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My mom would tell me, though.
She doesn't mince words...lol!
Honestly, those do not sound like healthy dogs. Maybe they were being fed poorly or something, but you should not have to bathe them that often and the heavy shedding should only be seasonal.
There is something wrong there.
Haha, I appreciate the attempts toward doggie diagnosis, but I assure you, they were healthy and happy. They ate some ungodly expensive food (I remember going to buy it). One lived til he was 18, the other was 15 or so. They were just DOGS. They acted like dogs. They would sit, stay, all of that. I just preferred not being in that house with them for long periods of time.
Btw, I don't think hyper and well-trained go together.
They were, by nature, very energetic. Loved to run around outside. Got very excited when the leash came out. Bounced around when they thought they might get into a car. Jumped excitedly when you came in and they were happy to see you. Barked when a stranger came to the door. Ran around the house when they were excited about something.
That is hyper, to me. You probably think its great. It stresses me out to be around animals like that. This is why I know I am not a dog person.
They were, by nature, very energetic. Loved to run around outside. Got very excited when the leash came out. Bounced around when they thought they might get into a car. Jumped excitedly when you came in and they were happy to see you. Barked when a stranger came to the door. Ran around the house when they were excited about something.
They were, by nature, very energetic. Loved to run around outside. Got very excited when the leash came out. Bounced around when they thought they might get into a car. Jumped excitedly when you came in and they were happy to see you. Barked when a stranger came to the door. Ran around the house when they were excited about something.
That is hyper, to me. You probably think its great. It stresses me out to be around animals like that. This is why I know I am not a dog person.
Same with me. Dogs make me antsy in addition to the beautiful experiences they offer such leg humping. No thanks.
I steer clear of dog owners unless they show some flexibility about the dog. If someone refused to make the dog leave the room because I was uncomfortable, like one of the PPs, I would be out like a shot. That seems like a totally reasonable request.
Same with me. Dogs make me antsy in addition to the beautiful experiences they offer such leg humping. No thanks.
I steer clear of dog owners unless they show some flexibility about the dog. If someone refused to make the dog leave the room because I was uncomfortable, like one of the PPs, I would be out like a shot. That seems like a totally reasonable request.
It is a reasonable request. We usually put our dogs away when people come over...or just let them greet them and make them sit on their beds. Or put them out in the yard when little kids come over to play.
I think people who are like, "Oh, yeah?! They live here and you don't!" shouldn't bother inviting guests over if they aren't going to treat them like guests (be thoughtful, be a good host, etc).
What it boils down to for me is that if you intend to get serious about someone -- live with them or get married -- then getting a pet should be a joint decision.
This obviously doesn't fly if the pets predate the relationship. Joint decisions aren't retroactive.
Bottom line...people who are extremely uncomfortable with/afraid of/grossed out by/angered by dogs really can't expect to form intimate, long-term relationships with people who love dogs and already have them as pets/plan on keeping on having them as pets.
The "What if you met the love of your life and s/he hated dogs...would you get rid of your dog for the 'love of your life'?" hypothetical barely holds water. Just as many people on here are saying that there is a certain "type" of person who is pro-having dogs as pets, there is also a certain"type" who is anti-dogs as pets - and those two types are highly likely to be incompatible with one another, anyway. As the former type of person, the odds of the latter type of person being "the love of my life" are so small, they're basically infinitesimal. Most of the people who've contributed to this thread about how they can't tolerate dogs have done so using such a tone that they're likely as not people I wouldn't even socialize with at a party, let alone have enough in common with to consider dating, and CERTAINLY let alone be "the love of my life."
Even within people who like dogs as pets, not all dogs are created equally, people have different philosophies about how to handle dogs, and discrepancies in what people like and do don't always line up. Some people prefer dogs that are mainly outdoors. Some don't like long-haired dogs and the grooming that goes with them. Some like placid dogs, others like ones with energy. Some people crate, some don't, some do dogs on the bed/furniture, some don't. Some people are strict disciplinarians, some are more lax about things. My fiance already had two dogs when we met. I love dogs. His dogs, which he'd had for three years and nine years, respectively, when we met, are not breeds I would have chosen to adopt. They are not the size of dog I prefer. They are great dogs, and most of all, they are creatures that he rescued and loves. His dedication to his dogs was a HUGE part of what attracted me to him...it's just another manifestation of the kindness, love, and commitment he shows in all areas of his life. The fact that there are other types of dogs that I generally prefer is really pretty meaningless in the grand scheme of things.
I didn't make the dog. In my example, I made the child.
If the living situation between dog and child is not safe, sorry but the dog would be out the first time I observed the behavior. In the car, on the way to the shelter, do not pass go. You can never supervise a child 100% of the time, and it only takes a second for a disfiguring bite. What if you saw it and couldn't get to the child in time because you were across the room? What if you had the child in a play pen and turned your back for five seconds? I don't know anyone with eyes in the back of their head.
Exactly. It's ridiculous for the expectation to exist that as a parent you have to watch your child EVERY SINGLE SECOND. That's a way over the top expectation. It's impossible to do and, frankly, too much of an expectation even if it were possible. That type of "helicopter parenting" is NOT the way to go in my mind.
I do understand how some may take the position of that a child needs to learn how to treat an animal properly, and that by having a pet & teaching them (again, when possible, can't watch them every minute) you are preparing them for the world they will face when they grow up. What if they visit a petting zoo as a field trip at school, for instance. However, if it's a dangerous situation or one where the child is being hurt, then the pet needs to go. You don't need to turn into a "helicopter" parent & you sure as heck don't need to make the child feel uncomfortable in their own home because Lassie gets prime position, when they're a PET.
Some have stated "it's obvious you hate dogs" etc with regards to you. With regards to me: I don't hate dogs, but I do hate certain BEHAVIORS, and I dislike it when those behaviors are excused & you basically are told "tough" whenever you even NICELY ask a dog owner to get their dog to stop. When it gets to that point, and when it gets to the point that people will take up for their dog over their own child or tell a quality would-be significant other to hit the road because they won't worship at the alter of Lassie or Morris, then my natural reaction to that is going to be to criticize it as the wrong that it is. That dog owners are bad about doing that is the reason why I state the positions that I do. When it's a good dog owner who doesn't act like their dog invented the wheel & we're mere peasants in their presence, then I'm okay with them, sometimes even ENJOYING their dogs with them.
There are dog lovers, and then there are dog fanatics. There's ample reason to solicit the affections of a person in the former category, even if you're not a "dog lover" yourself. But probably not in the latter. I have seen empty-nesters essentially replace their now-grown children with dogs. The psychological implications are, shall we say, interesting. I've also seen committed dog owners with a balanced sense of priorities. The dog was important, but didn't dominate the owner's life.
My personal experience has been that it's easier for a non-dog-owner to build rapport with a potential partner's large dog, than with a small one. Larger dogs are more mellow and composed. They're amusing companions for running or wrestling. Small, yappy dogs can however be consummately annoying, ridiculously "protecting" their owner and obtruding into the budding human partnership.
Some people are convinced that humans are crass and manipulative backstabbers, while dogs are inveterately loyal. I disagree on both counts. Some humans can be more loyal than any dogs. Some dogs will faun over the next random stranger who feeds them or plays with them. We idealize dogs from revulsion over humans. I'd opine that humans deserve better.
The central matter isn't the dog itself, but the value-judgment. If the values of the two potential partners misalign, the relationship will be fractious and in trouble. The dog is merely the catalyst.
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