The search for Bandit

At the beginning of this trip, I told Chris we needed a dog sidekick to make the South American adventure complete. The dog would be a scrappy and cute little thing, we could tie a bandana jauntily around his neck, and his name would be Bandit. Bandit would get a leash fashioned out of rope, and follow us merrily throughout the continent, having wonderful adventures.

But almost immediately, I realized the Bandit fantasy could never be a reality. Eventually, Bandit would have to be left behind because Bandit would not be welcomed on buses, planes, in hotels, and most especially, the USA. There would be tears. Possibly a scene where I try to make him leave and he doesn’t understand, and he keeps following, and I have to say, “Go! Go away Bandit!” and then I have to throw a rock and he skitters off, completely sad and hurt and confused. That would never work.

But the idea of Bandit is still alive and well, probably because I have been traveling through the Land of the Stray Dog. They are everywhere. Big packs of mangy, wormy, hungry, and mean stray dogs. I walk by packs of them and curse my doctor in Hawaii for not insisting on me getting a rabies shot. These dogs would literally kill most dogs in the US, and they are definitely not Bandit material. I would get a serious disease if I adopted my Bandit off the street.

The only potential Bandit candidates are already owned by other people who obviously love and care for their dogs, and I can’t take one of those (although there were two beagles on a leash on Buenos Aires that I seriously considered stealing). So I am left with the strays. Bob Barker would have a field day out here; the need to spay and neuter your pets is at an all time high in Brazil and Argentina.

Some parents tell their children there are hungry children in China and/or Africa to get them to eat their dinner. If your dog could understand you, I think telling your dog you will send it to Argentina if it is naughty, would make it behave. This place is hardcore for dogs.

So my Bandit is yet to be found, but I will continue to be on a look out. Today we went to a husky breeding facility, and there were several possible Bandits. Then, one kissed me near my mouth and I was afraid I had contracted worms, and that ruined it for me.

The search for Bandit continues…