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 think most are selfish. It is all about how the dog makes them (the owner) feel

Welfare of animals comes second.

Agreed 100%.

Indoor cats - honestly, just trying to justify being scared to let them outside. Awful.

Frenchies, pugs, sausage dogs, cockerpoos or any of those other ridiculous designer breeds. So many of them left alone for 7-8 hours a day with one small walk. But no doubt a load of "jumpers" and "doggie birthday party" photos for social media.

Just people with no idea about animals and their needs sadly.

We have a pedigree puppy and he came from a wonderful breeder who not only had been registered with the Kennel Club for over 40 years, but bred from her own dog using a KC registered stud. I’ve stayed in touch and regularly ask how mummy is doing.
The breed we have, I’ve grown up with as has my mum and her uncle was a very highly regarded breeder of this breed, since the 1930s.
Please don’t tar us all with the same brush.

Yup. The amount of judgement I’ve had for having outdoor dogs. Fairly normal on all the farms here but honestly. They are dogs, not people. They have a warm house and exercise hours every day. Plenty of interaction with us and stimulation. They can also roll in fox poop without us getting stressed about it coming in the house.

Those I know with similar breeds and indoors are not well trained, are left alone for hours while the owners go out and work and do not get the exercise they need. They are also showered all of the time and groomed so they don’t smell, because they don’t want the dogs to make their house smell. It’s not natural or good for them.

We also have a large certificate whuch details all of his ancestors going back 5 generations.

I dont own a dog and never have. But I count myself as an animal lover.

Acquiring a dog as a fashion accessory has been a thing for years. I'm old enough to remember when the Dulux ads first came out there was a rush to buy Old English sheepdogs. Followed by all the animal shelters being filled with these poor animals when people realised the reality of owning them. And this trend followed with Andrex puppies and countless other dogs

So many people dont think about the cost of dog ownership.And they don't research and find the right dog for their life style.

As a regular supporter of animal welfare charities it breaks my heart to see them filled with discarded animals.

Exactly the same here! Im wondering if we got a pup from the same litter

Miniature Schnauzer??

I've said it a million times, but if you want something furry that gives affection, doesn't need walking and doesn't really need training THAT IS A CAT.

A significant minority of dog owners wish they owned a cat, they're just too dumb to realise it.

Mind you, I was raised in the country to know that if you have animals, your responsibility to them comes first. My next door neighbours got their six year-old chickens and have just got rid of them at a year old, because they didn't want to look after them!

Well, tough tits in my view.

Evolution and breeding are different things.

Many dog traits come about through selective breeding rather than evolution.

Evolution is a natural process. Breeding isn't.

For a small number of dog - social dogs. A large proportion don't want to socialise with other dogs.

I know? I didn’t say they weren’t different things?
As a whole, the domestic dog has evolved to have humans as companions.

Specific breeds do this in specific ways. So a GSD wants to be with their human about as much as a lab but a GSD will try to ‘herd’ and will be more protective and territorial whereas your lab is a retriever and will want to bring you things.

Massive simplification there of course but hopefully you get what I am trying to say.

Bullshit!
For their own safety, my dogs are trained not to approach unknown dogs. They have each other, plus a multitude of friend and families dogs to play with
Responsible, caring owners don’t use a 100% no interaction rule. They simply monitor when and with who.

Ha no, I got a Labrador 🥰

Personally I'd argue cat lovers aren't animal lovers. Cats devastate local wildlife of all types (shrews, slow worms, birds... anything that moves)

Oh dear.

holding my spot

Join the lab club! X I've got a yellow lab and a border collie. Both, of whom, are spoilt rotten. I make zero apologies 😌

Same I got 2 labs, black and a yellow.

You have your work cut out for you then 😂
I love Border Collie’s as well. Such clever dogs!

Some examples could be carrying them about in handbags, overfeeding/too many treats- no dog died from never having a Pup cup? Also dressing them in daft outfits for our own entertainment, not enough exercise because they’re owned by a lazy human, projecting human emotions on to their dog.
It’s not an insult to a dog to call it a dog. The term ‘fur baby’ should be banned 😂

No not fur baby 😔

Get a grip. Dogs are carnivores, they can’t eat veg. It’s life. Animals eat animals. Just like we are supposed to. It’s hardly a shocker.

Greedy fuckers aren't they 😂😂

I love animals, but dislike breeders.

All of our dogs have been rescue dogs; our cats too.