"Mastering the City Dog" A public talk about post quake remediation and rejuvination.

Sept 4th, 5:30pm (45min)

96 Bristol Street,St Albans, Christchurch. (Social Hall Foundation For the Blind)

The thing about the words ‘smart city’ and bottom up rebuild thinking has special significance in Christchurch. Public sentiment suggest we are doing neither very well. Some say ‘if at all’. Is there is merit in thinking beyond bricks and mortar. Is their Social Capital in thinking Dogs? The evidence suggests so.

The School of the Naked Dog sponsored keynote speaker at the New Zealand's Companion Animal Conference in October is the Assoc Professor Dr Lisa Wood. [West Australian University School of the Built Environment and Public Health] Dr Wood's seminal publication “Living Well Together” [free online] has qualified the restorative and rejuvenate sense of well-being that accrues to entire communities when they value interspecies companionship and design acordingly. She makes the case that we are safer, healthier and live longer. And our real estate is more valuable.

Looking at Australia’s experience it is highly indicated that as a city, we have done civics very poorly and in not adhering to ‘by design’ principles when we are counter productively ostracising people and their companions from the heart of their communities.

Christchurch has twice as many dogs per household as Auckland and is triple that of Wellington. Cycle ways, Walk Ways, Greener space, but there is neither jot nor image in the plan about a man and his dog? Yet tens of thousands of families have been displaced.

While for some it may seem provocative, it seems that on evidence and for just and certain reason we could begin with the Cashel “Restart” and replace the two existing NO DOGS postcards and their negative enforcement with a good sign. "Good Dogs Welcome." - It could be that simple. Then we can make start on the future residential redzone and the greenspace it is creating.

Blair Anderson, Trainer , Educator, Handler and Behaviourist, The School of the Naked Dog, and proponent of postquake CERA,CCC and CDHB competition for good signs, “Barkerton Park
(also see http://www.stuff.co.nz/the-press/news/christchurch-earthquake-2011/zonelife-stories/7439232/Ideas-for-the-future-residential-red-zone )
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Blair Anderson
Canine Behaviour and Training Consultant
The School of the Naked Dog - - less leash, more control
http://www.nakeddog.co.nz

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