THE GUIDE TO STREET DOGS 

FOR NON-OWNERS

by Britt Zaist

We have three rescues - all from our block here in SMA (San Miguel de Allende, Mexico). MOLLY is black about 80 pounds and looks like a female Great Dane “mix”. She is very sweet, very big and not too bright. She is in our large front yard during the day and in the house at night. This house spans two blocks and she has an alcove off the front yard for her bed and toys that shelters her from the elements. She only goes out for walks on a leash with the maid as she is too strong for me. I play with her on the roof where she tears down to the 2nd floor and then the first and flies back up again at top speed. She needs that exercise.

SAM is a honey-colored Lab mix, too smart, too fat, gentle at home, brave on the streets and loves being a house dog. He is noisy, lovable, faithful with a weakness of selective car and motor cycle chasing.

BIG remains the true street dog: charismatic, talkative, a free spirit…a traveler. He´s like the date your mom warned you never to get involved with because he may break your heart and never return AND naturally, he is the favorite. We´ve never known where he goes, when he will come back and can only hope for the best. Before he was neutered, he could be gone as much as 5 days, coming “home” hurt, thin, exhausted…only to insist on going back outside for the freedom he loves. Since being “fixed”, he can still be gone as much as 5 days, coming home well and fatter than he left! We think now he has another “home” with folks who grant him the same freedom as we do and who live far away as he comes home exhausted to sleep the day and leaves at 11:30 pm and to go where? Where would he go at that hour? We´ll never know. I´m just grateful he comes back in one piece to visit for a day.

But the title states this is a guide to street dogs but so far, I have only told BIG´s tale. True street dogs who remain vagabonds (not who become pets) have to be approached in a totally different way…with respect and caution. Help with injuries is fraught with suspicion and possible danger. Large animal vets are the best for street dogs as they can handle “your” semi-wild animal. You may be convinced they “love” you but they have had experience with people that can make them frightened and defensive. Handling needs to be done calmly and slowly. They cannot be kept in the house without their howling to get out; they want to come and go at will. They don´t realize as you do that it is dangerous out there and freedom has its consequences. Where they come from or where they go-you haven´t a clue. But street dogs have you live in the present – not the past nor the future – just the now. That needs to be enough.