More on the Camino Sanabrés - Dogs!

Dogs.  Anyone who has walked a Camino will react to that little word, though the creatures are not always little!  On the way we meet many of them.  There are those that open one eye, check you out for a while, and go back to sleep.  They are often the big dogs,  and sometimes those a little more concientous might give one "woof" as if to say "I've shown I'm a responsible guard dog, now on your way".

Then there are the little yappers!  They take their job seriously, yapping (can't cool it barking) until walkers are well and truly out of sight.  Most of these dogs are behind a fence, though for some, there is an imaginary barricade that they don't cross.

This little chapel was neither a yapper, or a woofer.  He was on a mission, but to where I  know not.

 

Yesterday I met a dog that wasn't behind a fence, and didn't have an imaginary barrier.  It was a terrier of some sort, and probably the most vicious I have encountered. He saw me coming and immediately recognised potential meat, racing ahead to the far end of his yard, which had no fence.  There, he started simultaneously barking and growling, teeth barred, and a look that said "turn around so I can have a piece of your leg".  I didn't!  We had a little dance for about 100 metres.  Me, not taking my eyes off him (using my peripheral vision), and holding my poles still, but in front of me, and walking backwards.  He, snarling the whole time, and every so often taking a bit of a jump towards me.  I would immediately lift my poles a few inches, which, fortunately, stopped him for a moment until the whole process started again.  All is well though, he didn't get a piece of me, he eventually lost interest, my heart rate returned to normal, and I continued on my way.

You will no doubt understand that there is no picture to add to this story.  I had other things on my mind!

Dogs barking help too along the way.  I use them as an audio guide.  If they start kicking up a din, there is a pretty fair chance that there is a pilgrim ahead of me, and from when the barking stops to when it starts gives me a guide to work out how far ahead they are, and if they are walking faster or slower than me.  Similarly, if dogs bark as I pass, and start barking again later, it is likely that there is a pilgrim hot on my heels!

I wrote this post ages ago, but I have been busy walking, trying to get sleep and not had time to do a catch up.  That will happen in the next few days.  Thus this post will have to suffice.  Those who know me, know that I am not really a dog (or cat) person, so I tend to forget to take photos, hence the lack of them on this post!