What's up with the pack of dogs on Frenchmen's Beach.
I was surrounded and bitten (good thing I was wearing jeans at the time) by one of those beach dogs the other day.
I was walking along Frenchmens and was hailed by a rasta eating some food - the dogs were surrounding he and I think that they thought that I was going to take their share of his food.
What ever the reason they should not have approached me with such aggression and the one that attacked me came from behind - I find that behaviour most aggressive and dangerous.
I am curious to know if anyone else has had similar expieriences with these dogs.

My niece and nephew who were visiting Jamaica for the first time went for a walk on the beach and had to turn back. They said they appear as if they would attack.

This cannot be allowed to continue. Who are their owners?

Dogs seem to gather in packs if they have no caretaker/owner.

If there are no owners/caretakers and the dogs are to be saved, either they should be adopted or neutered. Thats if they really pose a threat to people.

If you watch Austin Stevens or any of the animal handlers, not everyone has the knack of keeping cool around wild or semi wild animals.

I am 'Dog Puppa' as my Great Bay friends will confirm. My dogs listen and know how to move around people and protect not hurt.

Then again, there probably have been dogs (Aons) for the last 1,500 years or so in TB.

Hi Mr. Turey! Any chance you will be around next weekend when my friends and I are visiting there, walking on that beach? I am a little afraid of scary dogs due to the fact my daughter was violently attacked when she was little, had her ear bitten off! Don't know if I can keep my composure in the face of a PACK. It would be great to have some protection. ;)

Adding our experience to others' we'd in the past assumed the beach dogs were well behaved and more fun than a bother, even barking at night. We even named the one REALLY CUTE PUPPY "the master" because he would succeed at begging where the other curs failed. Still, on one morning walk a dog accosted and threatened by where the path from just below the Hotel goes to the beach. The dog had to be driven off with a lot more than simple command and was a true downer. Dogs, like rats and mosquitos have a density limit which the Frenchman's pack have apparently exceeded. Although only one encounter, it really wasn't fun and discouraged us from solitary walks.

Hi Littlemamalisa, I doubt that you will have problems with dogs while in TB.

Dogs may become agressive when something threatens them, their pack or their pups. I don't see y'all doing that.

There is no way to predict if your daughter will encounter dogs and become anxious. I'm sure there are ways to help her overcome her fear. It would help her if those around kept their cool.

To lessen visitors possible fears: To the best of my knowledge there are no packs of dogs wandering around TB looking for people to bite. I have come across groups of dogs who are friends and meet on the beach for a romp and to enjoy snacking on rotting sea creatures. I usually met them early morning in Great Bay. I don't know the situation in Frenchmans.

Most visitore come from places where pets are registered and kept on leashes. Many may become anxious with dogs wandering freely in some places.

I regret not having the chance to be protector to a blonde a brunette and a redhead as I'm still in foreign.

van
thats the same place that i was bitten
i too had been a lover of those beach dogs
but the number of them seems to have grown

turey
you said that dogs may become aggressive when threatened = the only threatening action i made was to smile at the rasta

i don't think that the dogs are running around looking for people to bite

i think that they are very hungry and i have even seen them start trying to take peoples bags and ting off the beach

i think that it is important for us to remember that these beach dogs are not like house dogs in foreign

I am really sorry that you were bitten but these dogs are not wild and most are still puppies. They are fed but like most dogs are scavengers. You need to speak to the owner, anyone on the street will tell you who they belong to and if you get no satisfaction then you need to do what they do in foreign.

I was greeted by the same pack of pups one late night last week. Most were puppies and forced me to stop and give them a little attention. Once I pulled their little teeth from my shirt, they walked me the rest of the way home. The only trouble was trying to close the gate without letting them in. =) I enjoyed their company.

Maybe playfulness is being interpreted as agression.

Still, Van's experience may be an indication that neutering may be an option eventually.

A simple operation. Any other ideas? Dog poisoning is not acceptable and will create repercussions! Regardless of what some consider to be traditional.

It's a good thing to catch such issues before they cause problems. If there is a problem.

Stand your ground, act like a pack leader and Shsst like the dog whisperer!

A very good dog story

Dogs on the beach is a cultural reflection of TB, like goats and cows on the road. Jus' watch yu step, or shout out "ki dawg" when yu see dem!

Shout out what?
Does "ki" sound like key?
(Being from West Virginia, I'm probably already pronouncing "dawg" correctly....)

Not like key-------Like kiwi,with the wi off.
{KI DAWG}

How do you pronounce the word 'kiwi' if its 'ki' is different from 'key'

Who knows about about 'black mout' dog and brindle dog.

Do you look in a strange dog's eyes or do you look away?

Who ever hear dog talk?

In town they sey "go-whe daag". Us Dog Puppa cannot pass a canine without an exchange of some kind. Some yard cyan enter if dog nuh like yuh.

Hey Turey, its Littlemamalisa! I enjoyed every meet and greet with the puppies in TB this last week! They seemed friendly and just enjoying their day and our attention! Thanks for making me relaxed about them approaching when we conversed prior to my trip!
Even the dogs in TB practice LOVE AND RESPECT!

Turey,

You sound like my brother in law. Dogs LOVE him!
I think he could get in any yard.

Dog lover: the phrase "ki dawg" means "move (as in flee!!) dog". turey gave you a good explanation too. I'm not sure where it came from. I used it in a poor attempt at humour, considering I'm a dog lover and owner of one myself. The phrase would be more appropriate if, say, you were being harassed by a "mawga dawg" which will "tun roun' bite yu".

Glad all went well Littlemamalisa.

I'm sure the puppies enjoyed meeting you.

Yes Mrs R, in the big cities seeing the boss often means passing the secretary test.

In Yard, we often have to pass the yard dog test first.

Look, smell the air come and take a close-up sniff if bold, then decide if you are worthy of entering their domain. Some demand play of some kind too. Some watch you out the corner of their eyes and will sneak up behind and give a nip...just to test.

My dogs watched over my kids from infancy, guarded the four quarters of the yard at night and chased ground lizards and the odd mongoose in the day between dozing off.

If I said the word "rat" the pack would gather immediately and work as a team to catch the invader. I never gave them formal training, only care, as good food as possible and communicated with a stern unwavering eye and the right tones of correction or command. 'Listening' and responding to them was really the key in sealing trust. As between us humans.

Once a particularly bright and facety brindle bull went up to a client who was a high ranking diplomat and did #1 on his leg. He loved the joke. Brindle was only establishing HIS territory in the face of a possible and powerful invader.