CHAPTER 61

Original (published on Evergreen News): 2002-06-02

Rewritten: 2025-06-27

I have always had a wish, which is to have a dog. Since I can't, I changed to dog walking.

I live in an apartment, and the bylaws stipulate that pets cannot be kept. My eldest son Lun has a phobia of animals, so I can't keep one. I can only comfort myself that maybe when I move to a new residence after retirement, I can have a dog for fun.

Lun is naturally afraid of dogs. When he sees a dog or cat from a distance, he will scream and turn around and run away. Therefore, we are most afraid of encountering a dog when taking him for a walk on the road, for fear that he will run out of the road in fear and have an accident.

When going to the park and the beach, we must also make sure to see if there are warning signs prohibiting dogs from entering. If there are, we can walk with peace of mind. What makes us most upset is when we encounter unruly dog ​​owners who drag their dogs for a walk in the restricted area, or even  let them walk around without leash. This caused us to get nervous in order to protect Lun.

Lun’s fear of dogs also infected his younger brother. He saw Lun afraid of dogs since he was a child, and his parents also became nervous at the same time. Naturally, he was wary of dogs and had an inexplicable fear. I have loved animals since I was a child, and often read related books and watched animal documentaries. Under such influence, Lun's younger brother also loves animals and wants to see a real dog. I remembered the animal protection association near my home, so I took him there to visit on Sunday.

The dogs in the cages are also quite neurotic. Most of them bark when they see strangers. The younger son chooses to watch from a distance. After a few times, he has more confidence and dares to approach the dog cage. Later, he also likes a white German Shepard.

Raising a dog is a lot of work, and it also requires more expenses. Third, I don’t have time to accompany the dog. After understanding my situation, the staff of the Animal Protection Association suggested that I volunteer to take the dog for a walk. This is a good idea. Starting from the end of April, every weekend and Sunday morning, I signed in at the association, took a few plastic bags, and waited for senior volunteers to assign dogs for everyone to walk together.

I am a novice, and these experiences are both fresh and unforgettable. Don’t underestimate any dog. When it drags you to run, it consumes a lot of volunteers’ energy. After taking the dog for a walk on the first day, my hands and feet were sore. Although it was strenuous, I was very satisfied. Because I realized my childhood wish, which was to take the dog for a walk.

After walking twice, I persuaded my younger brother to walk the dog with me. This time I took a big dog. It has a gentle personality and loves children. When resting halfway, it licked my younger son’s face. On the way back, it suddenly lay in the middle of the road and played with the dog chain. After returning home, my son told me that he felt that the dog was too troublesome and didn’t want to walk the dog with me again. Fortunately, he was willing to express his feelings. From being afraid of dogs to walking them by my side, it is a big improvement. I am already satisfied. There is a long way to go. Whether he loves dogs or not is his personal matter. As for me, being able to have fun with dogs without adding to my life and financial burden is the best arrangement.