A man and a dog at Puente la Reina

[David]

So, a doggy tale to warm your hearts.

On the Camino at Puente la Reina, doing first aid, I meet this English chap with a dog with no collar or lead but wearing a waistcoat promoting "Stop Chaining". I have a chat with him and his story is that he was doing the Camino last year and met a barking and howling chained dog that seemed quite mad and distraught. He tried to gentle it and it bit him.
He went and found the farmer and told him the dog shouldn't be chained as it was sending it mad. Farmer wasn't interested, so this guy persuades the farmer to give him the dog.
He then carried on to Santiago, gentling the dog all the way. Had to buy a tent as the refugios wouldn't let him in with a dog. After his Camino he took the dog back to the uk, paid all the quarantine fees and so on and is now back this year with a happy and content and independent lovely animal and publicising the awfulness of chaining.
The thing is, he seemed to have absolutely no idea what an Act of Good he had done - "nah, anyone would have done it" - I was glad to meet him (and the dog, which is now named Zeus).

 

[lettinggo]

The effect of compassion can never be overstated.

 

[Dutch]

Good story.

If he does that with every chained dog on the camino, i bet he's going to have a cash-flow problem before he reaches Santigo.

 

[Pelegrin]

Dutch, post:

"If he does that with every chained dog on the camino, i bet he's going to have a cash-flow problem before he reaches Santigo.]".

I live in Spain and in my opinion here it's not that common chaining a dog to go bunkrupt in 30 days by saving them from slavery. I don't see any sense in chaining dogs and I can´t figure out why people could do this here in Spain, appart from the hunting sector.

By the way, are you the Dutch, a bit nervous about the match on next 13th? and so you see the life so negative.

 

[wayfarer]

I have grown up with dogs for most of my young and adult life, working dogs and hunting dogs, my opinion is that dogs are not human and should not be treated as such, but they are loyal and loving and should be treated with the utmost of respect and care as should all of Gods creatures but in a way that they understand and know as pack animals. There is too much cruelty to many types of animals these days and I for one just don't understand that mentality.

 

[AntAthOBuaidhe]

There could be lots of reasons for chaining or tying up a dog, but I can't think of a good one. Perhaps it is known for biting people. If so, why? Lack of training? Whose fault is that? If it is truly a temperament issue, then it should be put down, not chained up. Is it a danger to other animals? Again, lack of training? Easier to tie it up than spend the time and effort doing the training? Lastly, is it that the dog has so little human contact that it does not regard where it is tied up as home and wants to get the hell out of there as quickly as possible and so has to be tied up? In which case, why keep a dog at all?

 

[Pelegrin]

Well, in second thoughts... When i did my Primitivo last year I trully don't remember having seen a single chained dog from Oviedo to San Roman da Retorta. From this point I had to return to Madrid for family reeasons, so I don't know the dog situation in the Camino Francés. In the Camino Primitivo, the dogs were either loose inside the fences or lose outdoors. In fact a little dog in a aldea before Fonsagrada bit me in my ancle (no blood, no problem) in the middle of the owner's apologies.
I know very well the dog situation in rural Galicia (less in the rest of Spain) and there in little aldeas (2 or 3 houses) dogs are usually resting loose outside the doors with no problems for the few and elder neighbours.
But now, what would happen if hundreds of strangers passed through that little aldea every day, beeing those dogs loose. Wouldn´t bite them someone?. Wouldn't it be a problem for the owner?.
So, in my speculation, the profile of the owner of a chained dog would be an old family who has a dog for selfprotection in a very transited way (f.i the Camino Francés).

 

[Dutch]

Dutch, post:

"If he does that with every chained dog on the camino, i bet he's going to have a cash-flow problem before he reaches Santigo.]".

I live in Spain and in my opinion here it's not that common chaining a dog to go bunkrupt in 30 days by saving them from slavery. I don't see any sense in chaining dogs and I can´t figure out why people could do this here in Spain, appart from the hunting sector.

By the way, are you the Dutch, a bit nervous about the match on next 13th? and so you see the life so negative.

Euh Pelegrin,

My remark was nothing more then a joke, but i can tell you, i have seen more than a handfull of chained up dogs on my caminos.

13th? I assume you are talking about footbal. Hate to disappoint you, i know nothing about football and could't care less who wins what where and when.

Negative. What ARE you talking about? Who's being negative here?

 

[Jabaldo]

I have grown up with dogs for most of my young and adult life, working dogs and hunting dogs, my opinion is that dogs are not human and should not be treated as such, but they are loyal and loving and should be treated with the utmost of respect and care as should all of Gods creatures but in a way that they understand and know as pack animals. There is too much cruelty to many types of animals these days and I for one just don't understand that mentality.

What ever you do don't tell my dog that she is not human. In my next life I want to come back as my dog. She gets everything she wants without working for it. Dog spelled backwards is God. My dog is one of the best creatures on earth. I love her and care for her with all my heart.

 

[mikevasey]

So, a doggy tale to warm your hearts.

On the Camino at Puente la Reina, doing first aid, I meet this English chap with a dog with no collar or lead but wearing a waistcoat promoting "Stop Chaining". I have a chat with him and his story is that he was doing the Camino last year and met a barking and howling chained dog that seemed quite mad and distraught. He tried to gentle it and it bit him.
He went and found the farmer and told him the dog shouldn't be chained as it was sending it mad. Farmer wasn't interested, so this guy persuades the farmer to give him the dog.
He then carried on to Santiago, gentling the dog all the way. Had to buy a tent as the refugios wouldn't let him in with a dog. After his Camino he took the dog back to the uk, paid all the quarantine fees and so on and is now back this year with a happy and content and independent lovely animal and publicising the awfulness of chaining.
The thing is, he seemed to have absolutely no idea what an Act ofhere andd he had done - "nah, anyone would have done it" - I was glad to meet him (and the dog, which is now named Zeus).

