to think owning a dog is selfish?

[hannadashery]

...with the exception of working dogs or as companions for retired people.

The majority of dog owners work, so in a 24 hour period in which their owner spends the majority of time sleeping or at work, a dog will be very lucky to get 3hrs walking a day and will probably spend the rest of the time bored/sleeping.

I don't believe dogs enjoy Netflix programs and highly doubt their owners are constantly hugging/petting them every evening. It feels that dogs sole purpose is to pad out that free time the owners have in between all their other activities. And sure dogs love their owners because who's going to hate the person that feeds them and provides temporary reprieve from absolute boredom.

Expecting an absolute flaming as so many people own dogs but from a non pet owners perspective it seems majority of dogs are basically slaves and are blissfully ignorant of their predicament.

Just thought I'd throw that as a light-hearted discussion on a Friday afternoon

Where does it say that "the majority of dog owners work"? We own a dog (a rescue from a charity) and are both retired. In the 9 months he's been with us he's been on his own (ie left in the house while we both go elsewhere) for exactly 30 minutes. For the rest of the time one, or both, of us is with him. Much of that time he spends sleeping, chilling out somewhere comfortable or mooching about on the garden. We walk him twice daily and he brings a huge amount of joy to our lives. I'll need convincing that we're selfish with regard to the dog.

I dont care if people think im selfish! I love my dog so much. I spend most of my free cash on him, cook for him, am his taxi, take him to his activities (flyball, scentwork, hillwalking). Plus i am his mother, friend and teacher. In return he is my happiness. I wouldnt be without a dog in my life.

It depends on the dog. I think people who have dogs like Alsatians for example and then go to work all day are selfish fuckers.

I think my dog has got a brilliant quality of life.

@ButterflyOne1

Your dog is alone at least 9 hours a day during the week, with nothing to do but sleep - ie. Solitary confinement.

How can you possibly describe that as "brilliant"?

Yes it's better than dogs who are abandoned and abused, but it's still cruel.

Most people I know who own dogs don't work at all and those that do work half days 3 days a week, to be fair. I still end up walking some of their dogs for them when I take my DD to the park

Tax paying citizens?

For fucks sake grow up or take the time to gain a little education.

Yep! Mine was bought for me, my wants, my needs, my own selfish desire. And he gets to come with me wherever I go... car... home office.. out and about and to the seaside next week.

“Actually they need 12hrs which is way off 18+“

Well to be exact, adults average 12-14, breed dependant because some are more... puppies are a lot more than that and older dogs are more too...

So it ends up being about 18 hours or more...

Of course that’s not all at once though, so leaving them home alone all day because they just sleep isn’t right.

Arff arff

Dogs love to sleep, they excel at it.

They also love to 'help' their humans - I have one currently being a footstool, one trying to convince me he can be a suitable side table for my tea and biscuits, and one with her head asleep half on my lap and half on my laptop. They're not too badly done to really.

Some dogs, like some humans, will have a shit life. What do you suggest?

No I don’t think owning a dog is selfish if you provide it with a comfortable and loving environment. I think it’s selfish to leave a dog at home isolated throughout the day if all parties are working but many people have dog walkers or pop back during their lunch time.

What about people raising children that wont grow up to be taxpaying citizens? I guess thats pretty selfish too.

Why just dogs.
My cats have never paid tax in their bloody lives, the selfish little bastards

A lot of times I think people get a dog as they have some kind of old fashioned rosy tinted specs view of what it will be like. Kids and puppies playing in a sunlit garden while mum bakes on the kitchen and dad relaxes with the Saturday afternoon football on the transistor radio.
The reality can be quite different though. Hence there are so many yappy bastard dogs in my street who haven’t been trained and are not allowed off he lead in case they run away. And people who do let them off paying so much attention to their phones they don’t notice the dog taking a dump, let alone pick it up. Really. Sigh.

I would follow good rescue centre guidance that doesn’t recommend anyone working full time gets a dog (not referring to a service dog obv) as it’s not fair on the animal. The exception would be if the dog had daycare, plenty of dog walkers, or someone in the house on a different shift so the majority of the time the animal has company.

