This morning, I was repeatedly told I was an idiot.
The backstory is familiar to the handful of people who read this blog. I am a nature photographer. To take pictures of birds, bears, or bugs, I use a telephoto lens stabilized with a monopod. It is my standard equipment on walks along woods, meadows, or beach. I am not alone in applying this rather successful recipe to wildlife images—it is the practice of most wildlife photographers (although some carry an even more bulky tripod).
The majority of the pictures that have appeared in this blog over the years have been taken in this way. Indeed, readers have ofttimes commented upon the sharpness or clarity of the resulting images.
Dogs find the bulk of my camera and its monopod to be a threat. Or at least that is the reason this morning’s dog walker gave when justifying the behaviour of his three off-leash dogs which had barked, bared their teeth, and charged me: “you are an idiot for carrying a big stick [the monopod].” This insult was repeated a number of times, just in case I initially had not grasped his own blamelessness for his dogs’ behaviours.
I responded that I am allowed to carry my “stick” but that he is not allowed to walk his dogs here. For curiously, the standoff took place past, but within sight of, one of the many signs BC Parks has posted around the Park. That sign (below) says:
The area past this sign is closed to all dogs at all times.
This is the second time this week that off-leash dogs have accosted me in this no-dog area. It seems that while I am allowed to carry a camera and others are not allowed to walk dogs, it is I who am the idiot. At least I am sufficiently literate to read signs.
. . . and they wonder why there is a Nelson dog problem!
Irresponsible dog owners appear to be everywhere!
Next time, take a photo of the idiot dog owner – imagine the title you’d give your blog about that animal!
You are not the idiot! Can’t believe people can be so stupid. They give us dog owners a bad name. Gail
Guess dogs can’t read and their owner is too ignorant to pay any attention to signs. That area needs some enforcement of regulations, too bad it all costs money.
Alistair, the story of the irresponsible dog owner angers me. So does the cutback in the number of conservation officers who used to protect our fauna and flora and parks, and enforce the respectful observance of the laws and rules to protect them. The dog owner in this case deserves the severest punishments which the law provides!
Great idea Jane Merks – only too bad that the dog owner would not be able to read the blog either.
Did you contact the conservation office? Otherwise, preaching to the choir.
Carol, I hadn’t intended to preach to anyone—I was merely recording an event in the same way I might tell of a seeing a squirrel or an eagle. Nevertheless, the appropriate authority has been informed.
I’m sorry you and others are having these kinds of encounters. The sign explains its purpose well and graciously; unlike others which could provoke a rebellious disregard in some individuals. A citizen’s patrol? – If we had the clout.- I’d be willing to put in some hours most weeks. Could the dog-walkers and non come together for a meeting—with an official present to explain the importance of abiding by the rules? When things are brought out into the light of the public arena like this are they not less likely to continue? Just that you have exposed this with postings, Alistair, it is a beginning. Let’s work on it.
Well, this certainly got the most comments of any of your postings that I have seen. I agree with Jane Merks about your taking the offenders’ pictures…and posting them! Perhaps the big stick you carry should be able to have a bullet come out one end. As sooon as there are three or more dogs together — any dogs — pack mentality sets in and they become very aggressive. One of the reasons I carry a hiking staff is for this very reason.
Margo, dogs see many innocuous things as threats; in the language of statistics, they register a overwhelming large number of false positives. Yet, this should not matter to others as it is the owner’s responsibility to prevent the dog from acting upon its bad assessments. It seems that some owners do not take this responsibility of pet ownership seriously.
Now, about the number of comments on my various postings: I don’t normally count, but as a result of your remark, I wondered. No, this is far from the most I have had of late. The greatest number of comments on a posting that I have noticed was for the Ogopogo of Kootenay Lake—a posting that contained many pictures and many words. This was followed closely in number by the Eagle at Sunrise—a posting with a single picture and no words.
I wonder what would happen if an aged man or woman who uses a walking stick, with 3 snarling dogs coming toward them?
I had a friend in Vancouver whose dog would become agitated when approached by Chinese people. The dog could not be convinced that this was irrational behaviour, and this led to many awkward moments. As you so eloquently put it, my friend was forced “to prevent the dog from acting upon its bad assessments”.
Doug, I am relieved that your friend didn’t assume that others must be idiots because his dog registered them as a false positive.