Rez Dogs

[THE PILGRIM]

That Sheep Dog thread got me to thinking about Rez Dogs.
Rez Dogs are packs of feral dogs running loose on Indian Reservations.
Out this way, the Navajo Reservation (Big Rez) is by far the largest and usually Rez Dogs here refer to their loose running dogs.
Last Fall I was up that way spending the night at Kayenta, AZ.
Kayenta is located on the Big Rez and it’s an all Indian town.
The off Reservation businesses like the Hampton Inn I was staying in are sited on leased land.
This Hampton is a neat place to stay and they have a Dining Room.
One of the few, maybe the only one.
There’s a display of Navajo Dwellings and history next door, so I walked over to see that.
Then I walked on over to a nearby Burger King to see a Code Talker Display.
It was just before I got to the Burger King that I saw the dogs.
About 8-10 scrawny desperate looking animals.
There weren’t agressive, just menacing.
When I came out of the Burger King they were still nearby.
They actually didn’t pay that attention to me.
They are a problem all over the Navajo Reservation.

 

[WuzzFuzz]

I thought that large place there in Keyenta was now owned by the Navajos..Used to be a Holiday Inn way back when...

Also back then there was a little cafe, across the street to the north, across the highway, had the best Navajo bread anywhere....With Mutton...MMMMM...Good. But it burnt down many moons ago...Another place I liked to stay was on the north part of town...Can't remember the name of it, but at the time it had 1940's type of western decor in the rooms...Stayed there many nights too...

For what it's worth, the motel there on the north side of town just outside to the west was a coral...They used to hold pow wows there..


Very familiar with Kayenta, Tuba City, Chinle, Window Rock...Used to fly freight into each those towns back in the middle and late 70's...Airport, such as it was was on the north side of the highway, across from the quick shop there east of the large motel.

Great country up there. My favorite over the Grand Canyon.


WuzzFuzz

 

[RobertJ.]

We spent a night at that same Hampton Inn last May. We drove up from Scottsdale to visit Monument Valley.

I don't recall seeing many dogs, but I did give twenty bucks to an old Indian couple in the Hampton parking lot who looked like they were hungry. Then we saw the sign that said "Do not give money to panhandlers"!

 

[kthom]

Stopped at the big gas station in Kayenta a few years back... three couples on three touring bikes headed home from the Canyon Lands in Utah. Lot's of folks there while we were there, including lots of panhandlers and LOTS of Rez Dogs. One of the wives commented on the dogs, and one of the guys stated that they were destined for the pot. She just couldn't comprehend that at all, but I can tell you that it happens still today. I can tell you this, any road killed cow, sheep, or horse most anywhere on the Rez will not be present by daylight the next day! Somehow they just disappear during the night. I'll let you all decide where they go and what's done with them!

 

[kpap]

I work at a Indian casino in Scottsdale, AZ and the Rez dogs are always mixing it up with the coyotes. I would not recommend approaching the dogs very aggressive....

 

[soFlaNative]

By no means feral, groups of 6 - 8 dogs would roam my street from the Seminole Res. literally across the street. Cat killers and trash can denizens they were more of a nuisance than a threat although some considered them a danger. An aggressive stance and a loud "GIT" would send them scurrying.
No longer an issue with the infusion of casino cash the feral cat population has exploded.

 

[onebadvet]

Have located the Burger King.

Burger King Navajo Code Talkers Display – Kayenta, Arizona
- Gastro Obscura