Reservation dogs

From a blog on rural life in the U.S.:

"Certainly, on a very realistic level, one can make the case that reservation dogs are not very well cared for and can present a hazard to themselves and the community. They run wild, over breed and seldom see the veterinarian. But on a lighter, philosophical level, I think rez dogs possess a dignity denied the suburban dog. Rez dogs seem to have places to go and important business to attend. They trot down the road with their eyes fixed on some distant errand. They attach themselves to dwellings where people feed them, occasionally pat them and generally don't drive them off, but they definitely have their own society.

When Indians speak to their dogs, the dogs will look up and smile, happy to be noticed. They wear their goofy grins as they stroll around the edges of a powwow and seem pleased that the "doings" are going so well. But rez dogs know their place and seem to have a genuine pride in this structure. One senses that they'd be insulted at the dandified shows of affection bestowed upon the suburban dog.

Safe and healthy with his trips to the groomer and store-bought toys, the suburban dog seems stripped of his "dog-ness" and to my mind, often wears a look of resignation as he eats his diet dog food. The Rez dog, however, ragged and underfed, a cloud of dust emerging from his coat when you pat him, always wears a smile."