Dogs - what's the point?

[YoungMan]

“There you go sir, lovely bit of wood. Now if you’ll carry that up the hill, I’ll get the hammer and nails”. Ever get the feeling you are going to be crucified?
But it’s got to be asked. Dogs. What’s the point?
I am doing a two week house, dog and cat sitting (and don’t get me started on the cat!) for friends, and my time is nearly up. Now I confess I have no pets apart from those loveable ones in that magazine. So this was definitely a favour to them whilst I am looking around for another IT contract, and they are yachting around Croatia.
Although the brown lab is a cute old lady,
- My clothes are covered in hair and slobber.
- The dustbin is full of crap I have shovelled up from the lawn.
- I can’t eat anything without the having a rapt audience dripping saliva.
- The house is impossible to keep clean as hair, mud and sand is constantly being traipsed in.
- Its been to the vets twice, but I don’t have to pay, but it cannot cheap. Once to have its butt squeezed as she was unloading on the kitchen floor at night, and secondly because I over-exercised her. He asked if I was a dog person, and has treated me like a pariah ever since.
- She dives into the local lake unless I have her on a leash as we go past, and get filthy. More filth in house.
- I have to take at least three plastic bags out on a walk and pick up turds all over the place which are distastefully warm – yuk!
Having brought up two kids who have given me a huge amount of pleasure, what’s wrong with having people as your companion? I don’t have a gun, or a flock of bloody sheep. I’ve never invested in a junkyard or anything that I would want a dog to bite an intruder.
So what’s the point of these spectacularly unintelligent, dirty, slobbering, crap delivery beasts? Is it just to eat the dead horse the Belgians can’t face – or what? I can’t see it. Did you know pet food was the primary reason the ‘civilized’ nations kept whaling? Bet one of them never crapped on your lawn or bit the postman.
So what's the attraction?

[tigersaw]

Give me dogs over kids anytime

[the_lone_wolf]

Give me dogs over kids anytime
yeah, too stringy...;)


wouldn't swap my border collie for the world, she's smarter than most of the people you'll find in town centres after 9pm:D

[Tim in Belgium]

As a kid we had guns and sheep, so also had a dog.

Now I'm a dog person.

[husky03]

I'd rather spend 5 minutes in the company of a dog than 50 years with some people-A dog won't stab you in the back, all it asks is for food , excercise and a home-you get loyalty in return,who's the first to welcome you when you come home from work?,no need in my mind for any deliberation the canine IS mans best friend-i'd rather get rid of the bike than the dogs!.

husky+four canines:cheers:

[sinbad]

Some dogs are harder to live with than others. And you have to enjoy caring for them, it can't be as easy to tolerate the "chores" if the dog is not your own.

Find one that you like, and that you want to like you back, and you're in for many years of some very very happy memories. You'll remember bringing it home for the first time, the walks, the occasional trouble it gets in to, and you'll love the dog so much. Their expressions can melt your heart, their willingness to be in a good mood, and the way they can sense when you aren't.

I agree with Husky, the right dog really can be your best friend. You don't have to impress it, or be witty. No pressure, just simplicity.

[ASM-Forever]

If you think a dog makes a mess...try owning a bloody parrot.....i rue the day :)

[skint]

As a kid we had guns and sheep, so also had a dog.

Now I'm a dog person.

Odd sort of pet - a gun? not exactly cuddly but I can see the potential for a bond I guess:confused: hmmm a pet sheep eh? Others from the far West of the British Isles may be able to explain the sheep thing?

So now you're a dog person, which half is which? do you pant a lot or wag your tail:D?

[Tim in Belgium]

We had pet sheep, and none pet sheep, and all were turned in to lamb or mutton in the end, very tasty and nice to know where they came from :)

I now tend to pant before wagging my tail ;)

[Samnooshka]

I think if it was a choice, bike or dog... it would be a hard choice but i would certainly give up the bike for the dogs! Although in my case its easier as i still have my transport from the dogs lol. Lupo is firstly a pet for us, but also a working animal and i couldn't have the breed of dog i have if he was just a pet!

