I am a dog lover. I have a dog. I have had a dog off and on since graduation from university. I have a dog now. I have loved and cared for 7 dogs in my adulthood. But let me tell you that having a dog today and having one 40 years ago has certainly changed! Actually dog ( and I hesitate to use the word "ownership" because of social media pressure) ... ownership has changed since we got Finn in 2005. Wow has it ever changed.I joined several social media groups when we started talking about getting a new puppy when we returned from Inuvik in 2014. Windy Meadows, because obviously I wanted to see the other gorgeous doggies and then later to post photos of our own Mr. Sailor Boy for others to admire. And there there were a few others that kept cropping up in my news feed and I joined. They will remain nameless. But here's what I have learned and observed in the past 19 months of doggy OWNERSHIP... yes there it is I will take OWNERSHIP of the word. I own it. I use it. I am it. I am a dog owner. Not his Mom. Not his rescuer. Not his adoptive parent. His owner.
Well, back to the lessons learned and the observations made:
Doggy Daycare
... yup a real thing and not to be confused with boarding kennels for overnight stays. Apparently the best dog parents thoroughly research the best daycares and will drive miles across town and risk being late for work to make sure Doggy Junior socializes with the best doggies and are cared for by the best daycare workers. And this is done not because the dog has issues and they want someone else to work with them, but because they don't want to leave them alone during the day when master and/or mastress are working. Are you effing kidding me? It's a dog. I don't agree with tying a dog by its neck in the backyard but I shudder to think of the costs. Shudder. Student loan repayment, anyone?
Dog FoodThen there is the whole dog food debate. Raw versus Vet food versus Home cooked versus Gourmet versus... shudder, gasp, horror, GROCERY store brands. I know that there are terrible dog foods out there, but seriously? Upwards to 100.00 for a bag of food? I want my dog to be well fed and I certainly want him to have a healthy shiny coat. But do I really want to spend one of my pension cheques each year on overpriced dog kibble? And should I be judged if I decide that the food I choose to feed my dog isn't up to YOUR standards?
Vet Visits
Next up? The overly neurotic dog owners who are constantly posting photos of fly bites, skin tags and such on social media. Vet visit? Should I call the emergency line NOW? Blows my mind. If these people have or will have children can you imagine what the MCP costs are/ are going to be if they are like minded with their children!? A dog throws up and it is an emergency? Runny poops and there's a call into the weekend vet? Settle down people. Vets are absolutely wonderful. And God bless them for being there when our pets need them but take a chill pill ( owners not the dogs)... Unless there are serious behavioural things going on wait a few hours. If it isn't bothering the dog, then it probably isn't vet visit worthy. I can't help but think about our thirteen year old, Tara the Schnauzer, who developed a lump on her side and it was there for over a year, not bothering her at all. For some unexplainable reason we thought she should have it removed. Bad move. It was cancer and after the surgery it raced through her body like wildfire. Three months later she was dead. Leave well enough alone? A list of pros and cons when considering surgery is certainly in order. And wait until morning to see if the fly bites have faded a bit. You think?
Dog Sitting
I understand this one maybe better than most. For awhile we were dog sitting three dogs at a kennel. A neurotic schnauzer, a quiet Sheltie puppy and our lovable old Brady. You don't want to leave your dog with just anyone. You want them to be safe and you want them to be reasonably happy when you're away from home. Sailor is moping around here today like he has lost his best friend. He has no idea that Paul is just gone to the airport to pick someone up and will be back in due course. He is miserable. But he will eat his kibble later tonight and he will sleep through the night. He will wake up and be happy to see me in the morning, just as he would have been happy to wake up and see the lady at the kennel if I had decided to go with Paul. There is so much written these days about socializing your dog... Ok you neurotic doggy owners, choose a kennel, build a rapport with the kennel people, drive off with good thoughts in your mind. Because most of the dog's anxiety and issues are just that... IN YOUR MIND. Should you return and the dog is cowering in his kennel or starving, or has bruises...then you have a real issue. But the likelihood of that happening with a reputable kennel? Infinitesimal. Negligible. Minuscule. Not big. Get over it.
Rescue versus Purebred
Now this is one that really gets people riled up. Personally I think the designer dogs that fetch a huge price is a bigger issue. Porkie anyone? But the rescue versus purebred issue is a big one for a lot of people. And I see the merits of both sides. By taking a rescue into your home, you are providing a home for a dog who doesn't have one instead of adding to the overpopulation of pets. Good solid argument. Except in Newfoundland where trying to find a suitable rescue isn't always as easy as it sounds. I won't even plead my case on our decision to go purebred ... suffice it to say I love my Sheltie. Love him to bits. Would I love him as much if he was a Heinz 57? Possibly. I prefer to fall back on this: Live and Let Live. I am not asking you to pay the bill for my dog, so let me choose what type of dog I want. Maybe that is a little blunt, but its my blog and I am a little cranky so that's it.
And just one more closing thought:
Paul and I recently experienced our first instance of ageism. During a visit with a dog trainer, the trainer made three references to our age and their perceived level of our fitness in our abilities to deal with some behaviours in our 18 month old Sheltie. Sailor gets very excited in the car, overstimulated and very vocal. We left the visit with a very, very sour taste in our mouths; discouraged and demoralized. We had a two hour drive to home and we talked about it the whole way home. Besides feeling cheated out of our money, we did a lot of soul searching as to what we as "old, fat people" could do to change Sailor's behaviours in the car. We followed some of the trainer's suggestions and no, we do not walk him for 3-4 hours a day to get his energy expended but we do expect more of him and of ourselves. He is settling. He is more responsive to us and our commands. For his safety and ours he is now making long drives in a kennel. And he will be attending obedience classes to help us build on his emerging skills. Ryan, just home from Africa after 11 months has remarked several times how settled Sailor is and what a nice dog he has become.
Dog ownership is a very serious matter. No one should enter into it lightly, but when someone reaches out for advice and you feel you have some to offer can we please offer it with kindness and compassion? I am so tired of seeing people being torn apart because they are seeking help. You want to vent? Start a blog and rant all you want. ( I did and it is amazing!)
