Dogs of Vanuatu

Throughout our two months of training on two islands (Efate and Pele), and my walkabout week on Nguna, we have all met some interesting dogs.

While most of them have fleas, get pummeled by small stones on a daily basis, and survive off of discarded food scraps and eggs they randomly find in a bush kitchen (that's you, Juju)...most of them handle this aelan lifestyle pretty well.

Here are the dogs of Vanuatu.

Juju, stalking me

Name: Juju

Home: Nguna

Defining Characteristic: When you arrive on Nguna, he finds you. He then follows you at an admirable distance.

Likes: Following you everywhere. Ensuring you get home and to sleep safely, and then sleeping with all the female dogs of Nguna.

Dislikes: Any man. He will bark at them.

"Short Legs"

Name: Cognac (aka: Short Legs)

Home: Laonamoa, Pele

Defining Characteristic: She has abnormally short legs.

Likes: Being the first dog to bark to instigate a fight.

Dislikes: Actually getting involved in dog fights, since she always loses.

Eve and Gypsy

Name: Gypsy

Home: Laonamoa, Pele

Defining Characteristic: The only dog with a collar (it’s purple). The dog that will win you over, no matter what.

Likes: Sitting on Eve’s lap. Santi. Francis. YOU!

Dislikes: Stones. When you tell her, “SHAYYYYY!”

Watchman

Name: Watchman

Home: Warasivu, Pele

Defining Characteristic: The tan dog without a collar and a mangy ear.

Likes: Running with Frances. Walking you home at night. Sleeping on Charlie’s stoop at night.

Dislikes: Bella. Stones.

Snoop, on a hike up to the top of the hill on Pele (photo courtesy of Sydney)

Name: Snoop

Home: Piliura, Pele

Defining Characteristic: Looks like Watchman but clean.

Likes: Going on hikes with "white men."

Dislikes: Other dogs encroaching on territory.

Name: Whiskey

Home: Laonamoa, Pele

Defining Characteristic: The spotted dog that follows Chase everywhere and has a bad hind leg.

Likes: Chase. Sitting on Chase’s solar panel.

Dislikes: Gypsy. Walking in a straight line. You shouting, "Go bak lo haos!" (she responds to this with a sulking exit)

Name: Maggie

Home: Nguna

Defining Characteristic: She looks like Juju but skinnier. Also, since she’s recovering from that weird fish disease, when she wags her tail, her entire body moves from the momentum (among other odd traits).

Likes: Expressing utter joy at your presence by stepping on you, jumping on you, stepping on your heels while walking behind you and overall just getting in your way.

Dislikes: Bad fish.

Left to right: Blackie, Whitey, Captain and Brownie, with Frances and her host sisters (Photo courtesy of Frances)

Name: Brownie

Home: Epau, Efate

Defining Characteristic: Ai olsem Melissa (“eyes like Melissa”, according to the locals, since Brownie’s eyes are blue…even though my eyes aren’t blue)

Likes: Sleeping, wandering into my host family’s compound at night and then crying because she can’t find her way home.

Dislikes: Being held upside down, being held by the tail, or just generally being tortured by children.

*RIP Brownie, who "wandered into the bush and never came back"*

Artist's rendering of unnamed black dog in the Nakamal at night

Name: [This dog has no name]

Home: Epau, Efate

Defining Characteristic: That black dog without a name that hangs out in the Nakamal at night.

Likes: Being around PC trainees while they are cooking in the Nakamal. Hiding in dark corners.

Dislikes: Being stepped on. (But let’s be real, here…maybe it should not be hanging out in corners where we can’t see it, okay?)

Name: Bella

Home: Piliura, Efate

Defining Characteristic: Uninvited. Liking you more than you like her.

Likes: Messing with the kittens. Frances because she’s the only one defending her.

Dislikes: None.

Name: Pam

Home: Epau, Efate

Defining Characteristic: The dog named after Cyclone Pam because he was a puppy when it happened. 

Likes: Basking in the glory of being the only beloved dog in Epau.

Dislikes: All other dogs.

Sniper, enjoying that morning sunlight

Name: Sniper

Home: Nguna

Defining Characteristic: The innocent white puppy with the most threatening name.

Likes: Chasing other dogs, chasing the kids, wondering what’s going on around him.

Dislikes: Large steps…they are just too big for this little pup.