He is a genuine good guy, I would come on here and whinge or give my 'expert' opinion. Good on you David for giving him a space on here!!!!!

 

[Dutch]

What ever you do don't tell my dog that she is not human. In my next life I want to come back as my dog. She gets everything she wants without working for it. Dog spelled backwards is God. My dog is one of the best creatures on earth. I love her and care for her with all my heart.

Yes, of course, but your dog isnt joining you at the dinertable is he? or eating the pizza you just ordered for you and your wife? It's still a dog, and animal, with doggy needs, not human needs.

 

[David]

There could be lots of reasons for chaining or tying up a dog, but I can't think of a good one. Perhaps it is known for biting people. If so, why? Lack of training? Whose fault is that? If it is truly a temperament issue, then it should be put down, not chained up. Is it a danger to other animals? Again, lack of training? Easier to tie it up than spend the time and effort doing the training? Lastly, is it that the dog has so little human contact that it does not regard where it is tied up as home and wants to get the hell out of there as quickly as possible and so has to be tied up? In which case, why keep a dog at all?

Farmers and certain homeowners chain dogs as guard dogs - that they will bark when anyone comes close - and they don't have to worry about where they are. So they use them as alarms, not as feeling animals - geese are a much better bet as alarm animals and no one needs to chain them up. It is a horrid practise, chaining a dog

 

[Dutch]

Last month i walked from SdC to Finisterre, but because i wanted to stay in the big modern albergue in Dumbria (just 'cause), we walked the first few km's after the choosing point on the road to Muxia. The next day we did not want to go the 5km back to the finisterre/muxia switching point, so we cut across a different road from dumbria back to the finisterre route.
I found out that if you do this, you leave camino land and you enter the normal world where apparently farmers and other people don't chain their dogs or keep them behind fences, but just let them walk all over the place. Every dog we encountered (about 8) in a very small village was not the kind of dog you want as a pet. Not a friendly bone or paw on their body.
I have no fear of dogs, i've had several dogs myself, but this.....,no, this was NO fun. Every single one of 'm was aggresive, very....i'm talking foam from mouth ect.. I walked with 2 girls and they were so scared. They almost froze. I felt sorry for them. Because of their fear and then then way of walking and posture all the dogs went straight to them.

Dogs may be fun, but this shows, a dog is a dog is not a human.

Only after this i thought, Maybe there is a reason why so many (almost all) dogs on the camino (at least the frances and portugees as far is i know) are behind fences. Maybe the farmers and other people who live on the Camino by local law have to keep their dogs behind fences? I dont know. Maybe, could be. Still no excuse for chaining a dog, but if the dogs anything like the once i encountered on that day then its better that way, sorry to say.
Very weird, dangerous and irresponsible that these almost wildlike animals can just freely roam around like that.

Ok. So know i hear the excuses coming...why? These dogs dont know what a pilgrim is blabla, they are not used to you blabla, but they will also do this to any other stranger that maybe does need to be there...once, twice... Very weird.
And then again, i was walking on a road, a public place....i have a right to be there, but these dogs say otherwise. Weird weird weird. Hmmm

 

[JennyH94]

So, a doggy tale to warm your hearts.

On the Camino at Puente la Reina, doing first aid, I meet this English chap with a dog with no collar or lead but wearing a waistcoat promoting "Stop Chaining". I have a chat with him and his story is that he was doing the Camino last year and met a barking and howling chained dog that seemed quite mad and distraught. He tried to gentle it and it bit him.
He went and found the farmer and told him the dog shouldn't be chained as it was sending it mad. Farmer wasn't interested, so this guy persuades the farmer to give him the dog.
He then carried on to Santiago, gentling the dog all the way. Had to buy a tent as the refugios wouldn't let him in with a dog. After his Camino he took the dog back to the uk, paid all the quarantine fees and so on and is now back this year with a happy and content and independent lovely animal and publicising the awfulness of chaining.
The thing is, he seemed to have absolutely no idea what an Act of Good he had done - "nah, anyone would have done it" - I was glad to meet him (and the dog, which is now named Zeus).

Hi David - I love this story - thank you so much for sharing it with us all on the Forum.

I really admire the Englishman for his act of selfless generosity initially - his whole Camino changed because of the dog but he thought of the dog's welfare more than his own Camino, and, in taking ownership of Zeus - he has brought a totally transformed, much loved companion, back on the Camino, with an important message. Good on him.

Best wishes for your first aid work on the Camino - another act of selfless generosity - I say, "Good on you, David".

Cheers - Jenny

 

[Pelegrin]

[QUOTE="Dutch, post: .
"I found out that if you do this, you leave camino land and you enter the normal world where apparently farmers and other people don't chain their dogs or keep them behind fences, but just let them walk all over the place. Every dog we encountered (about 8) in a very small village was not the kind of dog you want as a pet. Not a friendly bone or paw on their body.
I have no fear of dogs, i've had several dogs myself, but this.....,no, this was NO fun. Every single one of 'm was aggresive, very....i'm talking foam from mouth ect.. I walked with 2 girls and they were so scared. They almost froze. I felt sorry for them. Because of their fear and then then way of walking and posture all the dogs went straight to them."


Yes, in Galicia sometimes (not always) it could be quite unconfortable approaching a remote aldea because the dogs.

What I do in case of trouble is saying to the dog : QUIS QUIS and/or QUISIÑO, what is the common way to call the dogs in Galicia in an affectionate way. Most times, the dog reduces its aggressiveness
If this strategy doesn´t work i look for another way to go ahead.
For that reason, it is always useful to carry a stick/pole, not for hiting the dog of course, but for setting up a defensive barrier.