My Dog's Personal Space Trick

There is an irritating habit some people have to make people get out of their way. This is usually done so that the person gains some advantage. My dog has learned this trick. I’ll call it the “personal space invader” or PSI. It often occurs in crowded retail settings like grocery stores, antique shows, and even when walking in the mall. For example, you are bending over a table observing the vendor’s wares. You suddenly feel an uncomfortably close individual moving into your personal bubble. Your first, instinctive reaction is to move slightly away. Exactly what the PSI wants. He is looking in the area where you were, and now moves slightly into your space again. Your hands almost touch, you can smell each other, all your instincts and upbringing tell you something is wrong. You move away more. He has won the game, and now can leisurely peruse the object you were considering buying. Sometimes he’ll snatch up a bargain that you wanted. If you observe the PSI, you will see he actually concentrates on tables where another is looking at something. Sometime you'll encounter a group of PSIs walking line abreast on a sidewalk or mall pathway. As they get closer, you instinctively move out of the way. They have an invisible cowcatcher that shoves their obstacles out of the path. The rudeness will increase if an item suddenly goes on sale or it appears to be running low on the shelves.

My dog Zoey has this trick down. She loves to make our larger dog Zephyr move from a prime couch spot. Keeping a façade of good doggy manners she makes no sudden movements, but slowly comes up to where Zephyr lies. He growls. Then she slowly puts two paws up beside him. After a moment she gets all four legs on the couch, straddling his curled form. Finally with a snarl he jumps up and moves away. Zoey then curls up in the pre-warmed spot and goes to sleep.

Zephyr could learn from my technique. When a PSI moves in, stand your ground! Don’t move an inch. If you are walking and a roller-ball team approaches to bump you aside, stop. Look at your watch or stare in a shop window, but don’t move! The PSI will have to go around you or actually knock into you. At the sale or bookshelf, become even more engrossed in what you are looking at. Say something like, “I could just look at this all day!” It works.