The World of Dogs - Places: Individual and Personal Places

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the World of Dogs

Individual and Personal Places

Individual and personal places are those where owners go with their dogs individually or in a small group, say when a couple or two friends take their dogs for a walk.

To find out what people do with their dogs, I conducted a free listing exercise in an anthropology methods seminar in which I asked a half-dozen to think of as many activities as they could in response to the question: "What do people do with their dogs?" Here are some of the major results, which I have categorized into types of activities. My interviewees included a bank teller, several writers, and a psychologist/counselor. This technique can be used to get an even greater understanding of the most common activities if you can included a great many people your survey, say 100 or more, and then you find the most common activities. Here are the most common activities mentioned in my small sample. I've starred (*) the ones that were mentioned the most.

Outdoors Activities
     Hiking*
     Power walk
     Beach walks
     Jogging
     Hunting*
     Swimming*
     Canoe
     Windsurf
     Cross-country skiing
     Ride up ski lifts
     Go to the dog park
     Take on a long trek

Play Activities
     Catch
     Frisbee*
     Wrestle
     Play ball

     Jump through hoops

     Go rollerblading
     Chase tennis balls
     Play keep away
     Play find the crackers

Social Activities

               Hang out in the bar
               Meet new people on the trail
               Sniff the babies in the neighborhood

Competitive and Training Activities

                Show in dog shows
                Obedience training
                Agility trials

Volunteer Activities
     Visit hospitals
     Visit nursing homes

Working Activities

               Herd sheep
               Clean the garage
               Rescue people in avalanches

Togetherness

                Eat breakfast together
                Sit on the couch and watch TV
                Work in your office with your dog
                Keep company while working
                Companionship

Therapy and Health

                Use dogs to stay active and alive to a ripe old age
                Visit the vet

Travel

                 Visit the neighbors
                 Ride in helicopters
                 Ride in the car

Communication and Intimacy

                 Love their dogs
                 Cuddle
                 Snuggle
                 Relax with
                 Tummy rubs
                 Talk
                 Warm your feet
                 Have sex (yes, a psychologist said
                       she knew people who did this)
                 Turn to their dogs for comfort and
                       reassurance

Safety and Security

                 Use for protection
                 Train to attack
                 Guard the house

Activities with Other Animals

                  Chase cats
                  Make fun of the cats

Other Activities

                  Watch people out the window
                  Go to the dog food store and browse
                  Enter look-alike contests

And a Few Negative Activities

                  Mistreat them
                  Dog fights

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