[Richie]

I Hate Dog's and Cats... ( Sorry Dexter, WRC63's cat who I've been feeding whilst he's been away...Hate is such a bad word.... Dislike...yea thats better)
I was rag dolled as a kid by a dog, so thats where I get my fear of them... as for cats, they do that arched back thing with teeth showing with the hissing sound... spookey creatures...
Horses are bigger than me (one stood on my toe and broke it) , and SO ARE COWS....( They chase you when your a kid wearing a red coat.) horrid things but both taste really good... ;-) with mustard, and a nice red wine.
As you can see, I'm not a pet person,
And I'll have the Kids over any form of animal...

[the_runt69]

With 6 cats and 2 dogs cant see what the problem is of having only 1 of each to look after, Cats come in to feed, sit on your lap when they feel like it and genrally are their own animal. Dogs need you to feed them, tell them what to do and love them. in return both breeds will be your friend when you need one, will always cheer you up when your feeling down and dogs especially be more loyal than even your kids.

[melody]

... as for cats, they do that arched back thing with teeth showing with the hissing sound... spookey creatures......

Same reason why I absolutely abhor cats. Just can't stand the critters.

Dogs are lovely. My dad loved dogs, so always had them when I was younger. Wouldn't have one now though. Too much hard work.

[Razor]

I got chased down and badly bitten by a German Shepard as a kid, 28 stitches or something stupid, I couldn't see them all in my back and neck. 2 years later I got a black Labrador puppy on my 11th birthday. I loved that dog so much, he was such a character, more like a person than most people. Those big brown eyes could communicate more emotion than a million monkeys on a million typewriters, he lived until I was 23 and I miss him every single day.
If you can't love a dog, you can't love yourself.

[YoungMan]

Someone once said the opposite of love is note hate, but indifference. That's what I dealing with here. I just can't dee the atrraction, however this labrador is utterly besotted. Folows me aound the house, puts its head on my lap etc etc. I couldn't give a monkeys whether it likes me or not. Put coldly, thousands of years of breeding have ensured the domestic dog is stuck in adolescence until the day it dies. Its not in their nature to bite the hand that feeds it, and shows a slavish (shudder) unquestioning devotion because its bred into it. At the end of the day - its only a dumb animal. Hold up a mirror, it has zero idea of self.
I liked the epigram "If you can't love a dog, you can't love yourself", but I honestly like people not pets. What does that make me, and what does it say of a person who relies on a genetically pre-programmed animal to get the attention and affection they want?
Old friendless people living alone are often said to be less depressed if they have a pet. I live alone - but have lots of friends. Maybe there's just no accounting for taste, everyone's different and that's why the world is so precious and interesting.
Try explaining that to this slobbering, devoted poo machine ... :-)

[Dan]

I Hate Dog's and Cats... ( Sorry Dexter, WRC63's cat who I've been feeding whilst he's been away...Hate is such a bad word.... Dislike...yea thats better)

But he really likes you ;)

They can smell the fear, you know. :smt107

[K]

Dogs, like people, shouldn't be tarred with the same brush - true, many are just randomly devoted juvenile poo-machines...

... some are just ar$eholes...

... but some are true friends.

If you are lucky enough to own one you are a lucky person indeed. More than just a companion, intuitive friend and potential saviour - they can also grant you a level of self honesty that perhaps no person can.
You can't argue with a dog, you are arguing with yourself - and some have that true sense of your feelings, combined with an expressive nature, that they can force you to come to a certain level of self-realisation. Thier undupilcitous nature demands honesty, something a human friend can never really give as you can read meaning and inflection into everything a person says and does.


In twelve and a half years Kodo has been with me through two long term relationships, four house moves, four jobs, invalidity, great highs and lows, and has even saved my life.
In fact he has been a part of my life for longer than all but four of my friends.

Give up the bike for him - hell yeah, without a second thought.



I guess that can all sound a little sad n pathetic. I mean, what's my life like if I can say that my best friend is a dog? ;)
But I s'pose in a way it's like biking, if you understand then no explaination is necessary, if you don't, well, no explaination is going to be good enough.

