"A dog’s life. . ." Top 5 Page for this destination Danau Toba Local Custom Tip by kokoryko

In the past, Batak people were feared by travellers, missionaries, neighbouring populations, as they practised cannibalism, and apparently, not only for religious or ritual motives. . . . . prisoners of war, sinners (adultery), thieves, were eaten, sometimes raw (“alive” wrote some travellers), by the Batak men; women were not allowed to enjoy the feast.
Some courageous (?) missionaries managed to convert Batak to Christianity, with help, probably, of their good position (OK, easy joke!) and since the middle of the 19th century, the cannibalism has been abandoned.
This intro to tell you to look at dogs in Batak country and villages. . . . . You will see mainly female dogs, like in other countries you see mainly female cattle, ewes rather than rams, goats rather than billy goats, etc. . . Yes you get it, dogs are here bred like cattle. The first time I noticed the dogs barking in the village were females, I thought, it was coincidence, but when I observed the same in other places. . . well! Dogs, may be, replaced the prisoners of the past. . . . I heard horrible stories (the way the dogs are killed. . . . ) about that local custom since long, and here, if I did not see direct evidence, seeing almost only female dogs (there are a few (lucky?) males) is a sufficient proof that this custom is widely practised.
And, if you go in a restaurant with your preferred pet, take care, as the chef may come and ask you, looking at your dog: “how do you want it to be prepared?” This is a true (?) story, a colleague told me a few years ago.
Well, a tired lucky (?) male on the first picture. . . . and only female dogs, on the other pictures. . . . .