The HOOO's and WHY's

There is epidemic happening across the country and no one is safe. It’s occurring in towns and spacious country walking trails. It doesn’t discriminate based on race, age, or economic status.Innocent dogs and their owners are being harassed, chased down the street, pinned into corners by…other dogs.

.But, you ask, don’t all dogs like to meet, greet, and play with other dogs, even unfamiliar ones? In every town, and suburb, loving, law abiding families share their lives with dogs that, for a variety of reasons, cannot or would rather not, socialise with other dogs.

Today I call on all dog lovers to take a stand on behalf of dogs that walk in public while they simultaneously cope with one or more of the following:

• contagious diseases

• leash work

• service or working dogs

• injuries and painful physical conditions

• intolerance of other animals

• recovery from surgery

• fearful of unfamiliar or rowdy dogs

• aging and elderly

• learning self-control around other dogs

• are owned by people that want to be left alone

To keep it simple, these dogs and their owners shall be known as Happy On Our Own (HOOO’s)

These HOOO’s have every right to walk the streets, using a standard 4-6 foot lead, without interacting with strangers, human or canine. And yet they are hounded, day after day, by cheery, well-meaning dog owners who insist on walking over to them.

Despite frantic efforts to cross the street or hiding between parked cars, HOOO’s are chased down by other people walking dogs, who refuse to believe that there is someone out there that do not want to meet them.

How do you spot these? You can recognize these people by their battle cry,

“He/She Wont Hurt You”

Henceforth known as Wont Hurt You’s (WHY’s).

Pick any corner of any town and you’re likely to see a scene similar to this one:

A HOOO is working on their manners, let’s say it’s lead control. He has issues with strange dogs, but is in training so that he can learn to stay calm in their presence. The HOOO’s owner spots another dog coming and, like their trainer instructed them, they create some distance and do a sit-stay with eye contact.

The goal: to keep calm while the other dog passes.But they didn’t realise they were in sight of an eager WHY.

Look! There they are now, crossing the street, speed walking in a beeline right towards the seated dog, their own dog straining at the collar.

The HOOO’s owner steps further away, trying again to create distance. Any normal person can read the clear body language displayed from the HOOO team.

Observe: no eye contact or smiling, they are facing away from WHY.

WHY is impervious to body language and insists on coming closer.

The signals from the HOOO’s owner become escalated, issues a quiet, but firm warning,

“My dog doesn’t like other dogs.”

Unable to understand what has been said to them, WHY continues their advances until HOOO’s is trapped and begins to lose his ability to stay calm. Without fail, WHY calls out their cheerful, pleading battle cry,

“HE WONT HURT YOU!”

Usually this is received by the back of the HOOO’s team as they walk away.

Then, with a hurt look, the WHY mutters,

“What’s your dog’s problem?”

The HOOO’s owner, shaken, wonders why they are working so hard on improving their dog’s manners when the humans around them have the social skills of, well, a dog with no social skills.

Happy On Our Own dogs are good dogs. They may not want to socialize with your dog, but they have the right to walk with their owners, on lead, without harassment from strangers who insist on a forced greeting.

Their owners do not want to cause a scene or shout, in a panic, at strangers. They don’t want their dog to act inappropriately, get hurt, backslide on their training, or frighten anyone. Please, dog lovers of the world, allow these dogs and their people some space and, if they are walking or turning away from you, keep your dog close by and pass them without comment.

All they want is to walk their dogs in peace, without having to hide under a park bench in order to escape the relentless pursuit of dog owners who call out…

“They Won’t Hurt You!”

#information