This animal fits well within his many daily changing environmental conditions and parts for him to play—cute begging “poor dog” for the Western tourists, competitive trash marauder among other dogs, agile traffic dodger—because he developed within and because of these conditions. He is right where he belongs, where nature has designed him to be. He is right at home, this dog of the world. We Westerners often want to “rescue” him from these circumstances, though he might not need rescuing at all.

Even when his cards are down, the village dog enjoys a richness of experience that many captive animals do not. Life may not always be easy for him, but his L.E.G.S.®—his learning, his environment, his genetics, and his self—work well together in harmony and balance. He has what so many of our beloved dogs have largely lost, as they have been taken in and granted the many luxuries that we provide as our pets: control over his own choices. He has the autonomy to engage all four of his L.E.G.S. in balance with each other, employing his genes to his environment as he continues to learn how to make the best of his unique journey on earth.

Mixed breed

Our pet dog does not have the same options or opportunities. Leash laws, pet owner liability, and our personal commitment to our companion’s well-being dictates that we make many choices for him. Left to his own devices in any American city, a pet dog will almost surely find himself in great trouble or danger in short order. He lacks the skills to hack it without our guidance. That’s the deal, right or wrong. We are in the precarious and profoundly important position of walking a very thin line for him, then, if we are to offer any semblance of balance to our canine friends.

Mixed breed

We must recognize his need to have control over his own choices whenever possible, giving him as many appropriate chances to express himself naturally without constraints as we can—in the woods, in the yard, at the lake, on the beach, and in our homes. At the same time, we must never forget our role as his captain. We sail on a certain ship together in this modern pet relationship—one built of fences, leashes, and walls—that he will never be able to sail on his own.

So let’s try to acknowledge the drive our dogs have for a little taste of freedom—whether they are world dogs of mixed heritage or pure breeds. We have a responsibility to let our pets make their own choices when we can. Let’s let them decide whether to come in or go out, to go over or under, to get on or get off, to come now or come later, to approach or to leave, to be touched or not, to play or to sleep. They are indeed captive animals as our pets, even if they are spoiled rotten; but they don’t have to be prisoners.