First of all, let me explain that I don't hate dogs... or should I say I don't hate all dogs. I do hate some dogs though and in many cases I hold their owners personally responsible and accountable. I actually enjoy the company of some dogs. In fact, a couple of weeks ago we were invited to a friend's house. He has this big poodle/golden retriever mix named "Cooper." Cooper is a gentle and playful dog. He likes to be petted and he will chase after a tennis ball when you throw it to you. I rather enjoyed playing with cooper and it was a positive experience to pet his soft fur (and I'm sure he enjoyed it too). This is what pet ownership is all about. It's about a mutual, friendly relationship you have with an animal. This is the ONLY legitimate reason for having a pet. Now, there are service dogs that are employed for the safety and security of humans or used for law enforcement and tracking or even used as "beasts of burden" to pull sleds or wagons. These, in the traditional sense, are not necessarily pets - not any more than you would expect a horse or a camel to be a pet. They are trained for a task or service and if the animal doubles as a pet, than that is an added bonus.
This is where a lot of people get confused and lose sight of the reasons for pet ownership. I have heard some pretty lame reasons for owning a dog. One of the common ones is that "it teaches a child responsibility." Unfortunately for the animal (that is often ends up neglected, abused or dead) the child's lesson may never be fully reinforced simply by the ownership of an animal.
Dog ownership is a huge responsibility. It entails much more than providing food, water and a place to sleep. You have to actually give the pet a lot of attention. You provide a safe and appropriate place for the dog - with plenty of room to run. In other words, you need a large, fenced yard that is sufficient to keep the dog from escaping. Chaining your dog to a tree or keeping it in a small cage is unacceptable. You train the dog so it is not a nuisance to neighbors or visitors and doesn't cause harm to property, people or other animals. A constantly barking dog is a nuisance. At this very moment, I can hear a multitude of dogs barking. They do so day and night. There is a "dog farm" over a quarter of a mile away from where I live and the people who run the place do absolutely nothing to stop the packs of dogs they keep from barking.
Dogs love to dig through garbage. You must keep your dog away from garbage. Some dogs like to eat some pretty disgusting things - like feces and carrion. People often forget that dogs are animals and that they have animal instincts. Dogs will often dig through trash and eat just about anything... not just food. Some will even eat poopy diapers. I'm serious. My parents had a dog that would do that and as it turns out, this behavior is not that uncommon, especially in dogs that don't get fed properly.
You must go walking (or more fittingly - running) with that dog, every day. You must clean up after the dog. The dog is going to poop a lot. You have to clean that up and dispose of it properly. Your dog is going to get fleas. When you bring the dog into the house, your house will have fleas. Unless you like fleas and unless you want your visitors to be subjected to the effects of fleas (and possible infestations), you are going to have to be vigilant and constantly guard against flea infestations - this means giving your dog a flea bath and having it wear a flea collar. It also means that you need to regularly apply insecticides to your carpets, upholstery and linens to kill them so they don't get out of control. Your dog needs regular baths. Dogs can get pretty dirty and smelly - just like a person would if they didn't take frequent baths. Most dogs shed and you end up with hair all over your house that you have to clean up. If it isn't evident already, there is a lot of cleaning up after your pet that you must do. I have gone into some pet owners' homes that are unbearable because of the pet odors. After awhile, a pet owner will most likely become desensitized to the stench of feces, urine, saliva and external smells associated with unclean fur. Many people (like me) are sensitive, if not allergic, to pet dander. I have to wash my hands and whatever other body part touches a dog or cat or it will burn or itch. When you own a pet, you will limit the people who may visit your home.
Dogs require shots to keep them from carrying diseases or getting sick. They also need other veterinary care. Some irresponsible owners neglect the care of their animals and they simply get sick, suffer and die... or they just suffer throughout their life with a condition or injury because the owner was either too cheap to have it cared for or ignorant to the fact that pets need medical care, just as humans do.
Some dogs will invariably cause major property damage. They destroy furniture, walls, doors, windows and screens, yards, fences and the exterior of buildings. Bigger dogs tend to be more destructive, but I have seen some tiny critters that have caused a lot of damage as well. We once took care of a big sheep dog for a month. That was a month too long. This dog destroyed our window screens, the neighbor's fence, and damaged our lawn. Besides the physical damage, the dog also barked constantly, so we had complaints from the neighbors that had eventually gone to the police. I'm glad this was only a temporary situation.
