An odd occurrence with some dogs.

[Hindsight Man]

Not exactly sure where to post this,but this place seems kind of apropos for ''something strange''.Anyway way back when I was 8 or 9 or something,I was playing outside. Now this was in Russia so it was a big open yard with several multistory houses facing in.Our window was obscured by a tree,so when my mum wanted to call me home she'd just yell. Keep in mind I was about 60 or so meters from the house.I was playing on a swing when a roaming pack of dogs (which are quite common there) were making their way towards me.I knew I'd never be able to outrun them (roaming dogs are basically wolves of the city,as they have been known to attack/eat people).I had hoped they might walk around and not approach me,but no such luck.I felt my heartbeat quicken as they made a slow beeline for me (these dogs were almost as big as me at the time) and I stopped swinging and started fearing for my life.But once they got within 2-3 meters of me,they just stopped and started staring.As I was still very religious at the time,I started praying.Then something odd happened.The dogs sat around me in a circle and started howling.Not barking,but actually howling,like wolves.I didn't even know dogs could howl.Then I heard my mum calling me home and my heart sank.I couldn't leave the circle (I was still sitting on the swing,sweating with fear) and I didn't really feel like yelling,seeing as it could be seen as provocation by them.But my mother was determined to get a response,yelling for me again and again and I knew that either she'd come out looking for me and something bad might happen or I might get in trouble upon my return home.I decided to roll the dice and yell that I wanna stay out.The dogs didn't react,it was like they didn't even hear it.They just sat in a circle,facing the same way as me.Then as abruptly as they arrived,they got up and waddled off.I was left dumbfounded and have for many years remembered that moment wishing to understand what in the blue hell happened.Any ideas guys?

 

[Ronnie]

Hey There, Hindsight Man.....
I have some insights about this. I don't know if it will ring for you.

They just sat in a circle,facing the same way as me

I see this as a 'bonding' gesture. You were not seen as a 'threat'. You may have even been seen as a 'puppy'.
This was a Fabulous movie... about how dogs see their world and us.
http://cassiopaea.org/forum/index.php/topic,35017.0.html

 

[Hindsight Man]

Perhaps,but I have my doubts,seeing as prior to and past that event,I had been attacked by dogs many times,so I don't see what in the world could have made those particular ones act in the manner that they did.

 

[Jones]

You didn't act like prey, so they didn't treat you as though you were.
Dogs, particularly wild dogs, are accustomed to their prey trying to escape them and part of the joy of the hunt for them is the thrill of the chase. So to them if you don't run, then you are not prey.
The 'slow beeline' and 'staring' that you mention are common in the range of prey testing behaviours for dogs.

 

[edgitarra]

I've ordered this books recently, haven't read it yet, but it might give more insights about your situation. It is called "Dogs that know when their owners are coming home" !
Link for info
http://www.sheldrake.org/books-by-rupert-sheldrake/dogs-that-know-when-their-owners-are-coming-home

This Sheldrake mister is an interesting person.

 

[Delizco]

Hi there. I have had similar experiences, many strange encounters with animals my whole life. I do agree with Ronnie that this could have been a "bonding gesture." I have worked in the veterinary field for a few years, and pretty sure my mind would have exploded if I saw a rabid dog submit to someone like that. I do feel it was more of a submissive act on their part. Thats why I think they laid down,for whatever reason.... I think they may have just stayed standing, circled you, smelled you if they didnt feel they had to submit to you. But again, thats interesting seeing that you were so fearful, and rightfully so. Just my thoughts :)Thanks for sharing this !
Danielle

 

[Vic]

Hi Hindsight


Well, you've had a few ideas based on logic as to the cause of the dogs behaviour. To me they are 'safe' ideas that seem not to want to look at more metaphysical causes.


I was in a similar situation in Palestine in the eighties. I was over there for a few months (at that time I had no idea about the truth of our reality) and had messed up on a moshav and was making my way down to another one. I had been given rough directions but took a wrong turn off the main road and found myself walking down a lane that opened into a farm. Recently the media had been reporting on the rise in attacks by guard dogs. They were debating about the law in terms of the responsibility and accountability of owners. At that time it was zero. People had died at the hands of guard dogs and the owners weren't being prosecuted. No guesses on what ethnicity the owners and victims happened to be.


Anyway I came into a sort of courtyard, looked to my right and saw three dogs standing there about ten feet from me. They were some breed of bulldog, but they were bigger than anything I'd ever seen. I felt as though they were looking right into my mind. There was a massive calm about them, but at the same time a threat. It was incredibly quiet. At the instant I saw them my heart seemed to jolt and I realised there was a strong possibilty I would die. It felt like slow motion as I walked slowly, slower than I had been, away to the left that went into an open field. I waited for those dogs to fly into action. Nothing happened.


