I am a 21st century dog

[skinnydipper]

Copied from Veterinaria a domicilio_Arivet's page on Facebook.


"When will we understand this reality?

I am a 21st century dog.

-I'm a Malinois.
Overskilled among dogs, I excel in all disciplines and I'm always ready to work.
Today I get asked to chill on the couch all day everyday.

-I am an Akita Inu.
My ancestors were selected for dog fighting.
Today I get asked to be tolerant and I get scolded for my reactivity when one of them approaches me.

-I am a Beagle.
When I chase my prey, I raise my voice so the hunters could follow.
Today they put an electric collar on me to shut up, and we want you to come back to the booster with a snap of your fingers.

-I am a Yorkshire Terrier.
I was a terrifying rat hunter in English mines.
Today they think I can't use my legs and they always hold me in their arms.

-I'm a Labrador Retriever.
My vision of happiness is a dive into a pond to bring back the duck he shot to my master.
Today we forgot I'm a walking dog and great racing I'm fat and have to babysit.

-I am a Jack Russell.
I can take on a fox a badger and rat bigger than me in his den.
Today I get scolded for my damn character and wish I could turn into a living room dog.

-I am a Siberian Husky.
Experienced the great spaces of Northern Europe, where I could drag sleds at impressive speeds.
Today I only have the walls of the garden as a horizon, and the holes I dig in the ground just for occupation.

-I am a border collie
I was made to work eight hours a day, and I am an unmistakable artist of working with the herd.
Today they are mad at me because, for lack of sheep, I try to check bikes, cars, children in the house and everything in motion.

I am ...
I am a 21st century dog.
I'm pretty, I'm alert, I'm obedient, I stay in a bag...
but I'm also an individual who needs to express their instincts, and I'm not suited for the sedentary life you'd want me to lead.
Spending eight hours a day alone in the garden, seeing yourself a little in the evening when you get home and only entitled to a small toilet walk will make me deeply unhappy.
I'll express it by barking all day, turning your yard into a minefield, doing my needs indoors, being unmanageable the rare times I'll find myself outside, and sometimes spending my days sunk on my pillow.
You’d think then that I’m happy to be able to enjoy all this comfort while you go to work: actually I’ll be exhausted, because this disease is not the plight of humans but also of the dog of the 21st century.
If you like me, if you've always dreamed of me, if my beautiful blue eyes or my athletic look make me want, but you can't give me a real dog's life, a life that's really worth living, and if you can't offer me the job that my genes are asking, so give up on me.
If you like the way I look but aren't willing to accept my temperament traits derived from a strict genetic selection and think you can change them with your sole good will, then give me up.
I’m a dog from the 21st century, yes, but deep inside me, the one who fought, the one who hunted, the one who pulled sled, the one who led a herd still sleeps.
And sooner or later, for better or for worse, he will wake up.
So what are you gonna do?
Will you give in to me?
Will you abandon me?
Or are you gonna just delete me?"

 

[Titchy Reindeer]

To my 21st century dogs,

I am a 21st century owner.

I cannot be around all the time because I have to work to be able to look after you. But I promise to make sure you are used to being alone for short periods of time, to make sure you're never left alone too long and to take you with me when I can. You sleep in my room to make up for some of the time lost.

The world has changed from the one your ancestors were bred in. I promise to do my best to make sure you are ready for this busy, noisy, confusing world and shelter you from it when it's too much.

I have no need of a guard dog and own no sheep (though you're welcome to any rats you come across). I promise to find activities to keep you occupied and happy, be that a sport, walks, learning new tricks (even for old dogs!) or providing things for you to chew (just please stay away from the electric cables).

I am not the best dog owner or the most experienced. I promise to do my best and keep on learning how to give you the life you deserve.

I hope I will be good enough for you.

 

[skinnydipper]

Your dogs are the lucky ones @Titchy Pony. For every dog like yours how many are there whose needs are not being met and as a result have behaviour problems? The collie that I see who spins on her lead in the street, the dogs who have to be confined to a crate because they would destroy the house, the dogs who self mutilate.

 

[Titchy Reindeer]

Your dogs are the lucky ones @Titchy Pony. For every dog like yours how many are there whose needs are not being met and as a result have behaviour problems? The collie that I see who spins on her lead in the street, the dogs who have to be confined to a crate because they would destroy the house, the dogs who self mutilate.

Unfortunately, I know there are so many unlucky dogs that are basically fashion items, cuddly toys, house alarms or simply a whim... There are several in my own village: the border collie cross chained to the door and walked less than a 100m a day, the boxer cross tied to the tree for the neighbour to feed when the family go on holiday, the aussie left out in the rain on the street because her owners won't invest in a proper fence, the obese labrador that it take three adults to hold...
I, like most people I suppose, have limited time and energy, so I try to lead by example, share information on facebook for any who might be interested, talk about dogs to anyone who is too polite to say they're bored (I have already convinced one friend that getting a house alarm / personal protection dog was a bad idea and she now agrees she shouldn't have a dog - her cat is relieved!) and volunteer my time at the dog club and offer advice to anyone who asks or point them in the direction of someone better equipped to help them.
I suppose it's all any of us can really do when people, don't think before they act and impulse buy cute puppies off random puppy farmers. And by the way, @skinnydipper , thanks for sharing all the articles you do, it helps keep us all up to date.

