Dogs make poor pets

[Viola]

Dogs make poor pets for a lot of people. Every once in a while I meet someone who would CLEARLY be better served by a set of parakeets, or a rabbit, or a goldfish.

You do need a certain lifestyle for a dog. I don't mean outdoor roaming space; I mean time, to spend with the dog. Dogs don't thrive in solitude, and will develop means of entertaining themselves you won't like.

But, for me? Dogs are it, my single favorite species, often before humans.

Now, I do respect breed drives; broad categories of Herding, Terrier, Guard tell you what they are meant to do, and I do not want every kind. I'm not a good owner for a Jack Russel or a Border Collie. Flat out. But they're not bad dogs and they're not bad pets; they're just not for me.

I don't have the ego to suggest I, Viola, equal humanity. Different people have different needs.

I would never encourage everyone I meet to get a dog. But bad pets? No way. That's more of a reflection on a particular personality type than on the dog, IMO.

-Viola

 

[Mindraker]

Dogs have been with mankind for thousands of years, and will continue to do so. Dogs have been everything from a hunting tool, to a friend, to a recreational plaything, to a transportation device, to food. Dogs are so intertwined with our society that they will not simply "disappear" from our society simply because of a teary-eyed post on the web.

 

[Feraud]

Dogs make poor pets for a lot of people.

People make bad owners for dogs.

 

[Viola]

People make bad owners for dogs.

Amen.

-Viola

 

[Mike in Seattle]

Dogs have been with mankind for thousands of years, and will continue to do so. Dogs have been everything from a hunting tool, to a friend, to a recreational plaything, to a transportation device, to food. Dogs are so intertwined with our society that they will not simply "disappear" from our society simply because of a teary-eyed post on the web.

Or in the case of Paris Hilton...a fashion accessory... :eusa_doh: :eusa_doh: [bad] :eusa_doh:

 

[Absinthe_1900]

I was under the impression that I'm my Boxer's pet.

 

[Daisy Buchanan]

When I think of the dogs who serve us -- whether sniffing drugs or bombs, or, like my brother's dogs, going to hospitals and nursing homes to cheer up sick folks, of those dogs that have saved people's lives and even risked or given their lives to do so, when I think of blind or disabled people dogs are trained to serve, or isolated or elderly people who rely on a dog, I think:

No, dogs may not make good pets, but they sure do make good companions.

karol

Very good point Karol When my dog was alive, she was the best companion I had. I've been dealing with 2 illnesses, this has left me at home and out of work for over 2 years. My dog was my constant companion. She got me out of bed in the morning on those days when I thought I might not be able to. I knew I had to take her for walks, take care of her, just as she took care of me by sitting faithfully by my bedside every day.

As for a dog being bored when alone, this is quite possible. However, a dog might not miss what it has never had. By this I mean: I agree with you that years ago dogs had jobs, however a dog born into a certain lifestyle might just be quite content to continue that lifestyle. Hemingway Jones, my roommate, and I both fully understood the need for a dog to have activity. Up until the last year of her life her routine was: Hem walked her for about a half hour before he went to work. A couple hours later I took her out for another half to full hour. She was taken out for quick jots during the day, so she could stretch her paws and go potty. When Hem got home from work he or I or both of us took her to dog park. She would run around for as long as she wanted. We didn't go home until she let us know she was ready. Usually about 2 hours was good for her, although in the winter, lucky for us, she really could only last an hour. She preferred our over heated apartment on those cold winter evenings.
Every chance we got we took his dog (mine by adoption) on roadtrips. These occurred everyday. Short ones during the week days in which I would take her by car (she loved car rides) to the river where she could run free. Every morning after a walk I would take her on a ride, even if it was just a quick one around the corner, only for her sake for I didn't need to go anywhere. On weekends, mine and Hem's plans revolved around Carmina. We always planned activities that she could be involved in. We would drive for nearly 2 hours to stand on a freezing cold beach, just because we knew it was her favorite place. And we did know it was her favorite place, for she knew it by name. We couldn't mention the beach's name, Kittery Point, for if we did, she would go to the door and whine until we took her. On those days we took her to the point, when we reached the road that led to the beach, she would start howling with excitement. She would stick her head out the window, sniffing the salty air, and howl. If that's not a sign of a happy dog, I don't know what one would be.
Carmina was our best friend, and we did everything imaginable to keep her happy. We would do anything for her, I know a lot of dog owners have this mentality. She was my grand companion. I know people buy dogs for selfish reasons. But, I never looked at her with myself in mind, never thought gee what can she do for me. I viewed her as not something I owned for my own enjoyment but, as an incredible living being that I could care for and love, and bring happiness and joy to. It was just luck that she brought so much happiness to me and to many others. I honestly don't believe she wanted for anything. She was such a great dog, she walked grandly down the streets of Boston, NEVER on a Leash! She was so well trained, I let her walk ahead of me, but she always looked back every few steps to make sure I was still with her. When she reached the corner, she always stopped and waited, she knew that I was the one to get her across the street safely. She Never walked into the street.

