Not wanting a dog

Person_one

seven-day-weekend wrote: »

I agree with you that there are far too many unwanted and unloved dogs, and whilst I would not describe myself as a dog lover, inasmuch as I would never chose to have one, I do like them and would not wish any one to come to harm .

I know someone who is just about to have a puppy from a litter that have been bred specially, I have suggested she has a rescue dog but she wants this particular breed mix

(I've no reason to believe she won't be a responsible dog owner, however).

On the other hand some friends of ours, who I have never known not to have at least one dog, and whom we have house-sat for on numerous occasions, always have rescue dogs .

If I were to have a dog, I would have one from a rescue. My two cats were from a local rescue, they were sisters from the same litter of a stray cat (who was also rehomed). They are now in their 18th year and still jump and climb. Many more years in them I think!

There's nothing wrong with breeding dogs responsibly, and while I will always prefer to rescue I very much want the responsible, ethical breeders to carry on producing sensible numbers of dogs from a wide enough gene pool or there wouldn't be any dogs at all!

We have a huge problem in this country though in the way we see animals as commodities, as consumer throwaway items. It shows in amateur breeders selling unhealthy, doomed pug puppies for £1500 because they're 'fashionable' and in people thinking that if you change your mind about that cute puppy or dog you can just get rid of it and pass it on like you might sell an old phone on eBay.

Bellisima

I worked at an animal shelter for 10 years. Wonderful but very emotive job. There are thousands of dogs put to sleep each year because people no longer want them and there is no shelter room for them. People buy a dog too easily without research or thought and when the pup gets to about 7 months of age they say "we work long hours and don't have the time to care for it", when what they really mean is we can't be arsed to take it for a walk every day, pick up poo, or train it or love it.

If a family were keen to adopt a dog but one member of the family seemed disinterested it always rang alarm bells. And my heart sank when they said they wanted a dog for the children - they are not toys, but living, sentient beings that deserve better.

By the way, if the dog smells then bathe it! Hoover up the hair and wipe down slobber. It's not rocket science.

If you can't love a dog and let it be part of the family in the home, then just don't have one. It's the least a dog deserves.

Cleopatra

Dogs need to be part of a solid pack with a consistent Pack Leader. Most dog "problems" are down to the dog not feeling secure. Shifting them about from place to place with different owners does not let them find their place in the world or help them to behave appropriately. Yes dogs need (and deserve) a lot of love but they also need structure to their life in order to thrive and not turn into "problem" dogs.

catkins

Person_one wrote: »

There's nothing wrong with breeding dogs responsibly, and while I will always prefer to rescue I very much want the responsible, ethical breeders to carry on producing sensible numbers of dogs from a wide enough gene pool or there wouldn't be any dogs at all!

We have a huge problem in this country though in the way we see animals as commodities, as consumer throwaway items. It shows in amateur breeders selling unhealthy, doomed pug puppies for £1500 because they're 'fashionable' and in people thinking that if you change your mind about that cute puppy or dog you can just get rid of it and pass it on like you might sell an old phone on eBay.

I totally agree. So many people now seem to look down on anyone that gets a puppy from a breeder.

My present dog I got as a 9 week puppy from a breeder who has only had 2 litters in something like 8 years so certainly not in it for the money. She certainly did not just hand him over to us even though we had had the same breed for over 30 years. She has kept in touch with all the people who bought one of her dogs and, if for any reason, one of the owners could not keep the dog she would take it back. In fact we all signed an agreement that the dogs have to go back to her if we can no longer keep them.

Over a period of 35 years me and OH have had 14 dogs of the same breed and only 3 we got from a breeder. All the rest were rescues. When we got our present dog there were, happily, no dogs of the breed in rescue so we got a puppy

purpleweasel

Mrs_pbradley936 wrote: »

For others it is a place where they can have privacy, or read when everyone else is watching the TV.

Your dog can read?? That's what I call well-trained! Sorry, couldn't resist.


Re crates, from the RSPCA website: http://www.rspca.org.uk/adviceandwelfare/pets/dogs/environment/crates
a friend of mine had a husky and he managed to pull a radiator off the wall one day when left alone for a fairly short time


I was bitten in the face by a dog as a child (warning nip). The only clear bit in my memory is my Mum saying "that'll teach you". It did. I love dogs but quickly learnt when not to approach.


Re greyhounds: they are gentle dogs up to the point you light the fire, then they would push their old granny out of the way to get the warmest spot! And no matter how well you think you have trained them, they will still try & sneak onto the settee when they think you're not looking