[Lissa]

I've owned two dogs in my lifetime, one for 16 years, one for 12. I wouldn't have another one now, because our lifestyle is too busy for us to give a dog the time and attention it would deserve. We have 4 cats. Pete (I'm not really a cat person) is their devoted slave, and is used as a bed by as many of them as can get onto him at one time.

I've never understood why people say you are either a 'cat' person or a 'dog' person, I like them both.:D

[Luckypants]

My dogs, true friends.

Listen to you rambling on while drunk with a smile on thier faces.

Always ready with a comforting hug.

Always pleased to see me

Would kill to protect me

Always ecstatic whenever you show affection.

Great friends, dogs.

[Alpinestarhero]

I'm not keen on dogs either. I can see the point of them, owners always seem so proud of their dogs. I'd rather have a cat, cats are great. They only hurt me if I'm being a pillock.

Dogs just hurt me.

I like collies though

Matt

[Sideshow#36]

Not having a dig, but some of us cant have kids. Having brought up two kids who have given me a huge amount of pleasure, what’s wrong with having people as your companion?

[Alpinestarhero]

Not having a dig, but some of us cant have kids.

You can adopt though? :)

Although, I understand adoption to be a long, tiring and very emotionally stressful process

Matt

[Sideshow#36]

Yeah there are plenty of options but heyho. Got a cat anyway ;-)

[Alpinestarhero]

Yeah there are plenty of options but heyho. Got a cat anyway ;-)

Cats are great. Maria's cat is awesome, greedy bugger though

Matt

[Sideshow#36]

We went out and bought a pedigree. The Wiskas Cat. She is awesome. Really indipendant but affectionate! Mad as a badger too!

[hovis]

i found a jack russell when i was about 9, i took him home and asked if i could keep him, the answer was NO:(


17 years later we still had him:p, untill he died:(

[Biker Biggles]

Well I couldn't be without a dog,or usually two.My old Spaniel died a few months ago,and it was like losing one of the family.We have been humming and harring about getting another dog ever sinse,to keep the Jack Russell in order,so watch this space.
Oh and I do have human friends as well.:confused:

Maybe us aminal types are wierd,but personally I think those who don't relate to animals are the strange ones.

[kwak zzr]

i relate to our cat, it sees me and knows to get out of the way:)

[kamakazy]

Dogs, bitches and cats exist in both the animal and human world, I have met them all. Like some, hate some and love some. Live and let live, what's the problem? :rolleyes:

[Bluewolf]

He is my other eyes that can see above the clouds; my other ears that hear above the winds.

He has told me more than a thousand times over that I am his reason for being, by the way he rests against my leg, by the way he thumps his tail at my smallest smile, by the way he shows his hurt when I leave without taking him. (I think it makes him sick with worry when he is not along to care for me).

When I am wrong, he is delighted to forgive.
When I am angry, he clowns to make me smile.
When I am happy, he is joy unbounded.
When I am a fool, he ignores it.
When I succeed, he brags.

Without him, I am only another person. With him, I am all-powerful.

He has taught me the meaning of devotion, is loyalty itself. With him, I know the secret comfort and a private peace. He has brought me understanding where before I was ignorant. His head on my knee can heal my human hurts. His presence by my side is protection against my fears of dark and unknown things.

He has promised to wait for me… whenever… wherever… in case I need him, and I expect I will, as I always have.

He is my dog.



... does that answer your question..? ;) :D

[Pedrosa]

Dogs are a great companion. I have never been more than a few months without one my entire life. My present little friend is a 4 year old Boxer called Roxy.

Mad as a box of frogs one minute, will play all day and run like the wind for hours. Loves people and gets so excited when someone stops to say hello. The flip side is that she adores body contact and is more than happy to snuggle up next to you for hours. A truly lovely natured animal.

Not a cat "lover" but have 2 boys we adopted in the UK before moving to España. I've always been a bit spooked by cats but these two are great I have to admit.

I have though found far more cranky cat lovers than dog owners?:confused:

[keithd]

i found a jack russell when i was about 9, i took him home and asked if i could keep him, the answer was NO:(


17 years later we still had him:p, untill he died:(

thats so unfair, only loving him and looking after him during the good times