 

[Jenko109]

Gosh.

I know it goes on, but I am so glad I do not have to see the things that you see on my doorstep.

 

[misst]

All dog owners should be made to read this. It doesn't take a genius to understand. I love my terriers, I chose them because I love the terrier traits they show. I will probably always have at least one terrier.

I don't want labs, spaniels, hounds, herding dogs, guard dogs, big dogs (I am small and older so don't want to be pulled along and am not up for training a big dog properly), or independent dogs. I want my little personalities who are vocal, thieves, mischievous, loving, loyal (mostly) and fun. I researched lots of small dogs breeds before I got my first JRT. My terriers get to do their stuff almost anytime they want. In return I have my little companions every evening when they have worn themselves out.

I know people who would be driven to distraction by them doing their stuff. I enjoy it. I can understand why some end up in rehoming centres - just bought for the wrong home.. it is so sad, for all the breeds.

 

[skinnydipper]

My terriers get to do their stuff almost anytime they want. In return I have my little companions every evening when they have worn themselves out.

I know people who would be driven to distraction by them doing their stuff. I enjoy it. I can understand why some end up in rehoming centres

Caught in the act, burying a chew . He was a real character, deeply missed.

 

[meleeka]

All dog owners should be made to read this. It doesn't take a genius to understand. I love my terriers, I chose them because I love the terrier traits they show. I will probably always have at least one terrier.

I don't want labs, spaniels, hounds, herding dogs, guard dogs, big dogs (I am small and older so don't want to be pulled along and am not up for training a big dog properly), or independent dogs. I want my little personalities who are vocal, thieves, mischievous, loving, loyal (mostly) and fun. I researched lots of small dogs breeds before I got my first JRT. My terriers get to do their stuff almost anytime they want. In return I have my little companions every evening when they have worn themselves out.

I know people who would be driven to distraction by them doing their stuff. I enjoy it. I can understand why some end up in rehoming centres - just bought for the wrong home.. it is so sad, for all the breeds.

I do miss my JRT. She was my best friend and I’m not sure I’d ever find one as good as her again. I could take her anywhere and she’d enjoy herself. We went on trains, buses, boats and OH took her up many mountains, but of course her happy place was in the barn looking for mice, where her ashes still live.

I have had a few different breeds, but I think I’m definitely a terrier person at heart.

 

[SkylarkAscending]

As an another JRT owner I agree, I’d never treat them like this description….

I also didn’t reprimand my greyhounds/lurchers/whippets for chasing stuff!

It’s my job as their owner to ensure that they have the best possible life, which means (for the breeds I have!) ensuring they don’t have the chance to do harm to other animals. Not always easy but that’s my choice having the breeds I have chosen

 

[Morwenna]

This is why I do gundog training with my Lab (among other things). She loves it and, as I don’t intend to work her, it gives her an outlet for that drive she has. There are so many breeds of dog I would love to have but would never own as I know I couldn’t give them the life they need. I know a lot of people who choose dogs based on their looks or what they want, I just wish more would think about what the dog needs as well.

 

[Titchy Reindeer]

Today I met a lovely Malinois and his very overwhelmed young owner at dog club. This poor dog has both been so lucky and so unlucky from what I can tell.
He is an oversized (almost 40kg), 2.5yo entire male malinois, working bred and sold by his breeder to a young lady for a pet home. Poor owner seems to have been quickly overwhelmed by his needs, has made several attempts to get help from various trainers and dog clubs, some of which have back fired and left her with a dog that is still not manageable and her a nervous wreck. I think this dog is lucky because from what I can see, his owner is going to do everything in her power to make things right for the dog. Its going to be a long road for her but she should learn a lot along the way. Its a shame the breeder didn't warn her about the difference between working lines and pet/show lines. Dog can be lovely and was falling all over me for a back rub, but he's extremely frustrated, has no self control and is redirecting.

As an aside, I need to train the dog trainers into how to behaved around extremely stressed out young women... Sorry, I'm going to stereotype here, but they're all older men, either truckers or police for careers, bikers for hobbies and all do bitey sport when it comes to dogs, to give you a bit of an idea of the type. Before the lesson, there was an incident where the Malinois ripped his lead out of his owner's hands and went for a male golden retriever. Owner had very responsibly muzzled her malinois and he was quickly retrieved, no great harm done, thankfully. Dog trainer and club president comes out of the club house and shouts "You've got to hold on to him, don't let go of him!". Then immediately shouts "there's no need to cry!" at the poor owner. I did take him aside to tell him that shouting at someone to stop crying never helps them stop. The owner knew she shouldn't have let go of her dog and didn't do it on purpose, she came for help, so shouting at her what she already knows without explaining HOW to do it, is also less than helpful. I also spoke to the owner and told her if the guys were getting too much, to come and talk to me, I'd be a bit more understanding. I've been in the same place as her, only my dog is smaller at not as extreme as hers. She's coming back next week and to be honest, I think she has a better chance with her dog than I do of reforming the trainers.