Nanette: A Very Brave Dog

The next time I went there, I investigated a little more. This collar was a rigid structure and gave no possibility of a sideways movement of the neck!! Given that the neck is a channel for the central nervous system, impeding movement and circulation there is hardly wise!! I became rather worried. I mentioned this tightness and rigidity but John assured me that the Behaviourist recommended it....What could I say!?The next question in my mind was 'Why would someone want to put that device on a dog? I got the real answer in a strange and sad way!! I had noticed how listless this dog was and how generally without energy, I was not surprised therefore to learn of the dog's death at the end of November. The term that came to mind was ..'squeezed the life out of him' !!! Actually though, the diagnosis was cancer but who knows what causes that in an animal!!? Shortly after this, I had occasion to go to the shop again, to be met this time by an out of control angry young German Shepherd!!! Mary ( not her real name ) was in the shop and introduced me to this newly adopted dog, who at one year old had already been rehomed twice before!!! This because of 'aggressive behaviour'. My heart sank!! Although Mary is a confident positive young woman and capable of handling this situation, her husband John is the opposite! He is very nervous, rather morose and inclined to be negative!! which does not bode well. I happened to meet him with the dog a few days later and as I approached to say 'Bonsoir', the dog lunged at me as if to attack. I stood stock still. John took the lead and slashed the dog across the nose!! I asked him if he thought this was the best way to deal with this problem? He told me that he had been to an 'educator' who said it was 'obligatory' to do this. A few days after this, I met John plus dog and was introduced to the 'educator'. This was another nervous young man who could hardly hold the dog who in turn was desperately seeking ways to escape. There was an atmosphere of incredible tension between the two men and with traffic passing relentlessly on our right hand side, a lot of fear was being communicated to the dog. I stepped back and observed the situation as it developed. All three passed me and carried on down the main street. The educator was tugging the dog aggressively with each step and John was rushing alongside gesticulating in an attempt to appear master of the situation!! I didn't need to have a degree in psychology or 'rocket science'  to see that fear was the big problem here. Both men were scared to death of the dog!!! and the dog in turn, was scared to death of the men!! Can fear heal fear?? Of course not!! I am sure there are many dog trainers who would adopt kinder, more sane ways of dealing with such problems but what concerns me is the general level of ignorance and insensitivity which is broadcasting a discordant message to the already confused dog world and  which says 'I'm your owner, but I can't cope!  I don't understand you! And I'm scared of you!!'. I'm referring to the "John's" here, not to owners who ask advice from a professional and then take responsibility. Here's an interesting question? it's only a question remember, not a judgement!!!! What made our friend John choose an aggressive out of control dog less than two weeks after the death of his first dog? He loves dogs and he wanted to give a home to a 'poor ' dog? That may be one factor but what else might compel him to choose that particular dog?!! !  Well, I'll get personal now because it involves some rather 'volatile issues'. I had my first German Shepherd as a young woman. I chose the one in the litter who was 'different', who was shy and fearful!! Not altogether wise was it? This dog...whom I adored..and trained in a non aggressive traditional manner became a trusted friend and very obedient to me but defensive and aggressive to people visiting the house and/or coming near the car. Now part of that would be a strong impulse to defend. But he eventually attacked a man who came to the house and who failed to honour my wise precautions. He entered without warning and as a result, I had the horrible job of putting my beloved companion to sleep at four years old. It was some years before I realised a deeper level to the story... Like all human beings I had many issues from childhood and my young life, particularly being born at the time of the Second World War. I grew up angry and repressed. Dogs are so sensitive to our real inner feelings, there is simply no way to hide them, and all the more destructive if these warlike feelings are 'unconscious' ... that is to say not acknowledged and not dealt with. Now, in the light of some experience and observation of my own behaviours and feelings as well as that of other dog owners, I can see what may have been be an underlying factor in this sad event. I see that unconsciously, I may have been projecting my repressed anger on to my dearest dog friend who was then 'acting it out' for me. This is not a deliberate act of course!!! but a 'psychic' process ( if I may use the term... a subtle sort of 'messaging' device ). The point is that it can only operate in the field of' 'unconsciousness'. This is not a comfortable psychological zone for us humans. Our egoic mind urges us to shift responsibility on to others and builds up our fear and defensiveness and promotes negativity.... If I had had this insight during my life with my German Shepherd, the outcome would most likely have been very different, based on the premise that what is conscious and honoured is no longer seeking expression in the world of form. So going back to John. Even before he adopted another dog and through day to day communication with him when in his shop, I had come to recognise him as a very repressed, fearful and angry individual. His choice MAY have been based on a need for someone to act out what he feared to do for himself and what he feared to face and honour, or it may have given him the feeling of power that he felt he lacked!! Please understand that this is not coming from judgement!!! simply from observation. If you find this hard to accept or believe, why not try it for yourself? Try observing your own behaviours and feelings around your dog but be careful not to judge yourself!! My son has been over here for Christmas.and during our conversation on this subject, he summed it up neatly, (although his expression was a little 'strong' and has the flavour of judgement about it!!) His work takes him to people's houses.... he said to me 'Mum, I meet aggressive dogs too often and when there's an aggressive dog in the drive, it means there's a B****** in the house!!!!....' Please excuse the language but it rather aptly fits the discussion!! May I take this opportunity of wishing you all a very happy new year and insightful 2009. xx. .