Been with some domestic animals have taught me a lot of lessons. I have managed to live with dogs since when I was very little and that what makes it impossible for me to see a dog barking and run or become afraid. Though this experience did not just start at once, it kept growing until I was used to their styles and mostly everything about dogs. When I became used to them I made them my pet. I love dogs alot and I hardly get scared when I see one.
HOW DID IT START?
When I was taking to Jos the capital of plateau state. I was so afraid of dogs that when ever I see dogs I will start running and shouting for help. Hahaha 😂. You know how it works? Seen dogs for the first time in my life as a little girl was so scary. Where I come from we don't get to see dogs because no one is permitted to have dogs around the community. I had that dogs once bit the son of the King of my village. From that moment dogs were not allowed into my place. So coming out to see dogs in the city of Jos was a very big wahala for me.
In plateau state, dogs were the best meat back then I don't know of now. So that is the reason why dogs are filled everywhere. In the compound were I grew up almost every one rears dogs. That was the fastest business in town. People come to buy it all the time because they love the meat.
Gradually I was become used to dogs but it took time. I remember this faithful day when my aunt sent me to this house to collect something for her. I was not aware that they have dogs in the house. Immediately I opened the gate and came in dogs came after me and I started running. The more I ran, the more they came after me and I kept shouting. The person I went to see tried to stop me but fear will not allow me stop. I kept running until when I came to one place and fall down. The dogs came closer and saw the way I was screaming and stood there barking until the owner of the dogs came to my rescue. I was so afraid that day that I thought that those dogs will finish me. Fortunately I was not touched. When my aunt heard what happened she had to teach me how to deal with dogs and make them not to come after me again. That is the exact lesson that I will share with us:
- Never run whenever dog(s) is after you: running makes you look suspicious to them
- Stand still whenever any dogs is coming against you: by standing still, the dogs feel that you are not guilty of anything.
- Whenever any dog insist on coming against you so badly, bend down and fetch sand in your hands and throw it at the dog(s). The dog will immediately run back because it doesn't want sand to enter it's eyes.
- Don't be the first to bark at dogs when you see them maybe playing around or sitting quietly. If you do so, you are looking for trouble and it may not end well.
From the day I got these lessons I started getting used to 🐕 dogs and play with some of them that are friendly. Not all dogs are friendly ohh.
My aunt later bought her own dog and it made it easy for me because I now have a dog at home and it made it easier to learn what dogs love and what they don't. When my mother started keeping the dog and it started having puppies, I started getting used to plenty dogs. Sometimes our dog will give birth to twelve young ones and after three months they are sold out. Then the mother becomes pregnant again and some months time, give birth again and they sold when she stops breast feeding them. This is how my journey with dogs started. Today I can hardly see a dog barking and then starts to run. I know how to handle them.
This post was inspired by the hive learners community contest for week 122, edition 3: A scary animal.
The picture is mine. Design was made with Canva.