I’m visiting Berlin this week with the dogs – my “private dog” (Mowgli) and the two dogs I’m training as guide dogs for the blind.
It’s been interesting observing the dogs here on the bustling city streets of Berlin! Some are so calm and cool, trotting next to their human’s bike – through traffic, through crowds… nothing phases them. Then I see the dogs frantically barking and running miles ahead of their owner off leash. A trainer’s nightmare.
But seeing so many dogs in one place, for me, is like watching TV. Every dog is like their owner in some way and it’s so entertaining seeing their reactions to each other!
Like earlier I saw a man cursing his head off and talking to himself. His dog was crazy, barked at “nothing” and ran into traffic, straight in front of moving cars and bikes – scaring me half to death.
The artistic man had a slow, thoughtful, older dog who didn’t always come when called, but was a total sweetheart.
The mother of two had a dog who plodded next to her, licking her child’s fingers.
Just fun to watch it all! It was a good reminder of how we affect our dogs. Plus, if I don’t know how my pack of three is going to react to a dog or vice versa, I can usually get a good guess by looking at the owner. I avoid tense dog walkers and casually make my way past calm dog lovers.
What are your experiences of life in the city with animals?