|
Location: Berkshire
Joined: Jun 2006
Posts: 437
|
|
I've been reading about the posts about the kelpie.
I watched it recently and was very uncomfortable about the whole thing. However, seeing the amount of discussion here, perhaps there is some good out of it for viewers (unfortunately not the dog).
I didn't know anything about kelpies and whether they were aggressive or not generally - so looked them up on the internet. Great dogs, but not to be doted on and treated as a child. Herding cattle and endless running far more suitable. Silly I know, but I thought it was like a little prisoner, trapped in a situation so alien to its needs and breeding it must be like mental torture.
It made me cross that the owners were feeling hurt by what the dog was 'doing' to them and it was ungrateful. A dog might think how to steal food or eat the sofa maybe, but not how to deliberately make someone cry.
The stress placed on the dog - receiving extreme emotional distress from the human, for getting things wrong/not wanting to be fawned over must be pretty terrifying. Wouldn't surprise me if they were too hands on and it finally had enough. Then the 'hands on' training was probably a set back. If this is being simplistic I'm sorry.
I know they tried hard, but the kindest thing for the dog would be taking it away to someone willing to let it be a dog. Then see how it is, the aggression may go if it's not too late already.
Such a shame that people and dogs are not matched better - am sure there is an owner out there perfect for the kelpie and a dog perfect for the couple.
All very sad really.