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CHANGING ATTITUDES

© Marilyn Koyanagi

I remember, with fondness, the dogs of my childhood - not just my family's pets, but those of neighbors and playmates. No matter what our activity, there always seemed to be at least one dog in our midst.

One of the most memorable of these was Joey, a little black and white Border Collie type, belonging to my friend Bob. Twice daily, first thing in the morning and again after lunch, Bob and Joey would make the three block trek to school together. After depositing Bob on the corner across from the schoolyard, Joey would head back home. We never knew what stops he made along the way or how he spent his time but, rain or shine, when the children spilled out of school for lunch or at the end of the day, Joey would be back on the corner waiting patiently for his best friend.

It was a simpler time back then. The pace of living was more relaxed and so was our attitude towards dog ownership. The streets were safer. Dogs were not required to be licensed nor were they routinely spayed or neutered. The problem of pet overpopulation was not yet an issue. There were no leash laws and, like Joey, dogs were often allowed to wander at will.

Our lifestyles, at that time, were generally well suited to dog ownership. There were fewer aspects to take into consideration when making the decision to acquire a dog and fewer concerns for the breeder who was placing a puppy. We were at home more. Most Mothers did not have outside jobs. Travel was a rarity and the majority of our leisure time was spent around our homes and in our communities.

The era of the automobile brought a dramatic end to this sheltered existence. Society became mobile. There were now any number of accessible activities to fill our leisure hours and families were spending an ever increasing amount of time away from home. We were engulfed in a rapidly changing world - one that held new dangers and restrictions for the dog. The growth in population meant more crowded communities, smaller living spaces and busier streets. Unsupervised animals became a nuisance and even a danger. The problem of pet overpopulation escalated and shelters filled with unwanted animals.

The changes that so drastically affected our lives had an equally extreme effect on the role of the dog. Despite years of selective breeding to enable him to perform specific jobs, much of the work for which he was developed began to disappear. His new role became that of a companion and he was expected to automatically adjust to our various lifestyles.

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