I wanted to write a few words about the dogs that live on campus. Let me start by saying that there are many dogs and few cats, very few cats. The dogs here on campus are the scrawniest, malnourished and most flea riddled dogs I have ever come across in my life. The dogs on campus are foreever barking or scratching themselves. If they aren't doing either of these “dog” activities they are either howling or fighting or snooping around the garbage bins for food. Most dogs that I see are flea and tick riddled, have skin or coat problems and don't spend a lot of time “dog” smiling.
The fleas cause the dogs to be foreever scratching. Scratching, scratching and more scratching. The positions that the dogs get into in order to scratch has to be seen to be believed. I've seen dogs bend into positions to reach that mongrel of an “itch” like you would'nt believe. The dogs back home just do not have that level of agility. Practice makes perfect.
The other thing the campus dogs get up to is howl. Yes, howl. About 6x times a night they start up. When one dog starts to howl, others follow. It can get really loud at 3am when these howling sessions get under way. Not uncommon to hear 30 or 40 dogs all howling together. Don't know what this howling thing really is all about. Might be a “pack” thing, this howling business. Any one know why dogs howl ?
As we all know dogs are very territorial. It seems that the local dogs have an “unwritten” agreement amongst themselves to “patrol” their particular territory. This territory could be the local markets, it could be their section of street or just their homes. In my street their is a doberman that looks very “keenly” at me every time I walk past his/her house. It always barks and growls at me. Occasionally it will come running towards me and start chasing me. Have'nt been bitten yet. Touch wood. Just one of the many dangers living in PNG !!
One of the many things that differentiate cultures. The relationship that humans have with their pets. Back in Australia people send their pets to grooming salons, or have a paid funeral for when they die, or even send their pet to a “pet psychologist” if the need arises. The expression : “It's a dogs life….” holds true in PNG.
I do miss my “Bluey”….
That tooth is flaring up again ! Yeeehaaaahhhh…… another trip to the dental clinic that doesn't have any dentists !!!
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