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I recently read an article in Time that Islamic people consider dogs "unclean" and dog ownership is going to be banned in Iran, because owning a dog means the person is more "westernized".
I grew up in the west, where everyone has a dog, a truck, and a gun, usually several of each, dogs were treated as not only pets, but part of the family, if you went any place, it was common to also take your dog.
Did you grow up in a different culture? How were dogs treated in your country?
Are Americans dog crazy? I can't imagine a goverment banning dog ownership.
I recently read an article in Time that Islamic people consider dogs "unclean" and dog ownership is going to be banned in Iran, because owning a dog means the person is more "westernized".
I grew up in the west, where everyone has a dog, a truck, and a gun, usually several of each, dogs were treated as not only pets, but part of the family, if you went any place, it was common to also take your dog.
Did you grow up in a different culture? How were dogs treated in your country?
Are Americans dog crazy? I can't imagine a goverment banning dog ownership.
Well, at least they aren't going to do like they did in China where the government took to the streets killing people's dogs.
Every culture is different and there is no right or wrong. We can't judge another country by our standards.
It's hard to understand how some countries can kill or ban or even eat dogs, but that is the way things are. Personally, I am not a dog person, and I think that dog lovers tend to go a bit overboard at times, but then, people would probably say that about me and my cats. LOL
I grew up in Poland where dogs were, well, dogs. They roamed the streets and people didn't treat them like humans. Those that lived in villages, had outside farm dogs. I think it's changed a ton since I lived there as a kid. My cousin who lives there recently got a Whippet and posts more pictures of the dog on FB than her kids! Also, dog food is a new concept there. Dogs ate table scraps, not pre-packaged kibble.
We also travel constantly. Last year, we were in Turks & Caicos, Puerto Vallarta, Costa Rica and several other Latin American/Caribbean places and we saw the same exact thing in each one. Malnourished dogs that lived on the street and basically had to fend for themselves. Very few people allow dogs to come indoors in those countries. I took a ton of pics of dogs in various countries and it's quite sad to see the state many of them are in. Every single female was either pregnant or had just given birth, it was really sad to see.
I'll be the first to admit it, I treat Porkchop like a human child. Bulldogs are unlike any other breed. He doesn't leave my side all day long and follows me to the bathroom, even in the middle of the night. He's there when I shower (sometimes hops in the tub with me), there when I cook and just always near me. Sure, to some that's a bit excessive but I wouldn't trade it for the world. I love him and am very glad that I can give him such an awesome life. He's clearly one very happy Bulldog and I wouldn't have it any other way!
DH spent over 5 years in Afghanistan when he was in his teens and is my local expert on Islamic customs. His dad was in the US Diplomatic Corp and was stationed there. I had hear the same thing recently (that Islamics consider dogs to be unclean animals) and asked him about it. Its either a recent thing or just attributable to certain Islamic countries because back when he lived there, many Afghan families had dogs as pets.
I should have also mentioned that my husband was born in Egypt. While he loves all animals, his mother to this day doesn't believe that animals should ever live in a house, as do many others from that country. She must think we're the dirtiest people ever!
"Dog culture" is even more Bizarro here in the east. People take their dogs to the mall in little dog baby carriages, and shop at "Baby Dog" boutiques, where they buy little outfits for their dogs. They don't have stuff like that in Wyoming. You don't buy leather biker outfits for your dog...that is for sure. Or pink rhinestone collars.
"Dog culture" is even more Bizarro here in the east. People take their dogs to the mall in little dog baby carriages, and shop at "Baby Dog" boutiques, where they buy little outfits for their dogs. They don't have stuff like that in Wyoming. You don't buy leather biker outfits for your dog...that is for sure. Or pink rhinestone collars.
It's all about disposable income. I'm more than willing to bet that someone in NYC or SoCal has much more disposable income to shell out and spending $600 on a dog collar isn't going to put them in the poor house for the month!
I should have also mentioned that my husband was born in Egypt. While he loves all animals, his mother to this day doesn't believe that animals should ever live in a house, as do many others from that country. She must think we're the dirtiest people ever!
My dad doesn't believe that animals should ever live in a house, either, and he's about as American as one can get without being a member of an indigenous tribe.
I should have also mentioned that my husband was born in Egypt. While he loves all animals, his mother to this day doesn't believe that animals should ever live in a house, as do many others from that country. She must think we're the dirtiest people ever!
I worked with a girl who grew up in Mexico City and she told me that it was not their custom to have indoor pets. There might be a dog outside, maybe, but never one inside. By upper class people it was considered dirty. Go figure.
Dogs and people's bond go back to the cave days.
On the other hand, I don't think rhinestone jackets for dogs (or, for that matter, for people) are a particularly instinctive thing.
I can't travel to most places because I cannot stand the animal cruelty.
Many people do think that dogs are outdoor animals, like livestock, but do keep them for guarding.
When I was in Haiti and started feeding the dog, I knew it was time to go.
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