The dog pants excessively as it paces up and down the field, flittering its eyes side to side like windscreen wipers in a state that can only be described as total panic, drool is building in its mouth and a sudden out break of anxiety laced snow over runs the dogs back. The dog is in fight or flight mode, it is a catch 22.
The dog cannot escape this situation, and any protest results in a flood of water which feels unpleasant as it goes up its nose and made it choke last time. It’s human stood by and watched and that didn’t feel good. Fighting is too risky as the other dogs are hyenas waiting to strike, so instead the dog drifts into a state of learned helplessness waiting for the end of the class like a nervous child in drama class watching the clock.
To the untrained eye the dog is relaxed and merely keeping itself to itself. The panting and pacing is the dog excited, the manic jumps at its owner are boisterous and happy. The dog won’t eat its most treasured treat but it must just be full up, it did have a big dinner last night after all.
Splash as the water hits a dog, a Lurcher who is off lead unmuzzled despite a recent dog attack, the jack Russell she has pinned to the floor, runs away squealing and this excites her more, and her eyes light up, splash ‘don’t you get any ideas’.
Humping, constant humping, ‘he needs his bits off’ is the sniggering consensus, it’s funny though as he never does this on walks.
The chase begins, 5 off lead dogs charge around the enclosure nipping and scrapping as the machine gun water sprays hit them again and again.
Recall is absent, the dogs have a lot to talk about, choice words, ‘it’s ok they’re just being vocal’ he shouts.
Why bother coming to a guardian who doesn’t guard, the faith has gone, I’m out on my own.
awareofthedog 