Dog whisperer

[Woodwould]

A friend of ours is a dog lover. I'm a dog lover and have always had dogs, but this woman gives the phrase a new meaning. She takes in ex-racing Greyhounds from the GAP (a very worthy and admirable cause) and any stray or unwanted dog - she's currently 'babysitting', as she puts it, a Spoodle whose owners have, to all intents and purposes, emigrated.

A while ago, this woman enrolled in some classes with a well established dog whisperer and subsequently set herself up as a dog whisperer. She has some rather odd (in my opinion) beliefs and practices relating to dogs; one being that one shouldn't stare at one's dog and if one does find oneself doing it inadvertently, one should look away and not try to out-stare the dog!

She has a special spot for one of her oldest residents, a big black GAP Greyhound which she's had for years. This dog is beautiful and it always surprised everyone why such a fit and healthy looking dog should have been rejected by the racing fraternity. The dog has always been treated with extraordinary adulation and when Mrs. Wood calls to visit, the Greyhound usually climbs up on the sofa beside her and stares at her intently. While the dog sits there, Mrs. Wood is requested not to stare back at the dog as, apparently, it "upsets her".

Mrs. Wood caught up with the dog whisperer the other day and it turns out this magnificent Greyhound was originally rejected because she's completely blind. That's one highly attuned dog whisperer!

[watson]

Love it!

[monoman]

It's a dog hierarchy thing.

Next time you see 2 dogs quarreling, keep an eye out for what their eyes are doing. The dominant dog will always stare the weaker dog down until the weaker dog prostrates it self and diverts its eyes.

Dogs, being pack animals, both require a pack leader, and need to challenge the pack leader's legitimacy. If a dog is trying to stare you down, it is, in effect, trying to challenge you for leadership, and a dog that won't look you in the eye has already given up on leadership aspirations - a bit like Peter Costello.

Why any of this should matter to a blind dog is anyone's guess.

[tea lady]

No staring at a dog? But mine stares at me all the time. The only thing with staring at her is she then expects you to DO something.

Lovely story though Wouldwood. Blind dog staring?

[Woodwould]

I have a strong-willed dog at present and sometimes when she checks up on me, we get into a stare. Rather than let her win (a bad thing as I'm supposed to be Top Dog in this pack), and not wanting to have to sit for ages and stare her down, I'll usually just tell her to go to bed, go outside, sit, or roll over - anything so she'll have to break eye contact and lose the upper hand.

[tea lady]

Acshully, I think the top dog ignores everyone else. That's how a dog knows you are REALLY unhappy with it. Purposely look away, and maybe even walk away.

[Gingermick]

that's only persons of the contradictory gender though

[tea lady]

that's only persons of the contradictory gender though

'tisn't!