THE DOG WALK

I was out walking my two dogs earlier this afternoon.  One is big, strong and friendly, and the other is feisty, smallish, and does NOT get along with other dogs.   (Golden Retriever and Border Collie/Corgi/Whatever Else Mix)

We passed a family walking a standard poodle, and the poodle began yapping, barking, pulling towards us, and snarling.  Knowing my feisty one is ready for a rumble, I walked directly away onto a random neighbor's property in between two houses.  The elderly man holding the poodle's leash immediately extended his dog's leash!! (you know the 26 feet extendable leashes?)

Now I got my chance to get annoyed and self righteous (though I kept it to myself!).  Your dog is already out of control, why give him 20 or more feet to pull YOU off your feet??!!?, I thought.  Arghh!  I was proud of myself though, because I calmly avoided the calamity, and said to myself, "stop judging him. He probably isn't aware, like you are  (smug self satisfied face ), that you should SHORTEN, not lengthen a leash, if there is the possibility of a skirmish.  I went in, glad that we had avoided disaster, and I was sooo well mannered about it!

Fast forward to night time. I was out walking the big lop, and the feisty princess again, and I see this same man and poodle coming toward me.  At a safe distance, I shouted (politely and calmly), please shorten your dog's leash!   As we got closer, the elderly man, to my alarm, let his dog's leash out ALL THE WAY, so the dog was just upon us.

Now, I yelled ("gentility" gone), SHORTEN YOUR LEASH!!!!!!!!!!

Which he did.  Now, I am hot under the collar (no pun intended).  I said, with attitude, "YOU HAVE TO KEEP THE LEASH SHORT if you are coming up on other dogs!!!!!"  HE: "Well, he's friendly".  ME:  "Your dog was barking like crazy at my dogs earlier today!"  HE: "That's strange".  ME: "YOU HAVE TO PAY ATTENTION TO THESE THINGS!"  Then, self satisfied again, this time for the wrong reasons, I stormed off.

UGH!  When I got in....I remembered my daily goal...Try to be kind, compassionate, harmonious, a "get alonger!"  

UGH!!  Do I have to....?  Yes, I do.

I went back outside (withOUT my four legged cohorts!), and went to look for this gentleman.  I found him about 10 minutes later about to enter his home.  I thought to myself, if you just apologize for yelling at him, you will be doing it for yourself, and it won't really do either of you much good.  You gotta put yourself in his shoes... think how you would feel if someone just yelled (and scolded) you, what would make you feel better? 

So I said to him, "I apologize for yelling at you.  I got scared.  My smaller dog does not get along with other dogs, and if another dog comes up to her, she might start a fight."  He was very appreciative, and said, "Boy I got that wrong!  I thought you were saying to bring our dogs together to meet!"

"No", I explained.  "I was trying to keep them apart."  (Then with NO attitude), "If you see me coming in the future with my dogs, would you please shorten your dog's leash?"  "Yes! Yes! of course,", he said.  Then somehow, we got into a long conversation about his career, my work, where he and his family have lived, where we live, blah blah blah, and it was lovely!  Truly.  After about 15 minutes of chatting, we went our separate ways, and he said, "Thank you for coming to find me!  Really, thank you for coming to find me!"  

I walked away, a bit amazed.  It truly had completely turned around.  Not just to neutralized, but to super positive.  I have a new neighborly friend, and he has one in me.  

And to top it off, I started a blog.  Just now.  Here it is.

"Liora's The Get Along Blog".