There is a quote that goes something like, ‘You become responsible forever for what you’ve tamed’. It comes from Antoine de Saint-Exupery children’s book Le Petit Prince. I’ve not read the book but the quote conjures up a someone wanting a creature and through ways or means they get it, then shortly thereafter they become bored of it. But because they have taken the creature from its natural environment it can’t go back – the creature is now their responsibility weather they like it or not.

When it comes to trees (this is a blog about trees after all) we are often guilty of taking trees out of their natural environment, taming them, then not accepting responsibility for what we have done. ‘The tree is blocking my view’, ‘the leaves block the drains’, ‘the roots are lifting the pavement’… – I’m not sure why this is a surprise; trees do what trees do, we have taken them from the wild, plonked them in an urban environment and then protest at what they have done.

But taking them from the wild is only half the taming that we do, we also cut them (we also graft them, and bread them for this and that, but more on that later). When we cut them, which may or may not include pruning, the tree responds. Trees don’t think, they respond and again this should not be a surprise; trees do what trees do. Depending on how hard (or badly) the tree is cut the tree may respond in producing masses of branches therefore blocking more view and/or creating more leaves. The resulting branches may not be structurally bound to the tree and they may fail (fall off) and cause harm. None of this is the trees fault – this is the fault of the ’taming’ process.

When it comes to ‘dangerous dogs’ the situation is very similar. We have taken dogs from the wild and bread them for this and that. Once in the urban environment the ‘taming’ continues and the owners shape and manage the demeanour of the dog. If a dog becomes dangerous there should be no surprise; dogs do what dogs do, we have taken them from the wild, plonked them in an urban environment – it is not the dogs fault – it is the fault of the ’taming’ process. If the dog is well tamed (and trained) it is ‘man’s best friend’.

A well trained and maintained dog, is the same as a well-trained and maintained tree – it’s not a problem. A badly trained and maintained dog is the same as a badly trained and maintained tree – it is a problem; but there should be no surprises you become responsible forever for what you’ve tamed – so tame wisely and if you can’t tame wisely then get help but don’t blame the tree (or the dog).