Now let me just say that before I got my degree in dental hygiene, I got a degree in sociobiology. I spent 6 years of my life studying animal behavior, instinct and mind. Not just humans, but all species, including dogs.
Just as a person who is born blind or deaf is accustomed to living their lives without sight or sound, a dog born into a home without large fields to run in or without someone home all day is accustomed to that kind of lifestyle. They can't miss what they don't know about. Also, the world of dog breeding is so advanced that dogs are now genetically engineered to fit into just about any environment. That is why people go to breeders, they are picking the perfect dog to suit their individual needs. Years ago a cattle farmer would choose a breed to herd, today a person in the city will pick a small dog to fit in a smaller living space. Let's face it, they are pets. A majority of the people who have dogs have them in the hopes of love and affection in some way (these definitions greatly vary). Again, it's a dog's instinct to run and play and chase bunnies. But, if it doesn't know what a bunny is, how can she miss chasing them. Now if I got a dog and lived on a 20 acre farm and let her run free and chase bunnies all day, then took her away from that, that would be cruel.

Carmina never wanted for anything. When she was hungry she had lots of food and treats, when she wanted to walk or go in the car, she got that too. She had a bed to lie in in every room with at least 3 fleece blankets to keep her warm at night. She ran on the beach, she walked by the river. She was cuddled with, loved like a child. None of these acts were selfish, there were many day's that I didn't want to leave the house, but I knew that it would make her happy. It wasn't just a quick jot to the corner, I'm talking about mile long walks on freezing cold New England days. All to make her happy. She knew one life, a life in which she had all of these things that Hem and myself gave to her. OK, we did get something in return. A big smile when we came home from being out without her, and I do mean a full fledged gigantic toothy grin. One of her only "tricks" so to speak was her happy face. We said happy face to her, and she actually smiled Dalmatians are known for this. We got love and happiness, a wonderful and faithful companion. She was also a great protector. She was truly an amazing creature who I may have had for selfish reasons, however in the end it was us who were slaves to her.

Sorry to go on a tangent about Mina, she's been gone less than a year and it's hard not to talk about her.

Let's face it, times change, peoples needs change. There are lots of working dogs out there, and I think that is just amazing. I'm also well aware that their are a lot of dogs in the wrong hands, with owners who neglect them. But there are also a lot of dogs out there that are cherished and loved like a member of the family, like Mina was for Hem and me. I really doubt that she would have preferred to live in the wild like a wolf. She wouldn't have lasted a day, for she was not accustomed to that kind of living situation. She knew only what she was given. It's not as though dogs have the intelligence to know that their is anything more outside of the lives they are living, in a comfortable and cozy, maybe a bit too warm but much better than being too cold, home where what her owners are having for dinner is what she's having too. Remember that old saying, what you don't know won't hurt you? Dogs don't know anything outside of the lives they are living.
I do think it's incredibly sad that their are a lot of neglected pets out there. I wish that something more were being done about that....

 

[feltfan]

Feltfan ... I have not personally attacked you or anyone.
Keep your emotional knee jerking out of this...

I'll let the self-contradiction speak for itself and simply
ask why you won't address my rather substantive points?

 

[Dixon Cannon]

I can only speak for one...

... and this individual will never own, keep or support a dog. End of story.

-dixon cannon

P.S. And I don't care to entertain yours either, thank you very much!

 

[carebear]

There is little or no true "wild" left in dogs, that went away long ago. Granting sentience, if they have any wolfish thoughts left at all, it is only in their dreams.

I remember one zoologist (the Dr. on NPR's Calling All Pets I think) stating that in dogs becoming domesticated they essentially stopped maturing past what would be the "puppy" stage in a wild canid. That explains why they are able to bond and stay bonded to humans, why they still "play" into adulthood and why most, while they may kill, don't actually predate on their kills.

