I once portrayed the experience of living with a dog under one roof. Dogs are the most time-consuming and duty-burdening animals of those domesticated by humans. Apart from the period when Mela lived in my place, I played host to her and looked after her several times before and a few times after that. I realise taking care of a dog, especially on one’s own might be a nuisance, but I have also discovered how big a potential for building a relationship with a dog exists. Some would argue fostering a connection with an animal is much easier than with a fellow human and it is hard to prove them wrong.
Except for Mela who for some time was a household member, in January 2025 I took care of a 10-month old Border Collie for two weeks. Dogs of that breed are smart, yet demanding as hell too and looking after them, so that a BC fulfils its potential, takes a lot of time and dedication. Around that time I realised with the specifics of my work, i.e. being away from home for more than ten hours frequently and with one or two business trips per month, becoming a dog’s only minder was out of reach, but I could organise my work in such manner that I would work from home for a week or two when someone else’s dog would be staying at my place.
For starters in putting it into practice my friend and I chose Ringo – my friend’s mother’s enormously stressed-out dog. The case was more than difficult, but at the beginning the fearful dog appeared to be calm and trustful when by my side. We had a few meetings to break ice and for the passing week, Ringo was meant to holiday in my place.
To cut long story short, on the second day of his stay, the dog was so anxious enough, to become aggressive and to bite me severely on an attempt to take him for a walk (in the past he had been so scared of venturing outside that he could stay home for up to 36 hours without pissing). After this bout of aggression, the friend must have hurriedly turn up to take Ringo away, while I ended up in a hospital with the wounds inflicted by the aggressive dog. Luckily, neither tendons nor muscles have been fractured and I am already pulling through (with a ban for any physical exercise which might cause bleeding in effect until Tuesday), though scars on the skin might keep me company for months or even for a lifetime.
For some time, I will not be trying to hit it off with any dog. After going overboard with alcohol in February I feel repulsion towards alcohol which has not eased off markedly. Now, after being attacked by a dog at my home, I will feel diffident towards them for a while. For posterity, the night I spent with Ringo under my roof was the period of most acute stress I experienced since several years. Each day I have to tackle challenging or rather nerve-wracking situations and handle them, but I am not accustomed to fearing being physically attacked by any creature. Being at such peril has made me appreciate the safety I am in the luck to have a part of my daily grind.
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