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Finding an appropriate new home for a dog that is a bad fit is not the same as dumping a dog on the street. Too many people get confused here.
Dogs are not humans. There is an old saying about not being able to choose your family members...well in the case of animals you can. Dogs are not humans, as much as we love them. They adapt well into new homes and do not hold on to unhealthy emotional baggage, and guilt trips like people do.
Dogs are not humans. There is an old saying about not being able to choose your family members...well in the case of animals you can. Dogs are not humans, as much as we love them. They adapt well into new homes and do not hold on to unhealthy emotional baggage, and guilt trips like people do.
Sort of disagree here. When they are younger, sure you can move them around and they will bond with the new place, but I don't think this is the same for older dogs.
We have a 10 year old German Shepherd, and her loyalty and need to see us is astounding. I don't think we would be able to give her a new home, with a new family, and she would be alright.
When I would bring her over to my place (unfamiliar territory), she couldn't wait to go back home to her house. Regardless of me being there every second with her.
The op has already stated that dog could care less about him. I have worked professionally with dogs for almost 20 years. Most dogs could care less where their owners are while they are gone. Dogs play and live in the moment, they do not obsess over people, like people obsess over them - as much as owners would want them to, it just doesn't happen.
I feel badly for the dogs you've worked professionally with for almost 20 years. In certain situations, dogs can be better placed. However, your across the board general statements are irresponsible. For example, someone who has had a dog for 14 years shouldn't get rid of the dog suddenly because it's inconvenient and having accidents in the house. I could go on and on with examples of situations where dogs should be a lifetime commitment. Sure, if it's not a good match in the first few months, rehoming very well may be appropriate. But your general blanket statements are very damaging because all sorts of people read CD threads and you could encourage the wrong people to give up dogs for all the wrong reasons.
I feel badly for the dogs you've worked professionally with for almost 20 years. .
That is your own misguided judgement, and it has nothing to do with the reality I live in, or the good fortune of the wonderful animals I work with. This is the internet and you know nothing about me, nor does anyone here personally know the OP - so, based on your own statement, everything posted by everyone here (including yourself) should be considered "across the board general statements and irresponsible."
That is your own misguided judgement, and it has nothing to do with the reality I live in, or the good fortune of the wonderful animals I work with. This is the internet and you know nothing about me, nor does anyone here personally know the OP - so, based on your own statement, everything posted by everyone here (including yourself) should be considered "across the board general statements and irresponsible."
It speaks volumes that you didn't feel compelled to respond to the rest of my post. The essence of a person comes through the internet. If you don't care how your general statements can be detrimental to pets of some people who read your posts, you're irresponsible and lack compassion for pets.
There may be situations where it's better for both the dog and owner to find another home for the dog. Only the OP can say for sure if this is the case here. But to recommend giving dogs away so casually, as if it should be the first resort rather than the last, doesn't strike me as something a person who's worked with dogs for 20 years would normally say. I don't know what work you do with dogs, but I hope you aren't a trainer or behaviorist!
I don't know what work you do with dogs, but I hope you aren't a trainer or behaviorist!
I believe Bmachina has said before that she was / is a groomer, which exposes one to a very specific subset of dogs within the larger population and would explain the poster's belief that "dogs could care less where their owners are when they're gone." Most owners of dogs with severe separation anxiety for example would not be dropping their dog off at the groomers, so the poster would have limited interaction with and knowledge about such animals.
The whole "dogs live in the moment" debate is complex. Obviously dogs have memory. In some ways dogs do live in the moment, but in many ways they are affected by their past experiences, for better and for worse.
I have to laugh at the idea of a groomer thinking that their experience grooming automatically makes them an expert on any kind of animal psychology and behaviour. That's hilarious.
I have to laugh at the idea of a groomer thinking that their experience grooming automatically makes them an expert on any kind of animal psychology and behaviour. That's hilarious.
Maybe Bmachina has further experience working with dogs. In this thread she does say she began training obedience at 12 years old. I figured she meant 4H? //www.city-data.com/forum/dogs/...-grooming.html
Also remember, there are some very scary professional trainers out there. Just making a living training does not make you a good or humane or knowledgeable trainer! It is a somewhat unregulated field, although we are seeing improvements in that regard.
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