I can’t imagine how I could cope personally if I was unable to use a toilet for ten hours straight. But that’s what we often expect of dogs.
My tummy would be agony!

The majority of dog owners work, so in a 24 hour period in which their owner spends the majority of time sleeping or at work, a dog will be very lucky to get 3hrs walking a day and will probably spend the rest of the time bored/sleeping

I don’t work, I’m a SAHM and our dog gets a lot of interaction and walking, so am I exempt from your judgement?

Meh a lot of your assumptions are wrong. A dog who is absolutely bored with his lot in life would be a destructive little fucker so unless every dog owner you have has had half their house chewed to pieces I would say there are plenty of content mutts in the world.

Ok here's how it looks to me.

Immediate negative effects of my neighbour having a dog: noise, sanitation, safety.

Wider negative effects of my neighbour having a dog:
Environmental and habitat damage, landfill waste, safety of other members of my society, environmental effects of increased meat production.

Benefit to my neighbour: they've got a dog. Presumably they like it.

Benefit to me: none. Dog isn't and never will be a productive member of society.

@Branleuse THAT is unconscionable. Cats Pah!

I suppose it's selfish in that we choose to have them to make us happy and the dog doesn't have a choice in us owning them. But I think as long as an owner strives to give their dog the best life they can give it, it's ok.

I don't particularly agree with people leaving dogs for 8 hours a day whilst they work 5 days a week, with a dog walker popping in, I think a dog is a pet for someone who can ensure there is someone at home most of the time, or the dog can go out with someone.

My dog is a breed where thousands end up in rescues every year (retired greyhound) I look at her and think now, she does have a good life, much better than before. Before I got her, she lived in a kennel, broken up by toileting and running round a race track, but she still lived alone. Then, she was left in a rescue when her owner decided to retire her. Now she has either me and dh at home with her majority of the time, goes on at least a hour walk each day and has run of the garden when someone is home as we leave the back door open. She chooses to mainly snuggle on her bed or the settee and seems very happy and content.

Maybe all pet keeping is selfish, but as long as people take responsibility for giving their pets the best life they can do, I think it's ok.

Dogs may not grow up to be taxpayers, but they don't need much in the way of tax spent on them. They don't need education, their health care is funded by their owners and, unless your bin is entire made up of dog poo bags, their drain on the tax payer is very small.

But the effect they have on people's mental health probably stops a lot of tax payers money being spent on hospital treatments for owners.

So maybe they are a net gain to tax payers?

Plus, life is 90% selfish anyway, unless you are, like, a superhero or something.

I do think there are some shit dog owners out there though. Working fulltime and leaving a dog on it's own 8 hours a day is a crappy thing to do and I agree selfish (even if you have a dog walker mid way)

My dog would disagree with you!

That said, I don't work so am at his beck & call if necessary!

My dog has the best possible life. Never left alone for more than 2 hours (and that’s rare), massive garden, 2 or 3 huge walks a day.

Pet food and other pet products attract VAT at standard rates, so we are indirectly paying tax on our pets.

They get people fresh air, exercise, sunlight and companionship and unconditional love.
The benefits to people from dog ownership are huge and I think they save the tax payer money

Loads of people work from home and dogs help them get out for fresh air and exercise.
Loads of people work part time and dogs are good companions for the half of the week and weekends they are around.
Loads of people are SAHPs and enjoy the company of a dog.
Loads of people find a dog bonds the family together.
Loads of people work full time and send their dogs out to dog day care where they get to roam around in packs just as nature intended.
Loads of people take their dog to work. Builders often have a dog on site. Our postie's dog carries plastic wrapped magazines in his mouth to help out.

And so on.
I think you are under-thinking this OP.

YABU

I am at home almost 24/7 and my dogs spend almost the entire day snoring on the sofa. One of them won't go for walks at all, unless it's on the beach, and the other one refuses to move after about 20 minutes. Dogs can be lazy too!