To think most people shouldn't own dogs

[JamSandle]

I love dogs but I think a lot of owners:

• infantalise their dogs and treat them like babies, not animals who have instincts and needs.

• don't train them. Let their dogs bark, howl and growl all day long.

• don't look them properly. Walk them, trim nails, clean them, look after teeth.

Good dog owners are amazing people. But so many people have dogs and don't put the effort into training them or understanding the animals needs.

I dont really think most people should be dog owners.

In my view the majority of dogs that cause problems are because the owner has chosen a breed based on looks rather than understanding the breed requirements.

I meet some dogs that have never been let off a lead because 'He would never come back!' as if it's the dogs fault that they didn't train them properly. They go on to complain that they have to walk the dog several times a day or talk about destruction in the home and or garden.

They are unhappy and the dog is unhappy.

All dog behaviour is a reflection on how they are being cared for, how well they have been trained and how much exercise they are getting.

Most dog owners I know are extremely diligent, there are a minority of arseholes.

I do think most dog owners should not breed dogs. I wish we had a strict licensing system in place to prevent people churning out puppy after puppy in their living rooms and selling them for outrageous amounts of money. Shelters are on their knees, we do not need more puppies being born.

Another dog owner bashing thread. As long as I'm taking responsibility for my dog, I will proceed, as I like. 👍

Aaagggh, some dog owners just annoy me. I have a neighbour who has a dog that she let's out to the garden unsupervised and it barks all the time. She screams at it to be quiet. My 3 dogs occasionally bark back, but I have trained mine to be quiet on command, as I don’t allow them to annoy people.
I got banned from a dog training FB group yesterday, because some stupid owner was getting rid of a 5 month puppy because it was " aggressive " . She was grabbing stuff out the dogs mouth and it growled and snapped at her, and she put an e collar on it... Didn't actually get the concept of teaching " leave " or " drop".
I have rehomed these so called " aggressive " puppies at an older age, and trained them properly with love. Not one is aggressive anymore, because I'm never going to snatch anything from them, and they'll drop when I ask them to.
I can't get fussed on outfits as long as people train their dogs . Mine won't have it , but they do love a bandana or a bow tie, and will sit like little angels till I put it on their collars....😅

Agree , I run my whole life around my dog and spend £100s a month on her care .She has a great life .
" To think most people shouldn't own dogs"?
tbh I think the same about people with kids!

I agree about the children thing. Quite a few people with those shouldn't have had them either.

Totally agree. You will be told to start a new thread on it ! That and whataboutery are always the stock answers.

If you're a good dog owner I'm not sure why you've taken offence to my post about bad dog owners?

Owners like you are not the subject of my post.

I agree.

I don't think you have to be an 'amazing person' to be a decent dog owner. I am what I'd describe as a normal dog owner. From your list:

I don't infantilise my dog or dress him up because I'm not a weirdo He has a coat though. He's very slim and short-haired and gets v cold if he gets soaked.

I haven't trained him much. He's very biddable apart from one thing: We tried really hard for a long time to train him not to pull on the lead, with no success. The breed (pointer) is apparently notorious for it. We use a head-harness type collar to stop it. He comes back when called and doesn't approach people he doesn't know (not because of training- he just isn't interested!).

He barks if someone comes to the door or if he wants something. He growls if a stranger is intrusive with him (understandable).

He gets a wash sometimes. Impossible to trim his claws - he is totally neurotic about it and would have to be sedated. He's 9 and had a split claw once (it healed fine).

Anyway... I'm sure there are lots of bad dog owners, OP, but I must admit I don't see as much evidence of this as posts on MN suggest exists.

Agreed

No offence taken . Just that everything you see to do with dog ownership isn't necessarily the whole story.

Some are needier than others, but they pretty much entertain themselves.

Nothing wrong with treating a dog like a baby.Im not meaning putting clothes on them etc but they are absolutely precious

I think there should be much stricter laws surrounding dog ownership in this country. At the moment there are none. You live in a tiny house with no garden and want to buy a large Rottweiler/Doberman etc? Oh yes, go right ahead.

Im sick to death of having large off-lead scary dogs bound up to me and my dcs on our walks and the owners not even attempting to call them away. It’s selfish, lazy and antisocial.

I agree. I actually think ownership of any animal should be strictly regulated.

I think there should be much stricter laws surrounding dog ownership in this country. At the moment there are none. You live in a tiny house with no garden and want to buy a large Rottweiler/Doberman etc? Oh yes, go right ahead.

There's nothing wrong with owning a dog and living in a small home/not having a garden as long as you're prepared to put the work in, though. Owning dogs is flats is the norm in most countries.

A dog (of any breed) that is properly exercised and stimulated should be just as happy living in a flat or small house as they are in a mansion.

Too many people treat their dogs like their children and train neither. People are too stupid and sentimental these days. Both dogs and children need discipline, guidance and training otherwise chaos ensues. Too many adults are silly, lazy, vacuous and don't take responsibility for anything in their lives.

Agree and I think that's why there seems to be so many more smaller dogs now, because they want a gift without the 'hassle'

I have both, and this is so true!

I used to work with a woman who had a rescue cat and a husky kept in a London flat while she went to work. She was also planning on emigrating to Australia. I do think some people just don't think.

It's ridiculous isn't it?

My SIL lives in a small terrace with just a yard - she has a husky but she runs it twice a day so it's very-well exercised and stimulated.

This forum baffles me.

I said in a different thread that my dog is never alone for longer than two hours and was promptly told I needed to build resilience in him, it wasn't healthy for either of us etc

But bad dog owners as defined above do the opposite to me

We can't win.

Two hours is a bit different from a full day.