BajaNomad - Neighbors - Baja question

Neighbors - Baja question

Gypsy Jan - 6-30-2004 at 09:59 PM

One of our neighbors was given a dog.

His family has a house in our in our community that they use infrequently

He brought this dog here and left it.

The puppy, a 6 month old German Shepherd, was chained to the roof of their weekend house and the gardener was given the responsibility to feed him.

The puppy howled, nonstop, for several days.

Long story made short, the family was in residence later that week and they were stressed out with a house full of infants and toddlers and did not like the puppy's noise.

The puppy has been living with us for four weeks now.

What is Mexican etiquette?

Where are we with the family and the original owner?

The family has shown no interest, except for the son, who came by once this last week, looked at the dog, conversed briefly
with my husband and left.

They are good people, we love the puppy (and, boy, are we getting invested as far as emotion and money is concerned), what is correct as far as the situation?

jeans - 6-30-2004 at 10:24 PM

Sounds like you have yourself a new member of the family. Of course, I do not know what the dialogue was when you came to be in possession of the pup, but if they are still thinking they own it, then you would be expected to be re-imbursed for your expenses. Given their lack of interest, do you see that happening?

I don't think that "etiquette" is a word that would mean anything them. "Good people" would not leave a pup chained to the roof when they leave town.

The puppy is fortunate to have found you.

[Edited on 7-1-2004 by jeans]

why not just ask if you can have it?

capt. mike - 7-1-2004 at 04:56 AM

if they say no, then ask when they intend to care for it..... they'll get a subtle message, no?

burro bob - 7-1-2004 at 10:11 AM

Gypsy Jan
My elderly neighbor is always being given dogs by his children. They think he needs companionship. He doesn't want them and treats them poorly.
I finally had enjough of seeing his starving dogs, so when his newest puppy was so weakend from hunger that it couldn't walk across the road, I took him.
I told Jose that he was my dog now, he just shrugged. He didn't care, didn't want it in the first place.
If your neighbors wanted the dog back they would have been over to get it a long time ago.
Do the right thing though and ask. My relationship with Jose is several years old and we are good friends, I can get away with being rude to him.
burro bob

Maybe they wanted it for...

Mike Humfreville - 7-1-2004 at 11:21 PM

protection of their property. If I read your post correctly they clearly don't care for the puppy. Perhaps your keeping it next door and also keeping an eye on their property would be a win-win trade? Good luck.

I think the pup will make his own choice

Keri - 7-2-2004 at 08:02 AM

since you are the one feeding it and loving it he will want to be with you. Remember dogs are very loyal to their masters. I would say that was you. thanks for caring, k :yes:

puppys parent's

bajasmitty - 7-2-2004 at 12:01 PM

i think your family has an addition to it.
enjoy :tumble:

burro bob - 7-2-2004 at 12:15 PM

I was talking to a lady that helps run the San Felipe Animal Rescue clinic today and told her about this post. She said many times Mexicans will leave a female dog, that is in heat, tied on the roof of a trailer or house to keep her out of harms way. Possibly the "pup" was old enough to be in her first estrus.
I still doubt if they want it though.
burro bob

You are missing the point

thebajarunner - 7-2-2004 at 12:28 PM

My experience with most Mexicans and their dogs is that they have an entirely different relationship than we Gringos have with our animals.
My wife is Mexican born, it took years for her to ever show any affection to our pets- yet, in her own way she loved them.
Gringos treat their animals like family, Mexicans treat their animals like.... well, like animals.
So, having said all that, it behooves you to make your declarations soon vis a vis the dog, the apparent lack of affection is cultural and in no way should be a clear sign of what they do or do not wish from this poor pooch.

Baja Arriba!!

burro bob - 7-2-2004 at 12:46 PM

thebajarunner
Couldn't agree with you more about the cultural differences as regards animals.
I recently had a gringo freind that took a puppuy from another Mexican friend. When she told him she was going to have it spayed he told her that if she ever brought it by his house again he would kill it.
He felt that altering an animal was far worse than any other abuses they might experience in life.
I don't agree with him but understand that his attitude is the norm.
Words fail in these instances and it is only through your own actions that you can teach.
burro bob

[Edited on 7-2-2004 by burro bob]

JESSE - 7-2-2004 at 02:18 PM

This is not complicated, the dog is yours, simply talk to them and make it official.

