It's A Dog's Life

Just a quick observation. Have you noticed the deep truth that pets take on the look and mannerisms of their owners? I mean, it’s really true!

Took Fugee for a couple of walks yesterday. On his first, he was bitten, twice! The first one, Fugee hadn’t even acknowledged the other dog, a large pit mix, who lunged and bit the scruff of his neck.

When I said, very calmly, to the other owner, “Hey., if your dog’s aggressive, you should probably keep him on a shorter lead.”

The response from the musclehead with a Napolean complex was an astute, well reasoned, “Fuck you.”

I had to just kind of furrow the brow, shake the head and say, “Nice to see you transferred your anger and hatred of life into your dog. You must be proud. Have a great day, buddy.”

I’m far from anti-Pit; I love Pit bulls. I really don’t think they are an inherently mean breed. Maybe they are just owned by inherently mean people, a little heavy on the machismo, a little quick to hit, a little too aggressive.

Look at child abuse, spousal abuse. It’s largely handed down as a legacy from the older generation. History repeats. I wonder how these dogs would thrive in a loving environment.

I wonder.

Back to bite two. Again, Fugee was walking and sniffing and wiggling his tail stub, just happy to be out in the sun, with his human taking in the sights and eating any sidewalk food he found.

A dog yelped and wiggled like crazy when she saw Fugee, doing the little front-paw two-step, as excited animals do. Fu wagged and went up for a sniff.

Jeckyll, meet Hyde.

The cute-as-pie dachshund became in an instant a rabid Tasmanian devil, all snarls and Mel Blanc grumbling. She bit Fugee on his huge, floppy lip.

He stepped back and looked at her as if to say, “Huh?”.

Her owner rushed over from her perch drinking coffee across the sidewalk, scooped up her dog and said, “Sorry. It’s a leash thing.”

I get that. Dogs can feel threatened on a leash without their owner. Imagine having your foot nailed to the floor in a pick up bar. No escape. You bite.

I might note, the woman was not particularly tube shaped or shiny.

But really. We’ve all seen the Marine with a bulldog, the runner with the greyhound, the affable jock with the Lab.

I mean, look at Fugee. Clumsy, sorta cute, likes to run, and is ultimately kind of likeable. I might add he has a hernia and love handles like me, too.

Coincidence?

I think not.