an obstacle to dog socialisation. Perhaps he is. But he too
needs to be socialised.
And it has since been pointed out to me that last week this
woman told one or two people that her
dog was coming into season. That wouldn't have helped, would it? And am I being
mean in wondering if it was her who left a dog poo bag in a tree last week?
It strikes me that what the club needs above all else is
someone to turn up every week to open the gate and provide a poo bag, and to
pay the subs money into the bank, and to deal with whatever issues arise. And
if that is to be me, then my dogs come with me.
If this woman wants to socialise her dog, then
she can start her own group.
No comments:
Post a Comment