Dog lovers aren’t animal lovers

[Namechanger1993]

I’ve been lurking in various dog related threads recently and it’s become abundantly clear how few dog owners on MN actually love animals. Not all. But lots.

Posters not caring about health tests on parents, or the breeders experience or ability or what happens to the bitch (mother of the pups) after as their desire for expensive mix outweighs their ethics about puppy farming or dogs being born in pain with chronic health issues as a result of bad breeding. Posters admitting their dogs have soiled themselves for a year before they put their dog to sleep. No matter which way you look at it (and believe me, I understand how hard it is to say goodbye), people who love their dogs don’t let them sleep in their shit for a year. Posters not exercising their dog sufficiently or not giving it mental stimulation and then wondering why its badly behaved.

Time and time again I’ve seen posters put their desire for a dog above any morals they might have about animal welfare (including their own dogs). welfare. Honestly, it’s quite shocking how little so many posters care about their dogs, or indeed the dogs use to produce their cute puppy.

I really think people do not understand the time and commitment it takes with dogs. So many posters say ‘we are getting a puppy but I will only be able to take two weeks off work to settle them in’. I wouldn’t get a dog if I worked outside the home. I also waited until my children were school age so they could learn how to treat the dog.
I have had three dogs adopted from rescue as adults, but my last two were from puppies. I trained them well and none had separation anxiety or were destructive. I chose the breed wisely as well. A young family living in the city should not get a border collie or a springer spaniel unless they have hours to devote to exercise. Likewise a keen runner should not get a short nosed breed if looking for a companion. I despaired when a friend got a Weimaraner - he was far too strong for her and she could not control him. He rarely got the amount of exercise needed and was very very needy. She is much better off either the two calm dachshunds she has now.
I put my old boy to sleep last year. He went rapidly downhill and I told my kids the one thing that would really stress him was if he couldn’t get outside to toilet. He started struggling to get to standing position so I said that it’s time. People who hold on are doing the animal no favours.

She wasn't talking to you, @redboxer321. She was making a generic comment after agreeing you pick a fight with everyone...a point you have just proved 😂

Sorry wrong again @LandSharksAnonymous It was very clearly aimed at me. She quoted you having a go at me.

I stand corrected. You were right about the veganism @LandSharksAnonymous Not about the picking a fight but the veganism, yes.

Many parents acknowledge that they don't really like children in general. It isn't the gotcha you seem to think it is.

And noisy children aren't really comparable with people letting their home beasts to kill wildlife.

You literally told me that I was going to be violent if someone approached me about my dog... which I did not say. You twisted my words.... and then said that you would not trust my judgement about my dog's health. Several times on this thread.

Yep - it's right there in black and white (multiple times over).