"Even Though They're the Same?"

I'm the first to admit that I was a fairly naive dog owner, but I find it quite ironic that common sense isn't really common at all.

Last weekend Amanda and I went for a walk around a busy lake. I purposefully took Duke as he has some fairly appalling leash aggression and I wanted Amanda to help curb it. As it turned out the lake was a decent distraction in itself. However, there is a stretch of path that I nervously anticipate. It is about 4 feet wide with chain like fencing on either side. It feels like a game of chicken upon each approach, if there is a dog coming in the other direction there is no way out. Of course as we enter the last 10 feet or so another dog enters my view. I attempt to put Duke in a sit stay and I hear the owner comment on how his dog looks like mine. I digress, but my beautiful, potentially purebred Labrador did NOT look like this black and tan long haired mutt. As Duke proceeded to strangle himself against my restraint I stated the obvious to this guy that my dog isn't friendly. Now I kid you not, and Amanda can attest that this actually occurred, the man asked sincerely "even though they are the same?" and continued to let his "lab" butt up against Duke. At this point I considered releasing Duke, who is now frothing at the mouth and eyeing up the best spot on his dog to mount. Thankfully Amanda intervened and reinforced my earlier comment that he was not friendly and to kindly move on, in not so many words.

I believe it took about 20 or 30 seconds for either one of us to actually address the incident after it took place. We must have both been too speechless to respond. Then Amanda gave her famous "are you kidding me?" and I said "but they are the same" and we laughed and finished our walk.

This was taken moments after Duke pulled me into the lake. The walk continued with a distinctive sloshing sound.....



"Run Forrest, Run!"