Many dogs will chase or bite people or chase vehicles. This behavior cannot be tolerated and must be dealt with. Some dogs can learn through discipline, while others will not. A child that gets a puppy often does not understand the gravity of what that dog is capable of doing... and the parents are oblivious (or in denial) about the negative implications as well. All they see is a cute, furry, playful puppy. Dogs must learn to not harm people. Owners are held liable for the actions of their pets. Dogs that bite cause injuries that can cost many thousands of dollars in medical bills. Some injuries from pets are permanent and disfiguring. I have a nephew who had a good portion of his ear bitten off by a dog. There are some dogs that will kill humans, livestock or other pets. When a dog is dangerous, it is necessary to euthanize the animal. It is a fact of life that we must accept. Dogs that are capable of injuring or killing humans are not safe to keep and the owners must accept that fact and are responsible for euthanizing the animal, no matter how attached they become to their beloved pet. It is better that the dog dies a humane death before a tragic incident occurs and the dog has to be euthanized or is killed by law enforcement or a person acting in self-defense (which may not be a painless or humane way to die). A dog that chases vehicles is likely to be run over. If the animal survives, the owner is responsible for some very expensive medical bills and the dog may also suffer permanent disability or disfigurement. A dog that attacks wild animals, other pets or livestock is likely to become infected and become a carrier of disease, parasites or infestations. Dog owners are responsible for any damage their pet inflicts upon other pets or in the case of wild animals - some animals may be protected or endangered, and the owner of the dog will be held criminally or civilly liable for such damages or death.
Another lame reason for having a dog is that people believe that their dog will protect them from crime. In many cases, an attacker will be less likely to mug or rape a victim that has a dog, but having a dog for the sole purpose of protection is missing the point of having a pet. Having the dog as a pet is first, as a protection is a secondary bonus. I know people who chain up a dog in the yard with the intentions of keeping burglars away. How sad for the dog! Not only are they abusing and neglecting the dog by doing so, a dog that barks at everything is going to be ineffective at scaring away burglars or alerting the owners of suspicious activities. In fact, in many cases there are dogs that only bark when the owners are not home. Not all burglars are stupid. Some of them will observe the activities of dogs and can tell when an occupant is not at home because the dog acts differently. In this way, your "watchdog" can become a liability. If you really want to ensure that your home is secure, invest in a reliable security system.
Admittedly, my disdain for dogs stems back from childhood, but has not stopped there. Like many children, I was pretty naive about dogs and thought that anybody who was against them was a "bad guy" or was a "mean and nasty person." Then I had a wake-up call. Growing up in a somewhat rural neighborhood, many people thought it was ok to let their dogs run wild. I got to personally experience the worst of the worst of canine behavior. My two elder brothers and I were responsible for taking out the trash every week. Almost on a regular basis, unfettered and undisciplined dogs would come over and knock over the cans and string garbage all over the place and it was particularly bad on windy days. That's when I began to hate dogs.
I loved to play in the yard with my siblings, but quite often our fun was spoiled by one of us stepping in dog poop. One of the things that I like to banter inexperienced dog owners with is the fact that they will be (or legally and ethically should be) responsible for is cleaning up dog poop for the next 15-20 years or so. I have told new dog owners: "Well, I hope you like poop!" I have to smile (in a wry sort of way) whenever I see people out there with a baggie, cleaning the poopie off the ground. This is so disgusting. I have changed baby diapers and I rejoice when the baby is potty-trained. The dog is never potty trained. Ever. One good thing I can say about cats is that at least you can get them to poop in a litter box. You still have to clean it out, but at least you won't step in it or roll in it when you are out playing football in the yard with your children. I hate dog poop. I have always hated dog poop. This made me hate dogs even further.