JESSE - 7-2-2004 at 02:22 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by thebajarunner
My experience with most Mexicans and their dogs is that they have an entirely different relationship than we Gringos have with our animals.
My wife is Mexican born, it took years for her to ever show any affection to our pets- yet, in her own way she loved them.
Gringos treat their animals like family, Mexicans treat their animals like.... well, like animals.
So, having said all that, it behooves you to make your declarations soon vis a vis the dog, the apparent lack of affection is cultural and in no way should be a clear sign of what they do or do not wish from this poor pooch.

Baja Arriba!!

Not true at all, in Mexico just like in other parts of the world, theres people who love dogs and people who see dogs as objects, it depends where you live, in cities people tend to see dogs more like a family member, not like farm animals, in the ranchos and small towns, dogs are seen more as workers than family members.

Its no surprise theres a growing Veterinary business in the cities, and if you go to supermarkets you will see that they are not only selling dog food, but also toys, treats, and everything a pooch needs.

Baja puppy update

Gypsy Jan - 7-2-2004 at 07:29 PM

Thanks for your continuing level of interest and thoughtful responses.

In answer to some of your questions:

1. The puppy is a seven-month-old male.

2. The reason I posted this question is because I didn't want to make assumptions based on my cultural bias...I wanted to ask about the Mexican POV.

3. This family is upper-middle class, all of them (that I know of) live in urban areas and have professional jobs. This is most definitely not a rural family and the puppy was not acquired to guard the house, the roof was just a place to park him because they don't have an enclosed yard, and the family toddlers, when there, use the patio. Let's face it, a 60-plus pound, clumsy-for-now (his feet are so big, he has to throw them out and to the side, like snow shoes) puppy is dangerous around tiny children unless carefully supervised, which, apparently, no one there was willing to do.

4. On the roof, he was chained and forced to walk on the puddles of his urine and feces. His food, when it was given, was knocked out of the bowl in his puppy eagerness and, thus, he didn't even have access to that meager amount provided. When I was up there, I saw that he had no water.

5. I felt very uncomfortable trespassing on another's property on a daily basis to ensure the health and welfare of the puppy.

6. After several days of his pitiful and powerful howling, I overheard a passing remark from an afflicted neighbor about how it wouldn't be strange to "find a dead dog on a roof around here."

7. He had sores and injuries that could be treated better with constant supervision.

Within 2 days of moving to our casa, this beautiful, intelligent, attentive puppy became housetrained, learned the commands, "no, hush, come, sit and down" (we're working on "stay").

When we put him out on our front yard on a lead during the day, he is perfectly content, he has developed confidence, a sense of his place in a family.

The Mexican family is here this weekend, I will look for a courteous and polite opportunity to settle what his future place is going to be.

Later,

GJ

HotSchott - 7-2-2004 at 08:23 PM

Make something up...The dog was left for days on the roof and somehow got away. You found him on your front porch. You want him and intend to keep him. Let your neighbor's make the next move.

They don't have to be dog lovers to know that the dog wasn't being cared for. Just keep the dog and let them bring it up...or not. If you have had it four weeks its probably because they never really wanted the dog to begin with. People do stupid crap like that all the time. Mexicans, Americans no difference. I personally think their behavior with regards to the dog is stupid and selfish (like alot of people in So Cal). I would have done exactly what you did and probably confronted them by now about why they would be such idiots to leave such a beautiful dog on a roof? Or whatever...

If you're not confrontational then you probably shouldn't have taken the dog. The people obviously have never owned a dog before or they are stupid, but if you dig the dog then let them bring it up.

My 2 cents as a dog lover-

Steve

[Edited on 7-3-2004 by HotSchott]