What do you do that makes casual dog owners balk?
- Thread starter Fran101
- Start date
"So, when do you guys plan on having kids?" "Oh, we want four dogs." "No, I said kids..." "I heard you. We want four dogs. Plus probably a foster. And then we will have to stagger puppies when they start to get older... especially the ACD and Griffon or Vizsla." "Riiiiight."
The fact that I am planning on having cows, chickens, and ducks on our farm to feed the dogs. And extra cows to work the dogs and horses on.
The fact that Josh kills additional deer, geese, and ducks to feed the dogs and supply my dehydrated wild game treat love.
My grandma paid for my training classes for my birthday. I regularly get gift cards to Amazon, and proceed to buy dog behavior books.
I'm driving to Wyoming for a puppy next year when "you don't need another dog. You have two!" Also, waiting list, wtf is that?! What is health testing?
The fact that I am planning on having cows, chickens, and ducks on our farm to feed the dogs. And extra cows to work the dogs and horses on.
The fact that Josh kills additional deer, geese, and ducks to feed the dogs and supply my dehydrated wild game treat love.
My grandma paid for my training classes for my birthday. I regularly get gift cards to Amazon, and proceed to buy dog behavior books.
I'm driving to Wyoming for a puppy next year when "you don't need another dog. You have two!" Also, waiting list, wtf is that?! What is health testing?
- Joined
- Apr 17, 2006
- Messages
- 2,550
- Likes
- 0
- Points
- 36
Well, there's living with the coydog, but I kind of expected that. I probably would have made a few fascinated comments if Gambit had fallen into someone elses lap.
"You let them sleep on your bed? They'll eat your face off one night."
"You feed them raw meat? They'll eat your face off one night."
"You don't dominate them? They'll eat your face off one night?"
In Gambit's case, I'm far less worried about face eating, and more worried that if I die of natural causes, he'll prop my body in a rocking chair and run around in my underwear. My coworkers call him Normie Bates.
Also theres the poop thing, the fact that Gambit's on antianxiety meds, the fact that I don't care if he socializes with people, and the issue of the regular spankings he recieves. But he loves them, I promise! He's a bit of an odd duck.
"You let them sleep on your bed? They'll eat your face off one night."
"You feed them raw meat? They'll eat your face off one night."
"You don't dominate them? They'll eat your face off one night?"
In Gambit's case, I'm far less worried about face eating, and more worried that if I die of natural causes, he'll prop my body in a rocking chair and run around in my underwear. My coworkers call him Normie Bates.
Also theres the poop thing, the fact that Gambit's on antianxiety meds, the fact that I don't care if he socializes with people, and the issue of the regular spankings he recieves. But he loves them, I promise! He's a bit of an odd duck.
I'm pretty sure most of my friends just gloss over what I say, and I now my family does. They don't understand why I would want a dog to show, or travel to places in order to show. My brother and his family were terrified of Gage when I got him because he is part "rockwilder" and they are mean...this is what I deal with...all hell would break loose if I got an AmStaff or the like, bunch of hicks.
The collars, and the fact that I didn't just grab them from the grocery store. That I order them from Etsy, Paco and other online places.
The fact that I won't even step foot in a place that sells puppies or kittens, let alone buy something from them.
My refusal to shop at the one store in town that has fish because of their practices and am willing to drive to Edmonton, 4.5 hours away, to get some kribensis for my tank is currently making my friends scratch their heads.
That I don't often leave my home in the winter because, what about the dogs? And everywhere we go in the summer we take the holiday trailer because well, the dogs. I even just passed up a trip to Vegas for a month from now because I have no one to take the dogs...and I don't kennel.
But in the end my husband accepts my crazy so that's what matters!
The collars, and the fact that I didn't just grab them from the grocery store. That I order them from Etsy, Paco and other online places.
The fact that I won't even step foot in a place that sells puppies or kittens, let alone buy something from them.
My refusal to shop at the one store in town that has fish because of their practices and am willing to drive to Edmonton, 4.5 hours away, to get some kribensis for my tank is currently making my friends scratch their heads.
That I don't often leave my home in the winter because, what about the dogs? And everywhere we go in the summer we take the holiday trailer because well, the dogs. I even just passed up a trip to Vegas for a month from now because I have no one to take the dogs...and I don't kennel.
But in the end my husband accepts my crazy so that's what matters!
