To think that people who don’t like pets shouldn’t be judged as “cold”?

Anyone singing the praises of humans over animals needs their head checking. Humans are single-handedly destroying the very planet they live on by their constant desire to ‘evolve’. Not that smart really.

I get the impression MasterBeth is enjoying winding people up, so I’ll leave them to their fun. They are really smart, after all.

There's no point in responding further to you. You're dismissive of companion animals and the people capable of loving them.

People love their dogs, sure, but pople love all sorts of stupid things.

Well done. Your dogs are are smart for dogs. They're still not as bright a three year old human.

Brilliant!

Yes! You are correct! They are in with the livestock from around 6 weeks old. They work by instinct and off their own initiative, not to command. Still used in their native France of course, but more widely in the US and Canada now, to protect livestock from wolves, bears and coyotes. It is very environmentally friendly predator control because it eliminates the need for trapping, shooting or poisoning. The dogs work in pairs or groups and generally act as a deterrent without the need for bloodshed. It's a matriarchal breed and also nocturnal.

A few people are now using them for guarding on farms in the UK also; the mother, sister and brother of my current bitch are all working with sheep and horses.

There are Livestock Protection dogs all over Europe and into Asia - I think around 50 different breeds in total. It is a very ancient group of dogs and they really are fascinating when you get into researching them.

I'm sure all the 'dogs are dumb' people will be loving this 😆

@bluebeach
Or alternatively you can do all of this:

You can do all you can to protect nature and encourage wildlife in your garden. Not use harmful chemicals to clean your house and wash your clothes because you hate the idea of poisoning the waterways. Not eat meat or dairy because you don’t like animal cruelty in the farming industry.

And have pets as well 😁

Am I remembering correctly that the Grand Pyrenees are able to bond with the herds they guard and live with them as their protectors?

Six of them! Wow! I did well having five cats, and that was Mum and me looking after them between us.

You can be an animal lover and not like the idea of pets. You can do all you can to protect nature and encourage wildlife in your garden. Not use harmful chemicals to clean your house and wash your clothes because you hate the idea of poisoning the waterways. Not eat meat or dairy because you don’t like animal cruelty in the farming industry. You can not like the idea of having a domesticated animal living in your home and still have a deep love and respect for animals.

She is. She's my eighth, I had three together for many years but I'm getting old now, so currently only have one. They are highly intelligent, the low prey drive makes them trustworthy around my cats too. Again, only one elderly cat now but used to have 6, hence not minding being referred to upthread as Dr Dolittle 😆

I would post a photo of current pup but it may not be well received here as it's a dumb animal 🙄

😆

I'm guessing she's one of the Pyrenean Mountain Dog breeds? She sounds splendid.

Yanbu, I wish them no harm and don't hate them but to me I could never hold them on the same level as humans. I can never understand when people don't do things just because of the dog.

Yep!

@notprincehamlet LOL! 😆

I judge people who don’t love pets but I do so silently. Makes me like them a bit less though

Yeah, I'm not sure I'd be too quick to boast about how smart humans are.

There's only one species actively destroying its home planet right now, and it's not dogs.

People are smart. Dogs aren't.
Have you met people?

Mine is a Livestock Protection dog but she doubles up as my therapy dog, so she's hardly dumb.

These people seem to think it's clever to put things down but all they are doing is showing their ignorance.

I think you need to clarify what you mean by 'don't like pets'

You don't want pets? You are frightened of pets? You don't like animals in general? It can mean all sorts of things.

It's the "dumb" bit I take issue with here. It's a sweeping statement. Dogs vary vastly by breed - look at the capacities of herding dogs, for example.

There's also the matter of the emotional bonds between humans and companion animals, which tbh seems to be a concept you don't grasp. I'm not saying you should feel that way, but you seem dismissive of the idea that humans and other animals have meaningful and loving bonds.

Hey, I've read that octopus book. I'm fascinated by nature. I understand that some animals have abilities beyond those of humans and brains that work in ways we cannot comprehend.

So I'm not dismissing animal intelligence. I'm saying (the nicest) dogs are big, simple, dumb toddlers.

I like animals, especially wild ones.
Don't want any pets because I don't want the responsibility.

You may not realise it, but your posts have all suggested something much more negative than simply not being interested in animals or approving of pet ownership (fwiw, I dislike caging birds, too). Dismissing animal intelligence because it's very different from human intelligence doesn't lessen the impression.

I said it with humour, sarcasm, irony....🙄

Which just proves the point really. Anger.

Recognising that most dogs are simple, dumb, instinctive creatures doesn't mean I actively dislike them. (I don't love the attacky, violent ones, but that's just a different kind of dumb instinct too). They just don't interest me. People are a thousand times more fascinating.

I don't actually hate parrots or gerbils either. The incredible power of nature and evolution and all that. But caging them for your pleasure wild animals as pets, living toys for humans has never struck me as a thing you'd do if you loved animals.