 

[Baron Kurtz]

Really? With all that psychotic barking, I thought Chihuahuas were bred to let the entire neighborhood know that somewhere in the vicinity there was a passing car, motorcycle, airplane, tugboat, horsecart, skateboard, or simply to let us know that someone somewhere had just got up from a sofa.

Regards,

Senator Jack

No, Chihuahuas exist simply to creat metaphors and similes for bad jazz pianists ("when he came to his solo he replaced his hands on the keyboard with a demented dancing Chihuahua").

Re. the point of the thread: Someone said it earlier: The dogs are not the problem. Their keepers are.

bk

 

[Fletch]

Really? With all that psychotic barking, I thought Chihuahuas were bred to let the entire neighborhood know that somewhere in the vicinity there was a passing car, motorcycle, airplane, tugboat, horsecart

I read horsecart as housecat and it still made perfect sense.

 

[Section10]

I agree BK. Dogs are not the problem, the keepers are.

 

[princessofcandl]

As the proud owner of 3 chinese cresteds (two hairless and one puff) I would like to say that they have the best life possible. Jumping on the "its an owner problem not a pet problems" its all in the attitude.

I told my hubby that I believe that the souls of my dogs are from children who died and needed to come back to find out what love is all about. If you ask a kid what they want to be they might say a puppy. So I need to give them love, play, and friendship. We are in the our-dogs-are-our-kids stage still. And I hope when we have a child we will remember that. They snuggle each other, sleep in our beds, and get to be spoiled by grandma when we vacation.

And I can tell you, an open door does not call for them to escape. Especially if its raining out. They're not going anywhere in the rain. Rain means snuggle on the couch under the blanket and play bone. lol

 

[Mike in Seattle]

I read horsecart as housecat and it still made perfect sense.

As it would with hepcats and houseflies and virtually anything else that moves, living or not.

 

[BegintheBeguine]

People

lol Mike
For some people, houseplants would make poor pets.

 

[carebear]

The people who do the plants at my company call my buddy's office the graveyard.

He puts off the wrong kind of O2 or something.

 

[Quigley Brown]

lol Mike
For some people, houseplants would make poor pets.

I'm so bad with house plants that I had a cactus die on me once.

 

[BegintheBeguine]

A cactus'll do that to you. Danged sneaky. Your relationship with your dog makes up for it though!!

 

[Samsa]

I say this because the way they live today is neither normal nor natural. In years past dogs were our partners. We shared our lives with them and they with us because it was mutually beneficial to us both. Dogs have good noses and good hearing. They are fast and strong, good hunters, fighters, hard workers, and aggressive yet willing to cohabit and share affection with humans. They are trainable and protective and breed readily and can be physically reshaped to suit a certain purpose. They require little to stay alive and if absolutely necessary you could throw one in the pot to keep yourself alive.

Out of this partnership, dogs got dependable meals, shelter, safety and friendship.

As civilization progressed, the need for all these assets diminished. We still like dogs so they became our pets. We shape them to artificial standards and turn them into freaks. A bulldog and a chihuahua are freaks. They may be cute freaks, but freaks non-the-less. We do this for our benefit and not for theirs.

Dogs are confined. It is practical and for their safety, yet regardless of our benevolence we are their jailers. A dog on a chain barks because it is neurotic. It is going crazy. It cannot live like that. A dog inside is little better. It may respond to you, but when you are not home it is bored stiff. Show most any dog an open door to the outside and it is gone.

The relationship you have described between man and animal is that which has existed ever since man has. There are some exceptions, be it religions that frown on dominating animals, vegetarians who object for ethical reasons, etc. For the most part, however, we use animals for our benefit and enjoyment. We eat them, race them, breed them for profit, saddle them up and ride them, even kill them and use their fur to fashion, how do you say, "hats."

Even those who do not follow the Jewish and Christian religions still follow the general principle from Genesis: "And God blessed them, and God said unto them, Be fruitful, and multiply, and replenish the earth, and subdue it: and have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over every living thing that moveth upon the earth."

I wonder if way back when dogs were being separated from wolves, if they had the gift of foresight and could speak and if they could see what would happen to them they would say to us: "No thank you. We will not be confined or changed to suit your fancies. We choose the freedom, the romance, the excitement, the hunger, the blood and the death of wolves. You may hate us and kill us; it is still better than turning us into sterile freaks and living with your chains and collars and your overheated prisons with your endless insipid dog food regardless of the kindness of our jailers. Goodbye."

I don't know about other owners, but the dogs in our house are given food, water, company, and affection every day. I think they would prefer this to the (and do forgive the pun) dog eat dog climate of life in the wilderness.