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 am not sure how my dog is distressed when she is fast asleep. I know what a distressed dog looks like, and mine is not that at all. I know my dog, you don't.

I didn't quote anything you said, so not sure why you are replying to me.

If you're happy for your dog to sleep in it's faeces and you think you're dog is happy then that is your call.

I, personally, wouldn't be and I know my dogs wouldn't be either.

Not a platitude. Simple facts.

Agree 100%

Dog prams.

There I said it.

Nothing screams selfish like dog prams. People come out with all the bollocks about the dog being elderly and it provides a good quality of life by enabling them to get out of the house. It really doesn't. It makes them even less healthy and generally overweight. Its really just about the owner being too selfish to either let the dog go peacefully or the need to infantise the dog so much that it's actually abusive smothering.

Just wrong. Dogs should be allowed to be animals not fur babies.

I think you are BVU there. A dog pram is the equivalent of a person getting a car/bus to their destination as it is too far to walk there.

I think it is all to easy to sneer at such things when you are not n the situation where they are a reality. My grandad had his elderly dogs in a pram, and they loved it. They still got to enjoy their walks. They just could not managed the journey to the park ontop of their actual walk. My grandad ended up using a mobility scooter himself. Also an aid that helped him get out and about.

Oh, I presumed Malis from your land shark username. 😆

Sorry but I disagree with you.

I think it's wrong for the animal and is only about the human's emotional needs. You call it sneering, I call it prioritising animal welfare.

@VeterinaryCareAssistant not sure I could handle a dog that intelligent - dim Goldies are about my level! 😄

Trust me, goldies thoroughly deserve the title of Land Shark 😂

A pram could be a useful piece of equipment for an elderly dog if used to transport them to a nice, interesting walking place that’s too far for the dog to walk to. Like everything else, common sense and an understanding of a dogs needs is required.
sadly these are both very often lacking in the dog owning world

What an intelligent, well thought out response 😂😂

Thanks 😆

If it is wrong for animals, then how is it not wrong for people?

Nah.
I know how much I love animals. I also understand the trophic cascade and accept that I am a member of an omnivorous species.

It is entirely normal to love and enjoy animals and still eat meat.

There is an elderly lady who goes to my local park who takes her elderly dog there in a pram. It is his favourite walk, but it is too far for him to walk there. He does get out and enjoys a sniffy walk (which dogs tend to prefer as they get older.... dogs change as they get older).
It also gets her out too. If you live alone and have few people in your life, dogs are a godsend (it is that case for me).

Dogs are a different species with different needs.

I've had dogs my whole life, trained them and adopted many rescue dogs. I've worked with professional dog handlers and been a strong advocate for animal welfare.

The fundamental misunderstanding that dogs are not just humans in fur coats contributes to the selfish abuse of dogs.

Dogs are amazing wonderful animals who deserve respect in and of themselves.

I agree with other posters about outdoor cats being cruel, outdoor cats are outdoors for the laziness of their owner. The majority of cats in Australia and America are indoor cats, they don't run the risk of being killed by predators or roads. I see at least one cat a week killed by cars here in my small town.

An indoor cat needs enrichment and it seems most cat owners are just too lazy to be bothered.

And someone taking a dog in a pram to their favourite walk is no different to taking them in the car.

Also if you have a big, heavy pup before they’ve been vaccinated and they can’t walk, at least you can start socialising them! My pup is pretty heavy, I can only just about walk for ten mins while carrying him and I have about 3 weeks to go before he is fully jabbed and can walk on the ground and he will
much heavier before he gets to that point!

You clearly support the practice of using prams. I don't.

Guess we'll have to agree to disagree.

I agree. Personally I think it should be illegal to import these so-called "rescue dogs" from abroad. We surely have more than enough unwanted dogs in this country already, all looking to be re-homed?

I think it’s more that you have a specific person in mind who would use a doggy pram - those with designer breeds who treat the dog like a baby and I would agree with you on that.

But @YeOldeGreyhound mentioned a circumstance in which a dog pram would be useful. As did I. As with most things, they are a good idea in some circumstances

Meat eaters aren't animal lovers, either.

Yes, I forgot about that too. I know puppy slings are a thing too, for unvaccinated pups, so can understand prams for the bigger breeds.

It is always exciting when they get to go out for their first proper walk 😊