Dogs
by Janette van der Vyver
On a sunny afternoon I was walking on the beach at Bloubergstrand (near Cape Town City). The beach was filled with people each doing their own thing. Most people were aimlessly walking along the beach, like I was. A few brave souls were playing in the icy water – you can always spot us tourists from inland, we’re at the beach only one week a year and we’re going to swim!
A number of wanderers had brought their pets along with them. I noticed quite a few dogs. It seems that people who have pets other than dogs don’t take them out much. Or maybe they just stay home with their pets. Nobody was walking around with a bird on a leash, or a cat or a fishbowl with a fishy swimming around in it. But the dogs were all there.
Why do people keep fish and birds in their houses? Are they just pretty movable decorations? I understand the thing about cats; you can ask your cat if he wants to go walkies. He will look at you as if you have gone mad; which may just be an accurate description of your state of mind, should you ever find yourself asking your cat that question. And his look will say: “Have fun, bring me back a fresh fish, I shall be here perusing the newspaper when you return, or destroying your curtains, it really depends on my mood swings.”
But the dogs go out. They go for walks; they go for drives in the cars or on the back of the bakkies. They can stick their heads out the side of the window and bark at every passerby and try to bite the wind. They play and romp, play fetch on the sand and in the water and generally get dirty. They fully participate in their owner’s lives. It’s like having a best friend that will do everything with you and always be there for you, you just have to invite him along.
Then again some people are like the fish in their bowls. They follow the same routine every day. They never go out and never see anything that isn’t in their regular circle of momentum. If these people own dogs, then I guess the dogs live their entire lives exploring the same backyard of the same house until they know every brick and every flower growing in the garden. Their dogs would never explore the sea-sand or know the feeling of chasing a tennis ball into the waves. Nor will these people.
by Janette van der Vyver
On a sunny afternoon I was walking on the beach at Bloubergstrand (near Cape Town City). The beach was filled with people each doing their own thing. Most people were aimlessly walking along the beach, like I was. A few brave souls were playing in the icy water – you can always spot us tourists from inland, we’re at the beach only one week a year and we’re going to swim!
A number of wanderers had brought their pets along with them. I noticed quite a few dogs. It seems that people who have pets other than dogs don’t take them out much. Or maybe they just stay home with their pets. Nobody was walking around with a bird on a leash, or a cat or a fishbowl with a fishy swimming around in it. But the dogs were all there.
Why do people keep fish and birds in their houses? Are they just pretty movable decorations? I understand the thing about cats; you can ask your cat if he wants to go walkies. He will look at you as if you have gone mad; which may just be an accurate description of your state of mind, should you ever find yourself asking your cat that question. And his look will say: “Have fun, bring me back a fresh fish, I shall be here perusing the newspaper when you return, or destroying your curtains, it really depends on my mood swings.”
But the dogs go out. They go for walks; they go for drives in the cars or on the back of the bakkies. They can stick their heads out the side of the window and bark at every passerby and try to bite the wind. They play and romp, play fetch on the sand and in the water and generally get dirty. They fully participate in their owner’s lives. It’s like having a best friend that will do everything with you and always be there for you, you just have to invite him along.
Then again some people are like the fish in their bowls. They follow the same routine every day. They never go out and never see anything that isn’t in their regular circle of momentum. If these people own dogs, then I guess the dogs live their entire lives exploring the same backyard of the same house until they know every brick and every flower growing in the garden. Their dogs would never explore the sea-sand or know the feeling of chasing a tennis ball into the waves. Nor will these people.
My name is Roxy. I’m Janette’s neighbour but I stay with her when my people are away and then I get to sleep on her bed. It’s fun!
About Janette
Janette lives in Gauteng, South Africa. She’d move to the Drakensberg in a heartbeat if someone would just buy her @#%@ house!
She doesn’t tell people much about herself ... Were you hoping to read anything interesting here?
She loves dogs and gets along with them really well ... people ... not so much.
She doesn’t tell people much about herself ... Were you hoping to read anything interesting here?
She loves dogs and gets along with them really well ... people ... not so much.