Couple Things
First, let me just vent a teeny bit about my downstairs neighbors. They don't seem aware of this situation, but they own these two dogs.
I know. How could I think that they aren't aware of the dogs' being, well, dogs? Well, one of them is very large. Probably about mid-thigh-high at the shoulder. His name is Duke. The other one is only about calf-high, and s/he doesn't seem to have a name. Or at least they don't yell at him/her.
The dogs get to go outside twice a day. Once in the morning, they are ushered outside, and scolded into shitting. If the dogs delay, they are scolded more harshly. Once the deed is done, it's praises all around, and back indoors you go. My readers, this is taking place in a nice-sized, fenced-in enclosure. It isn't as though the dogs are going to escape, or need supervision. If these people don't have time to walk their dogs, or sit out on the porch with them in the morning, they should let the dogs out, go about their morning routines, and bring the dogs back in after an hour or more.
The second outdoors adventure takes place in the evening. Around dinner time, the dogs go out, and begin to bark at every noise that comes close. The little one sounds like the offspring of a rooster and coyote. But s/he is largely very quiet. Duke is the adventuresome dog. He barks at passersby, and is yelled at by his owners. He barks at honking cars, and is yelled at by his owners. He barks for no reason I can see, and his yelled at by his owners. When the evening is over, or even before, the dogs are told to get inside. When they understandably are not happy with this idea, they are yelled at and scolded until they get inside. The people stay outside, until late at night. But the dogs are not wanted.
I say that these people do not realize that the creatures they own and live with are dogs, because dogs are known to bark. These people see barking as a bad thing, but haven't taken the time to train the dogs not to bark. Yelling is not training. Dogs are known to enjoy the outdoors, especially big dogs. And dogs need exercise that can't be found indoors, especially big dogs. Yet these people keep their dogs kenneled all day, and all night. They issue harsh orders and commands, and only praise the dogs or speak lovingly or in a friendly manner when the dogs go inside. There is no playing with the dogs. No companionable silences. These people don't want to own dogs and deal with all the joys and pains of owning dogs.
And whenever the people yell at each other, the dogs are silent. They will bark like mad at a passing woman and child (I know by the voice and the wailing baby), but they seem terrified or accustomed to screaming between people.
Just had to vent a while on it. I feel for those dogs. I've only heard a pleasant outting twice, and both times, the visitors initiated it.
The other thing, which is kind of exciting for me, is that I finally managed to complete Ally training. I've signed up for it a couple of times, but each time it has been canceled due to not enough people showing interest. This saddens me. But quite a few folks signed up, and so the training session was held at lunch today. I've had a pink triangle by my office for two semesters, but now I have finally earned it.
We had an overview of the situation faced by GLB folks here in Dirt Town, esp the hostility based on relgious grounds. It wasn't quite as bad as I'd feared, but it isn't pretty by any stretch. I've got a firm grasp of the resources available for them, and some techniques for helping to councel them and lead them to help when/if they come needing it.
We even practiced a few times. I've never had a real conversation with Dr. Shoes, and I can't say I've had one even now. He was my partner for the role-playing session, where we each took turns counceling the other after a particularly unencouraging coming out. So while I talked with him for a long time, I still haven't had a real conversation with him. Kind of odd, that.
The training session was, to me at least, very uplifting and successful. We have a long way to go, but at least we are better prepared to help others along their paths.
Well, grading awaits. I admit to having put it off to the last moment. Tomorrow, I watch V for Vendetta with KM, and boil up a chicken carcass. Got to buy lots of veggies to put in the soup I'll make from that stock. Mmmm.
Love and Peace (and hurray for another survived week)
I know. How could I think that they aren't aware of the dogs' being, well, dogs? Well, one of them is very large. Probably about mid-thigh-high at the shoulder. His name is Duke. The other one is only about calf-high, and s/he doesn't seem to have a name. Or at least they don't yell at him/her.
The dogs get to go outside twice a day. Once in the morning, they are ushered outside, and scolded into shitting. If the dogs delay, they are scolded more harshly. Once the deed is done, it's praises all around, and back indoors you go. My readers, this is taking place in a nice-sized, fenced-in enclosure. It isn't as though the dogs are going to escape, or need supervision. If these people don't have time to walk their dogs, or sit out on the porch with them in the morning, they should let the dogs out, go about their morning routines, and bring the dogs back in after an hour or more.
The second outdoors adventure takes place in the evening. Around dinner time, the dogs go out, and begin to bark at every noise that comes close. The little one sounds like the offspring of a rooster and coyote. But s/he is largely very quiet. Duke is the adventuresome dog. He barks at passersby, and is yelled at by his owners. He barks at honking cars, and is yelled at by his owners. He barks for no reason I can see, and his yelled at by his owners. When the evening is over, or even before, the dogs are told to get inside. When they understandably are not happy with this idea, they are yelled at and scolded until they get inside. The people stay outside, until late at night. But the dogs are not wanted.
I say that these people do not realize that the creatures they own and live with are dogs, because dogs are known to bark. These people see barking as a bad thing, but haven't taken the time to train the dogs not to bark. Yelling is not training. Dogs are known to enjoy the outdoors, especially big dogs. And dogs need exercise that can't be found indoors, especially big dogs. Yet these people keep their dogs kenneled all day, and all night. They issue harsh orders and commands, and only praise the dogs or speak lovingly or in a friendly manner when the dogs go inside. There is no playing with the dogs. No companionable silences. These people don't want to own dogs and deal with all the joys and pains of owning dogs.
And whenever the people yell at each other, the dogs are silent. They will bark like mad at a passing woman and child (I know by the voice and the wailing baby), but they seem terrified or accustomed to screaming between people.
Just had to vent a while on it. I feel for those dogs. I've only heard a pleasant outting twice, and both times, the visitors initiated it.
The other thing, which is kind of exciting for me, is that I finally managed to complete Ally training. I've signed up for it a couple of times, but each time it has been canceled due to not enough people showing interest. This saddens me. But quite a few folks signed up, and so the training session was held at lunch today. I've had a pink triangle by my office for two semesters, but now I have finally earned it.
We had an overview of the situation faced by GLB folks here in Dirt Town, esp the hostility based on relgious grounds. It wasn't quite as bad as I'd feared, but it isn't pretty by any stretch. I've got a firm grasp of the resources available for them, and some techniques for helping to councel them and lead them to help when/if they come needing it.
We even practiced a few times. I've never had a real conversation with Dr. Shoes, and I can't say I've had one even now. He was my partner for the role-playing session, where we each took turns counceling the other after a particularly unencouraging coming out. So while I talked with him for a long time, I still haven't had a real conversation with him. Kind of odd, that.
The training session was, to me at least, very uplifting and successful. We have a long way to go, but at least we are better prepared to help others along their paths.
Well, grading awaits. I admit to having put it off to the last moment. Tomorrow, I watch V for Vendetta with KM, and boil up a chicken carcass. Got to buy lots of veggies to put in the soup I'll make from that stock. Mmmm.
Love and Peace (and hurray for another survived week)
posted by Rehkmira @ 21:10
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