The one thing that dissuaded me from ever owning or wanting a dog and has become a sore spot for me ever since was when I had a paper route. At the tender age of 11 years old, I faced the stark reality that dogs attack people. They chase, threaten, pounce and even bite their victims, without regard for size or age - in fact, aggressive dogs tend to attack victims that are smaller or weaker. You have to remember that dogs are predatory animals and it is a predator's instinct to prey on the weak, the young and the sickly. I am not sure at what point in history the dog became "man's best friend" but if you look deep into history, you will find that dogs were once regarded as unclean and as a nuisance. There are many biblical accounts and metaphors that deem them as unworthy creatures - and rightly so. Not only is a dog considered "unclean" by Hebrew standards (the law of Moses) but they were also menacing scavengers... on the same plane as hyenas and other unpleasant beasts that are persistent, aggressive and unmanageable. My loathing of dogs turned to fear as I encountered many such unrestrained animals that would aggressively chase me on my bicycle (or on foot), sometimes biting me or knocking me over. Owners always acted shocked that their dog could be capable of such behavior, but their recourse or remedy (if any) was invariably inadequate. Some owners would verbally scold their animals or slap them: "Bad dog!" Others would blame me for somehow instigating the dog's aggressive behavior: "You must have been teasing the dog!" While there were others yet that would either deny that the dog had bit me (I had to show them the bite marks) or disbelieve that their dog could ever do such a thing: "My Fifi has NEVER bit anybody!" This is why I never believe a dog owner whose dog chases me. I know better. I will always reach for my pepper spray when a dog comes after me, no matter what the owner says or action he or she takes. I often hear things like, "He won't bite... he just wants to get to know you!" or (as in the case of a huge Bull Mastiff that lives at the end of the street) "The worst thing that dog will do is lick you to death!"
I never trust a dog and I never trust a dog owner. I have made that mistake before... numerous times. And I have been bitten. I carry lethal as well as non-lethal protection for such occasions. Fortunately, I have never had to resort to using lethal methods... yet. I have come frighteningly close though. I have, however, used pepper spray at least a half a dozen times on aggressive dogs that came close enough to lunge at me. I will take no chances. Dogs can kill. Some dogs are more dangerous than others. Just today, I got a call from my wife who works cleaning houses. One of the guys who works with her was bitten by a pit bull that the owner thought was incapable of attacking someone. I asked her if she called the police. She did. She is a smart woman. Biting dogs need to be reported. Had I known better when I was a youth, there would have been numerous reports to the sheriff's department - not to animal control. When a person is attacked or injured, whether it be by an animal or another person, this needs to be reported to law enforcement and charges filed. If there is personal injury or property destroyed, those need to be reported as well and if necessary, taken to a civil court. Oftentimes, a dog owner will refuse to take responsibility for the actions of their pet for whatever unreasonable excuse they can come up with, but legally the owner is responsible and can be held civilly and criminally liable - though it will never repair damages or bring back a life.
I recently read an interesting article about how even the most intelligent dogs will have the intellect no greater than a two-year-old human. Dogs can be trained, but their abilities can only go so far. Taking that into account, and realizing that some dogs can kill a person, I as this question: Would you give a toddler a lethal weapon to play with? The reasonable answer would be: Absolutely not! You have to think about these things when harboring a potentially dangerous animal. We can be in denial all we want, but the statistics pile up against certain types and breeds of animals. What I have found though is that many of those who keep aggressive breeds use them as an extension of their own aggression and malice. There are others though, out of ignorance and/or denial that will raise or adopt known aggressive types of animals, believing that theirs is an exception.
Living in a civilized society and knowing what we know, I find it surprising the amount of inaccurate information that feeds the masses and the ignorance and denial that goes along with wanting something so bad that you purposely ignore or cover up truth. I also find it staggering how we as humans put so much effort into trying to humanize animals or to elevate them to human status... or to depreciate our own species in such attempts. Well, some of us do this anyway. I find it more common in recent years, and ironically as our knowledge increases and our availability of information blossoms and as we "evolve" into more intelligent beings, in some ways we become more stupid. I find that we are de-evolving when we put a lower species of animal on a higher plane of priority and importance than that of our own species.
People are taught to fear certain species of animals more than others. Naturally, a person is more afraid of a ferocious wild animal like a bear or an alligator. We often have unfounded or unreasonable fears of benign insects or beasts. I find it interesting, or rather comical, how a person can scream and flail at the sight of a spider or a snake, but may not have the same fear or watchfulness of a hornets nest, though the likelihood of being stung to death is much greater than that of being bitten by a spider or snake and almost never from being bitten by a rodent (unless that rodent has rabies or some other infectious disease). The same goes for larger animals. People are afraid to go camping or hiking for fear of bears or mountain lions, but have no fear of encountering a strange dog - or having an incident with their own dog. You are much more likely to be seriously injured or killed by a dog (somebody else's or even your own) than you are by a bear, mountain lion, alligator or even a shark.
So, there you have it. You will never have to wonder why I will never own a dog and why I normally choose to distance myself from most dogs and why I carry lethal as well as non-lethal protection. In my experience, there are a few good dogs. A few... but those are the exception.
