Safety Issues and dogs

[Sue Kenney]

Friends,

I walked the Camino in November and December of 2001 and although I had many
encounters with dogs, none of them were threatening experiences. I am a
women and walked most of the time alone. Here's a story about how I dealt
with the dogs on the Camino.

In Villafranca I met a wonderful German peregrino whom I walked with to
Santiago. On the first day we walked together, we encountered a dog that
rushed up to the back of the legs of my friend, barking as though he was
going to bite him. My friend waved his large walking stick at the dog and he
backed off. I was suprised that the dog approached him as I had not
experienced a dangerous encounter with the dogs up to that point in time. My
friend indicated that on numerous occasions angry dogs had approached him.
He also said that he wasn't comfortable with strange dogs. My mission was
defined. I decided I would teach my friend how I had managed to avoid the
"biting" dogs. I assured him that soon he would see the dogs as his friends!

Here's how it worked for me. It involves the practice of centering, being
present and open in the mind, body and spirit. If we agree that when we
apply intention, to what we focus our attention on, we will achieve the
result intended. For example, if a dog approached me, I would first center
myself, look into the dogs eyes, with the intention I was in control, not
intimidated by the dog, would not hurt the dog and that the dog was my
friend. I was always careful not to demonstrate an aggressive position. Once
I had made the visual contact  with the dog, I would turn away and put my
attention in the direction I was walking, maintaining my intentions. Almost
every time, the dogs would stop barking and watch me walk by or they would
just walk away from me. Somehow they knew to attack me would be a challenge
and it just wasn't worth it. They recognized an inner strength more powerful
than they were.

Funny enough I learned this technique growing up as an inner-city kid. When
I walked down the streets of my neighborhood (which was not in the best part
of town) I realized that if I didn't somehow communicate this was my
neighborhood too, and I had a right to walk the streets, then I would
definitely risk being threatened or harassed. Over time, I learned how to
communicate my intentions from within. Also I think the manner in which I
walked contributed to commanding a level of respect.

I taught my friend this technique and over time he became quite friendly
with the dogs, commanding a mutual respect. Coincidentally, we didn't have
any other threatening encounters with dogs on the Camino.


Sue