How big is your territory?

Brownie was an obstacle to be avoided whenever possible, except that possible was not always so possible, especially if any variation to exercise routeing was to be achieved.  He was right royally vocal in his disgust to the mere sniff of any newcomers within his territory.  Scabbed, scarred and downright sullen, even when feigning sleep, his determined diligence in maintaining order and command was a full time job that kept him looking older than he was, most likely.

The roaming territory of a Bali Street Dog can cover distances of kilometres, especially for those in the truly not owned classification, the ones who forage far and wide for food.  Fortunately for Brownie and unfortunate for newbie’s of all size shape and species tiptoeing through his territory, he had no need to go anywhere for anything.  A warung on his doorstep usually left him languid and lazy on the roadside especially on sunny afternoons, which was at least a majority of months out of years.  But no matter how full and gorged, Brownie was still able to rumble to his paws, belch and on occasion fart and be ready for action.  It wasn’t that he was making it at all personal in an individual fashion; his generalization of scorn was even reserved for those who resided close by.

After a really long period of creeping, crawling, sprinting and ghosting past Brownie, one day he suddenly appeared a short way out of his myopic territory.  The psychology of canine behaviour maybe isn’t really that different, in regard to the whole range of mammalian reactions to out of comfort zone reality.  It was as if Brownie actually did a double take glance, with a simultaneous, look out you’re in a very vulnerable position posture.  And as one leashed brindle, one leashed white and one free roaming black of his species bore down upon him in a seize the day mentality, Brownie executed a very awkward spine snapping manoeuvre, a stunt that was most unbecoming in light of his usual territorial terrorizing.

Bali Street Dogs have been labelled many things and cowardly is probably one of the more understandably misunderstood tags of all.  It is usually reserved for those occasions when a barking snarling circling canine begins to cruise up from behind, only to abruptly back off when confronted.  It is virtually impossible of course to be a dog and equally as difficult to think like one.  However, observing dog on dog behaviour is readily available and a few minutes a day watching the interaction of Bali Street Dogs can be an entertaining and enlightening experience.

For the first time in our interactions with Brownie, he was not the one circling and approaching from behind to sniff out the scent of friend or foe.  For the first time there was no need to confront his secure positioning, because like all things away from home, Brownie could not hide the insecurities inside.    

          

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