Copacabana, Rio de Janeiro: 27oC, sunny and slightly overcast.
I was up at 4 am and started exercising at home before leaving by 5. I reached the end of Leme by 5.20 am and was doing my TRX exercises by 5.25 am. Recently, I have noticed an old black man at the end of Leme whenever I arrive early in the morning. He is between 60 and 65 years old, approximately 1 meter 75, and appears strong.
I am unsure if he was in the armed forces in the past, but he seems polite, discreet, and highly disciplined. Since few people walk around at 5 am, meeting the same people every day or every other day creates a rapport that only needs to start with a simple “good morning”! When I arrived at the little public area designated for various communal activities, this old man was already there.
We complemented each other, and I began doing my exercises. Suddenly, a large dog, which looked like a mix between a Labrador and some different large breed of dog, started running and barking at the old man sitting on the circular wall with his back to the dog owners and the dogs.
The enormous dog had a champagne-coloured coat and looked like a mini polar bear. You have to do something when you suddenly notice a mini polar bear running towards you to attack!
When this old gentleman realised he was going to be attacked by this dog, he immediately got up, turned around and as the dog was now in front of him and still advancing, he began to swing his arms in front of himself as if he were swatting flies in the air as a way of protecting himself.
I have had medium to large dogs and have been in many confusions because of dogs and their owners. I know for a fact that there is a big difference between protecting yourself from a dog attack and wanting to hit or hurt a dog.
As the old gentleman began to wave his arms in the air, the dog stopped while still barking at him in an intimidating way. Then, finally, a middle-aged woman, who was the dog’s owner, came to try to stop the dog and guide it away from the old gentleman.
However, as soon as she had arrived and began to try to take the dog away, instead of apologising for what had happened, she immediately and verbally began to attack the old man, accusing him of wanting to hit or hurt her dog.
As I had said before, there is a big difference between wanting to hit or hurt a dog and trying to defend yourself from a possible dog attack or even just reacting due to the surprise factor involved of suddenly having a big dog appearing behind you and wanting or at least showing that he wants to rip your head off, or at least your arm.
The old man tried to justify and defend himself from the woman’s allegations, but she insisted that she and her dog were the victims, not the old man. For me, this showed various levels of hypocrisy that we live in today that are eroding and eating away at the foundations of a good and balanced society, without mentioning politeness, humility and decency.
When I had my boxers, Bruce and Petra were alphas and problematic with other dogs, but with people, no. Eventually, I had to stop taking them to public parks at peak times when there would be other dogs, as it was a guarantee that there would be confusion.
I would be the first person to apologise if my dogs had caused or begun confusion; I was obliged, and rightfully so, to recognise that they were my responsibility; so, the buck stops with me, so I had no problem apologising and resolving the situation. It was and is and should be until today for dog owners to own up and be responsible for the trouble their dogs may cause to other people and their dogs; a dog is a big responsibility!
I am trying to say that the woman should have been initially apologetic about the situation, as primarily her dog had caused a problem with an old man who was minding his own business. So, the question is, why wasn’t she apologetic? For me, this is the most interesting question.
Maybe because she loves her dog more than anything else, the dog can do no wrong. The dog owner is a woman, so for her to admit that her dog was in the wrong and to apologise is almost impossible. Or could it be that the best form of defence is to attack? Rather than apologising and admitting that the dog was in the wrong, it is better to transfer the blame to the old man and attack him instead.
The dog owner is a woman probably between 45 and 55 years old, well dressed, living in the south zone of Rio, and I am almost sure she is or was a civil servant because she had an air of arrogance and superiority about her that most Brazilian civil servants seem to acquire with their job; especially female ones.
They are higher or better than others. Even if some don’t know it, they unconsciously feel and show it.
As the old man was black, minding his own business, doing nothing wrong, and then accused of doing something that he didn’t do and had no intention of doing, for me, there is a specific dose of institutional prejudice that had happened here. She thinks that she has the right to say and do anything she wants because of unconditional woke racism, which is an epidemic in Brazil now, like a terminal cancer that has not been diagnosed yet.
From my experience with dogs and their owners, I have noticed that many female dog owners struggle to control their dogs. Dogs have strong personalities and can easily manipulate their owners if they are not given clear limits and boundaries. The owner needs to show their dog who is in charge by using a firm tone and establishing their power. If the owner fails to do so, the dog may end up controlling the owner.
I have seen female dog owners crying because they are unable to control their dogs, and as a result, the dogs begin to take control of the situation. For me, this situation was very interesting as it was, in some ways, what Brazil and maybe the world are going through at the moment.
Later in the day, I had classes and more classes to give whilst also thinking about what had happened earlier, and no Yasmin yet. On Tuesday, Yasmin usually comes to stay with me; however, as I have cancelled her functional training due to moving and saving money, it is not so important for her to come. If she wants, great; if not, no problem. As I am broke at the moment, it is better for me if she stays with her mother.
In bed by 9.00 pm.
Thank you.
Thanks for reading my blog. Check out my other posts and share your thoughts in the comments.
Richard
