Lost In Translation

Tilde isn't spayed. I prefer not to interfere with her hormonal balance, and although it does have some disadvantages health-wise there are equal advantages as well, which makes the choice not as clear cut as it maybe once was.

It gives me some extra responsibilities though, to ensure the friendly neighborhood dog doesn't knock her up. I can't let her out in the yard alone because she will run away, and on walks I have to keep her leashed and try to avoid other dogs.

It isn't that difficult, even not with dogs we meet off the lead, after I found out in some occasions it's best not to avoid them once you spot them, because basically, you can't. Instead of moving away, I move as close to the owner who is usually not far away while mentioning friendly, "she is in heat," which immediately prompts them to come running over with a leash.

Then there are also those other times.

"She is in heat," I told the two ladies who were walking their two very naughty terriers, but they just smiled at me while they walked right passed us, and in the meanwhile the terriers already started to hump Tilde's legs. One on each leg. I guess I was lucky with the difference in size, but knowing the ingenuity terriers usually display, and not in the least, Tilde, I started my attempts fencing them off, with moderate success, because both were already in a horny frenzy.

"Kom," I heard one of the ladies say in an attempt to call her dog, and I realized they didn't speak any Danish and never understood me when I said in Danish, "Hun er i løbetid". And whatever language they were speaking, their terriers suffered from a short memory blackout regarding the meaning of  "Kom" too. To my surprise, both ladies started to run in the opposite direction, in a probably well-meant attempt to lure their dogs back to them. With the threesome going on between my legs, I started to shout to them in different languages, "Ze is loops!", "Sie ist im laufezeit!". I didn't even know if it that actually meant "in heat" in German, but it seemed to do the trick, as finally the couple returned with a leash.

After the incident, suddenly the whole not-to-spay decision seemed to be in need of some evaluation. But then again, I did get some revenge with a totally different opportunity.

I was out on the porch and Tilde was safely locked inside when a man and his dog slowly passed by on the road. They were both elderly and moved forward in a way like they have seen it all, there wasn't much that could happen on their walks, which they haven't already seen or done many thousands of times before.

They almost passed by, when the dog stopped and looked at me. He was sniffing a little, and he followed his old nose to the start of our driveway where no doubt, Tilde had left a small incentive scent mark for any admirers after her morning walk. The man stopped too, and asked the dog to follow with an annoyed tone of voice. I have to give it to the old dog, he did look back for a moment, before he continued down the driveway towards me, and I knew he wasn't coming for the treats in my pocket.

I could see the mans face, and he was baffled. He called again with no result, and started to come after his dog on the driveway. "I must have some good treats," I said, but the man definitely didn't think that was funny, and grunted. He took the dog by his collar to move him away, and the dog faithfully followed him again.

I really didn't hope he would blame his dog, "I have a dog inside who is in heat," I said to clear out any misunderstandings. The man finally looked up at me and I could see he clearly misunderstood. "Hrmrm", he answered in one long grunt. He thought I was making fun of him. I better say nothing, I thought. I followed them going down the road, and the man regularly checked over his shoulder, if his old companion was still following him. At least, something happened for both of them today.