No kidding - I was thinking I would like female at some point, but I think I'll stick to boys, too. Seems a lot easier!
I was hoping it was better in northern Spain where you are. It's so sad in Andalusia. It's the main reason I've not gotten the gumption to live there year-round.
It's an absolute disgrace - doesnt the owner care at all that he is almost certainly going to have a bunch of puppies to deal with?
I got to the end of my tether and summoned up the courage to take her back. I have OK Spanish, but he talks a mixture of Spanish and Catalan with a really thick accent and really quickly! Anyway, he was OK, took her inside (lifting her up by the collar, argh!) and that was that. No apology or anything, obviously. Hopefully that's the end of it. She is so lovely - majorly excitable and I'm now covered head to toe in mud from her jumping up at me. Bonus points, I have now learnt the Spanish for "in season" and "howling".
Best outcome for both of them, I'm sure (and for you and Willow too). "For never was a story of more woe Than this of Juliet and her love Shadow...."
To be honest, we don't see the mistreatment a lot - we don't see a lot of anything out here! The dogs that live in town tend to be better treated, although the bigger dogs tend to wear choke chains and the odd prong collar. They're certainly not trained through +R. The working dogs just aren't considered to be pets. The same family can have two dogs, one which is a pet and the other is a farm dog. The pet will be pampered and the farm dog will be treated as little more than a tool. They don't consolidate the two together. I have to say, in their defence, that I've not seen a single underfed or ill-looking dog. That doesn't excuse their handling of them, I know, or the fact they're effectively feral when they're not being used, but it would certainly be a lot worse if they were emaciated, mangey, carrying injuries etc. I've not seen or heard of any of the horrendous abuse of hunting dogs you get in other areas of Spain, which I won't even go into now because it's too sickening.
Hehe, most likely! In Andorra, they certainly do. The locals will stop what they're doing and watch me training, with incredulity plastered over their faces. Don't even get me started on what they think when I take the ferrets out for a walk!
How long does it take a ferret to learn to walk on a loose lead? (That sounds like I've got a punchline to a joke coming, but it's just a question).
Hehe, I can't say it's something I've ever really worried about! I've just realised I'm one of those horrible owners who lets a small creature get away with bad manners because of their size! They also jump up.... and when they do, I pick them up and carry them! OMG, I'm a MONSTER! They don't actually like going out too much, so we haven't done it in ages. They're much happier just playing at home. You can teach them to walk nicely to heel - and most other things you teach a dog. They're actually very similar to dogs in their cognitive capabiity. They're old ladies now, but if I knew what I know now when I first got them, I'd have clicker trained them for sure
