No, its just a dog!

Dogs are popular pets in the Philippines and there are usually a number of semi-feral dogs feeding on scraps in most villages. The most common local dog is an Askal, a bundle of fluff that may weigh as much as 20 pounds. Toy breeds are popular companion animals and I’ve seen a scattering of slightly larger dogs, usually retrievers that may weigh as much as 45 pounds.
I suppose the prevalence of small dogs can be attributed to the colonization of the Philippines. Many of the Askals are probably descendents of 15th and 16th century ship dogs. I’ll do a bit of research on the subject when I have some time.
Whatever the case, few residents are prepared for the sight of a real DOG, like my 100 pound Staffordshire Terrier (aka, “pit bull”). Jericho and I walk a few miles every day and peoples’ reactions are pretty predictable. “Oh, my GOD!” is the most common reaction and my favorite response is “no, he’s just a dog.” Said with a big smile, I usually get a laugh or a grin in reply and that’s enough to break the ice.
The locals often have an unspoken question as well; “will he hurt the children?” If you are familiar with the breed, you know that pit bulls were originally bred to protect children, but that bit of arcane knowledge is beyond most of the local residents—and many Americans as well. I’m quick to point out that he loves children … because they taste good. Said with a big grin, that also gets a good chuckle.
Jericho is fond of people and generally well behaved. I’ve trained him to sit beside me whenever we meet someone and that helps to reduce anxiety as well. We’ve now gotten to the point that most people say hello to him when we walk, but it’s been a long process. I’ve worked hard to make sure that people are not afraid of him because I’d like to avoid problems caused by his size and the reputation of pit bulls in general.
Coincidentally, children seem to understand most readily. We lived in a rented townhouse while our home was being built and initially most people just watched us from behind locked gates. One day, a 2 year old girl broke free from her nanny, ran out, and threw her arms around Jericho’s neck. He responded with a big, sloppy kiss and all of the tension in our neighborhood vanished. And, he was the hit of last year’s Halloween party. A red satin cape was a perfect compliment to his pointed ears. Children and adults alike lined up to be photographed with him.
If you’ve read my earlier posts, you probably guessed that there is a point to this rambling. Living in a foreign country, we notice lots of things that are strange to us. Occasionally, we forget that we are strange to the locals as well. Life is much better when your neighbors are comfortable with you, and you can do a lot to help break the ice. Having Jericho sit when he meets someone is just the tip of the iceberg. I go out of my way to be friendly, greet everyone with a big smile, and do what I can to help them understand me. In the townhouse community, I even conducted free and informal Conversational English lessons for young people preparing to work overseas and my time was well repaid. We were invited to every neighborhood party or local fiesta and our neighbors brought as an endless supply of local dishes “just to try.”
Yes, life in the Philippines is wonderful, and you can do a lot to make the experience rewarding for yourself and your neighbors.