Mexican puppies

So interesting how different cultures view animals in different ways.  The difference between a Canadian's approach to animals and a Mexican's was sharply drawn last Sunday when we were at the after-wedding party at Jose's uncle's house.  The party was held on a big lawn under a tree overlooked by the two storey house.  Two dogs were on the roof looking down at the festivities, particularly interested in Natalia's little Shitzu pup running around on the grass. One was a big, handsome Rotweiller and the other a smaller white dog about the size of a small GSD.

Now in Canada, nobody keeps guard dogs up on the roof of their house but it is quite common in Mexico.  These dogs aren't really household pets; they're often left alone to bark at people who might come near the dwelling.  When we expressed an interest in the dogs, some of the little kids at the party took us up the stairs to the roof to meet them.

Well one of them anyway. The Rottie was in a caged area but this sweet one came over to us.  Her name is Maya and although you can't really see it in this photo she's beautiful--with blue eye and one brown eye.  While we were patting Maya, her four little puppies came out from under the stairs.  They're about four weeks old and they all have their father's Rottie markings.  And two of the four have their mother's eyes.  Aren't they adorable?

Once the kids found the puppies there was no stopping them.  They were picking them up and patting them and the mother was very accepting of it.  That is until two of kids carried a puppy downstairs leaving Maya behind. The owners of the house didn't seem to notice or care that the puppies had become playthings and the mother dog was worried.

One of the pups was being held by a child who couldn't have been more than two years old. This boy was carrying the dog by his hind feet and running around.  Harry and I and the other Canadians at the party were appalled.  Eventually Harry tried to go and get the kid to bring the puppy back upstairs but it wasn't going to happen.  The kid threw a tantrum and none of the parents seemed at all interested in the puppies welfare.

Eventually the little boy tired of his toy and Harry managed to bring it back upstairs.  But the other little puppy was taken away by an older boy about nine years old.  He bought the pup from the homeowners for about $8 Canadian and took it from its litter when it was only four weeks old.

We were all so worried about the puppies and the mother dog but the Mexicans at the party, all of whom are educated and upper class had no concern about what was going on.  We tried to console ourselves by remembering that these dogs at least have homes and are given food and water and some kind of shelter, even it if is under the stairs. In many parts of Mexico there are hundreds of dogs that don't even have that.

Two of the Canadian guests have decided to bring one of the other puppies back to Canada in a few weeks and Jose is helping them to make the required arrangements with a vet.  So at least one of this litter of pups will have a loving home.