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We took our new 4 month old puppy to puppy class on Friday. Not cuz we can't train her (our older dog is awesome), but b/c we thought it'd be good for structure, socialization, etc. The instructor seems smart and knows good stuff and all that's great.
What's making us wish we hadn't paid for the class is another dog there.
It's a 6 month old shepard mix. Sweet, friendly, outgoing, smart as a whip (learned our first command lickity-split). You just look at this dog and you can tell what a sweet girl she is.
The family that came with her (mom and 2 kids) brought her b/c she was digging and they wanted help with that. Turns out that she has spent her entire puppyhood chained in the backyard. Mom has no intention of ever letting this dog come inside because of 'the smell.' When the instructor brought up housebreaking, the mother said, "No. No point to that." It became pretty clear through conversation that this woman had gotten the dog as a toy/accessory for her kids...not to make her part of the family.
It just broke our hearts. I mean, we're no animal activists or whatever, but it physically hurt in my chest to see such a sweet, beautiful, eager-to-please animal being treated that way. The family said they'd had her since she was 'very little.' Can you imagine a little puffball puppy sitting outside by herself all chained up day and night? And this may be Texas, but we've already had temps in the 20s this winter.
Just writing about it now makes me so sad and angry...
How do you all think we should go about going to the rest of the classes? It's just three of us in the class. Hard to avoid these people. So incredibly hard to even look at the dog.
Location: Montreal -> CT -> MA -> Montreal -> Ottawa
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Me? I wouldn't be able to go to the rest of the classes. And even with not going, I still wouldn't be able to get that dog out of my mind and heart. I fear that I'd "offer" to take it off their hands because that's no life for a dog.
Yeah...I even asked around at work to see if anyone wanted a puppy, b/c I wanted to offer to take this dog. But it's not our dog, it's not really our business, and even the trainer can't really do or say anything about it...it just kills me.
unfortunately theres not much you can do about the poor dog being used as an entertainment tool, but if youre still wanting the training for your puppy i dont see a reason why not to continue the classes just because of one idiot family, if youre there to make sure your puppy has the best life she possibly can, then keep going
I can do the training myself or get it somewhere else. Our last trainer (who did all the classes my older dog went through) would have ripped this woman a new one...or at least said something. She was very, uh, outspoken. I wish I could find our old trainer. But it's been 7 years.
Location: Montreal -> CT -> MA -> Montreal -> Ottawa
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Quote:
Originally Posted by stan4
Yeah...I even asked around at work to see if anyone wanted a puppy, b/c I wanted to offer to take this dog. But it's not our dog, it's not really our business, and even the trainer can't really do or say anything about it...it just kills me.
Do you think you could ask, in a respectful way (I know that would be difficult as you can't really respect this person), if they would consider adopting the dog out to someone who wants the dog INSIDE because it's unfair (more tactful way of saying "cruel," I suppose) to leave a dog chained outside?
I think that I'd lace into this woman something fierce and then kick myself for not calmly asking something that maybe she's already subconsciously considering...
Just a thought.
Stuff like this makes my blood boil. Frustrating...!!!!!
I know what you mean, stan4. It makes me so sad to see a situation like that. We live in East TN, and a family next door keeps 3 dogs chained up outside 24/7/365. It gets cold in the winter and hot in the summer. They never get any human attention except when someone comes out and dumps some kibble on the ground. They're mutts, so they're not breeding stock or dogs to hunt with.
Makes me want to strip those people naked & chain their fat butt$ to a stake in the yard! I mean, I don't put humans above animals, but come on take better care of them than that!
Yeah, beachdiver. At least your neighbors have several dogs so they can keep each other company. But a little puppy? Taken from its family and by itself outside all day and night?
My wife says that she tries to feel better by thinking that maybe this puppy at least has a better life than being put down in a shelter or something. Like there are three levels of dog life:
1. Family member/work partner
2. Ignored/neglected, but fed and alive
3. Put down in a shelter
Do you think you could ask, in a respectful way (I know that would be difficult as you can't really respect this person), if they would consider adopting the dog out to someone who wants the dog INSIDE because it's unfair (more tactful way of saying "cruel," I suppose) to leave a dog chained outside?
I think that I'd lace into this woman something fierce and then kick myself for not calmly asking something that maybe she's already subconsciously considering...
Just a thought.
Stuff like this makes my blood boil. Frustrating...!!!!!
To be fair, they took the dog to a training class. You can tell the kids adore the pup. They're at that age, you know. Wait till they are teens and 'have a life' and that dog runs out of friends.
It's so not our business and yet so hard to let go.
Chained up outside in freezing weather is a reportable offense! Call and report these people. Likewise, outside in buring hot weather.
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