A week earlier, when we arrived at our Airbnb in Valladolid, we were out in the back yard at the pool and heard a dog barking. We couldn’t see it, but it had become aware of us and was barking its alarm. I mentioned that it sounded like it was on top of the house. Liam said, “Oh yeah, it’s a roof dog.” He explained to me that they had learned on their last trip to Mexico that dogs are often found on roofs. I incorporated that expression into my vernacular.
Much of the construction we saw in Mexico was of buildings with flat-topped roofs. In multiple places, and especially in Guanajuato with its homes packed like spilled Lego down the hillside (as Derrick described them), it is too congested to have courtyards for dogs to run around, and it makes total sense to me that the pets are put onto the roof.
(Actually, if you know me, you know I really can’t stand dogs – sorry! not sorry. And the easier solution is to not have a dog. But I do recognize that I’m in the minority and most people want to have these filthy, noisy beasts in their homes with them. Acknowledging this, I think it’s pretty clever and funny to have dogs on the roof.)
I wish I had more photos of them for you. We saw them all the time. Sometimes they would start up the Twilight Bark (a la 101 Dalmatians dog alert system), and I could imagine it would be an effective means of messaging each other, when everyone shouts from rooftop to rooftop.
While I can’t comprehend wanting a dog in the family, it makes perfect sense to me to want a cat in the family, heheh. We saw cats too, like this very handsome one. But only a few, compared to the many dogs.
Pedro told me a story about Guanajuato’s dogs. He noticed on this visit that there were fewer strays and he believes it is a result of an active campaign by community members to rescue them. In the past, he recalled, stray dogs were a problem. They were numerous and troublesome, plaguing every neighborhood and its pedestrians as they tried to find food and shelter. Then community members began a program to capture and house them. When anyone spotted a dog that seemed unhoused, it was reported on facebook, with a description and a location. Soon, someone would find it, capture it, and adopt it. One by one, dogs were grabbed and compelled into homes to be loved and fed and watered and tamed. They were subjected to trips to the veterinarian. The efforts have paid off. Nearly every dog we saw seemed to have a family.
Not all of them, though.
One evening we went to a family party at the home of yet another of Pedro’s siblings homes. This was in a different part of town, outside the center, where many homes did have room for a garden and space for a pup to run around on the dirt. But still, on a fancy upscale home right next to us, there was another roof dog. Hey – a good idea is a good idea. He kept an eye on us all night, and barked at us periodically to remind us that he was still there.
I’ve been stuck for some time now, unable to post because I’m sifting through a thousand images from Mexico and finding it hard to find a single topic to write about. But “roof dogs” wouldn’t let me go, and now you have learned this funny phrase to say too!
Conscious Engagement 
Well, if I didn’t see you with bestia, I would have a completely wrong opinion of you after reading this. Or maybe you were just so good at keeping your opinion to yourself. 😀 But you took some lovely photos of him so I think you two had a good relationship. I dread visiting places with many strays. My heart is breaking. It’s like seeing little hungry kids crawling all over. But good, their system as you describe it seems to be working. I hope the roof dogs have a good shade and fresh water. I can just imagine the heat up there. I love the pup among the flowers the most, and strangely, the pigeon.
Yes, I keep my opinions to myself, and I care for all living things – dogs can’t help themselves, so of course I am not rude to them. Your bestia is not a barker, and that makes a big difference for me. Yes, the facebook system is a good idea and I’m glad it’s working. I got two good shots of that pigeon. I think the lighting and focus and framing all just worked out. :o) In the post about Pipila, post before last, you can see another photo of the dog in the flowers and cacti. ❤
Interesting! Roof Dogs is a new term to me(thanks for the education). It makes perfect sense though, with the style of architecture in Mexico. I’m not a dog lover either, although all of my boys now have multiple pups at their homes. It’s definitely not an inherited opinion, haha!
It is possible that Liam made up the term, but I think it’s a good one. ha ha. Not liking dogs has come in handy for me when I lived alone and traveled. My cat was fine for four days without me, but it would be irresponsible for a dog owner to leave a dog for four days – at least the way I understand dog care. So there was never any reason for me to learn to like them.
Obvious writer hates dogs as stated. The poor animals rot in the heat of the roof, unwatered or fed. They have burns, injuries and are not pets. They are up there to bark and alert. The more I find out about this world, the list of places to visit becomes shorter.
Hi Cathy, thanks for your input. The way you describe the situation implies that you have been there yourself and investigated, and are not making assumptions. I think you should get to know some dog owners in Guanajuato before you condemn the whole city to animal abuse. This is the same city in which neighborhood organizers began a facebook campaign to adopt stray dogs. They teamed up to identify, track down, and capture stray dogs to get them veterinary care and good diets and then foster them till a forever home could be found. In just a few years the streets were almost completely cleared of unhoused dogs! It’s a beautiful story, not only for the dogs, but to illuminate the enormous love that these Mexicans have for animals.
(Jackie says “tell her we are with her”) Thanks for the link to my comment.
That’s so funny. I’ve just given Jackie a wink and a smile. I was careful not to offend the toy nerds and copied your correct use of “Lego.”
Hi Crystal. Peggy and I are just back fro Southern Africa where we didn’t see any roof dogs but we saw tree baboons, but mainly they hang out on the ground. We did see roof dogs in Egypt, however, some very impressive roof dogs. Grin.
Welcome back you two!! Seeing wild game on the African continent is definitely a bucket-list trip for me and I am quite eager to see what stories and photos you brought back. I’m also curious about what kinds of memories came back for you. I don’t know if you were anywhere near Liberia on this trip, but some things must have reminded you of your Peace Corps work years ago.
Does it ever happen to you – it must – that you have so many photos you don’t know where to begin? I am stuck and I need to unstick myself and finish up these posts!!
We visited a village as one of our tours, Crystal. It certainly served as a reminder. Also, my trip to East Africa during my Peace Corps time came back in full force.
Ah, photos. Peggy and I took 4,000 this trip! I get it totally. This week is devoted to processing and organizing them, which I am doing by animal. Each of my next posts will be devoted to one animal, or type of animal at a time.