I saw a barbed wire fence at the edge of the field and prayed that i would get there before the dogs reacted. Obviously I would have just thrown myself on to it as it would probably save my life. before I got near the fence though a car screeched up and the driver, aggressive, shouted some hebrew at me. I ended up in the car. The driver was questioning me so I played the nutty but harmless Englishman. The guy said i was lucky to be alive and that he couldn't understand why the dogs hadn't done their job.


As we passed the dogs on the way out the dogs finally reacted. It was like they came out of a trance. They leapt at my side of the car in full attack mode.


For a while I tried to make sense of it. It was nothing to do with a lack of fear. I was in fear believe me. If dogs do sense fear then they could not have failed to sense mine. Other things happened to me during that period that defied explanation. In the end I put it down to being looked after by a higher energy, god, universe etc.


What are your deeper thoughts on your experience, Hindsight?

 

[Hindsight Man]

What are your deeper thoughts on your experience, Hindsight?

Well all of you guys gave me something to look into.So thanks, but at this point I can't form an opinion without reading/searching some more. :)

 

[Hindsight Man]

Just to be clear though,I posted this in psi because I originally thought this might have ''paranormal'' angle,but it's pretty obvious that there likely are much more ordinary explanations for this.

 

[Vic]

Just to be clear though,I posted this in psi because I originally thought this might have ''paranormal'' angle,but it's pretty obvious that there likely are much more ordinary explanations for this.

Like what? apart from those mentioned already. As you say, you posted it in psi - what ideas did/do you have to make you do that?

 

[Laura]

I think that an extraordinary amount of time has been devoted to what really amounts to just a cool story to tell over dinner.

 

[Hindsight Man]

Just to be clear though,I posted this in psi because I originally thought this might have ''paranormal'' angle,but it's pretty obvious that there likely are much more ordinary explanations for this.

Like what? apart from those mentioned already. As you say, you posted it in psi - what ideas did/do you have to make you do that?

Honestly,looking back to the actual event,I was very religious at the time and as I mentioned I was praying while the dogs were around me.Back then I thought some ''divine power'' saved me,I suppose that despite shaking off the religion,the feeling itself remained until now.Also the fact that I know very little about canine behavior contributed to this. :)

 

[Hindsight Man]

I think that an extraordinary amount of time has been devoted to what really amounts to just a cool story to tell over dinner.

How so?A few short posts aren't exactly a huge amount of time.Besides,it's not time wasted,since I realized that (at least) some of my memories are warped by the perception I had at the time.That is to say,the ''I'' that I am now is not applied when trying to understand a memory and instead I think with the ''I'' that I was in that memory.Hope that makes sense.

 

[Buddy]

How so?

From my perspective, it's likely because your interesting experience calls for conjecture and speculation which could be infinite and resolve unsatisfactorily for you. :)

Perhaps,but I have my doubts,seeing as prior to and past that event,I had been attacked by dogs many times,so I don't see what in the world could have made those particular ones act in the manner that they did.

Read Jones' reply again. I learned this from my own childhood experience:

You didn't act like prey, so they didn't treat you as though you were.
Dogs, particularly wild dogs, are accustomed to their prey trying to escape them and part of the joy of the hunt for them is the thrill of the chase. So to them if you don't run, then you are not prey.
The 'slow beeline' and 'staring' that you mention are common in the range of prey testing behaviours for dogs.

The remaining behavior of the dogs could be explained by positing that some energetic change in the environment outside your sensory range induced by your praying behavior simply triggered a doggy instinct to sit and witness or give vocal expression until things returned to normal?

I'm only suggesting this because it's a theory I formed during some Native American studies years ago. And that's all I can offer.

 

[Hindsight Man]

How so?

From my perspective, it's likely because your interesting experience calls for conjecture and speculation which could be infinite and resolve unsatisfactorily for you. :)

Perhaps,but I have my doubts,seeing as prior to and past that event,I had been attacked by dogs many times,so I don't see what in the world could have made those particular ones act in the manner that they did.

Read Jones' reply again. I learned this from my own childhood experience:

You didn't act like prey, so they didn't treat you as though you were.
Dogs, particularly wild dogs, are accustomed to their prey trying to escape them and part of the joy of the hunt for them is the thrill of the chase. So to them if you don't run, then you are not prey.
The 'slow beeline' and 'staring' that you mention are common in the range of prey testing behaviours for dogs.

The remaining behavior of the dogs could be explained by positing that some energetic change in the environment outside your sensory range induced by your praying behavior simply triggered a doggy instinct to sit and witness or give vocal expression until things returned to normal?

I'm only suggesting this because it's a theory I formed during some Native American studies years ago. And that's all I can offer.

Thanks for the clarification man. :)