Most of what everyone else said -
Training classes
Not feeding ol' roy or purina or iams...
The slide show screensaver on my work computer - I think I have 2 photos of human family and 20 something of the dogs.
Neither Sis nor I see anything strange about staying with the dog in the car while the other shops (on those rare occasions we have to stop at a grocery store and have a dog with us).
Decline invitations to happy hour after work because I'd rather go home and play with the dogs than sit in a smoky bar with non-dog people
Training classes
Not feeding ol' roy or purina or iams...
The slide show screensaver on my work computer - I think I have 2 photos of human family and 20 something of the dogs.
Neither Sis nor I see anything strange about staying with the dog in the car while the other shops (on those rare occasions we have to stop at a grocery store and have a dog with us).
Decline invitations to happy hour after work because I'd rather go home and play with the dogs than sit in a smoky bar with non-dog people
Food. Oh, the food. And supplements. People don't understand why I don't just grab a bag of "whatever's on sale" at the grocery store. My family doesn't understand that mealtimes are an EVENT, not just dumping some kibble in a bowl.
I spend a lot of time talking to the "average" dog owner at work, and giving them advice about the problems and questions they bring to me. Sometimes they're responsive. Sometimes not. People don't have time to add supplements to their pets food, don't have time to take a training class or consult a trainer. They can't afford to take their pet to the vet. The idea of stuffing food inside a Kong to occupy a dog disgusts some people.
I've spoken to customers about my dogs allergies, reactivity, and separation anxiety. When I explain what I did to work through various issues, I generally get the "That's nice. But I can't spend time/money/energy doing all that."
I spend a lot of time talking to the "average" dog owner at work, and giving them advice about the problems and questions they bring to me. Sometimes they're responsive. Sometimes not. People don't have time to add supplements to their pets food, don't have time to take a training class or consult a trainer. They can't afford to take their pet to the vet. The idea of stuffing food inside a Kong to occupy a dog disgusts some people.
I've spoken to customers about my dogs allergies, reactivity, and separation anxiety. When I explain what I did to work through various issues, I generally get the "That's nice. But I can't spend time/money/energy doing all that."
The work I went through with Frodo for his separation anxiety. I had a person come into work with a VERY anxious Vizsla that had severe SA. I talked to him for a while about some of the things we did (Relaxation Protocol, switching up routines, etc etc etc.) and at the end he was like "Honestly, that's crazy. I'm not going to be going through that"
Mmmm, okay. Little bit offended there.
He bought a Thundershirt and the dog tore it off herself in the crate and shredded it.
Mmmm, okay. Little bit offended there.
He bought a Thundershirt and the dog tore it off herself in the crate and shredded it.
- Obsession with food/poop consistency and frequency LOL
- That I have 3 (well, now 4, but my family doesn't know yet)
- That I show/compete, and the ridiculous amounts of money spent on that
- My only vacation since getting married involved DH and I going to Missouri for Nationals last year
- All birthday/Christmas gifts are centered around pet store gift cards
- Training class after training class after fun run after training class
- That I teach classes on weekends (though my family thinks that makes me somewhat legit since I'm getting paid to do dog stuff)
- My idea of an awesome present from DH is him helping me build agility equipment
- What I went through, and am still going through, with Kimma and her SA/random fear issues, including meds
- I would rather spend an evening home with them than out with people most of the time
- Time spent on grooming (and I know my guys don't need nearly as much as other dogs!)
- Collection of pictures and ribbons throughout my house
ETA - Oh, and at work we had the kids do a project in which they used various shapes to represent their family members. My assistant teachers and I also did one. Yeah, I had me, my DH, Kimma, Pen, Bubbles, Jari, and Nika. I'm awesome
- That I have 3 (well, now 4, but my family doesn't know yet)
- That I show/compete, and the ridiculous amounts of money spent on that
- My only vacation since getting married involved DH and I going to Missouri for Nationals last year
- All birthday/Christmas gifts are centered around pet store gift cards
- Training class after training class after fun run after training class
- That I teach classes on weekends (though my family thinks that makes me somewhat legit since I'm getting paid to do dog stuff)
- My idea of an awesome present from DH is him helping me build agility equipment
- What I went through, and am still going through, with Kimma and her SA/random fear issues, including meds
- I would rather spend an evening home with them than out with people most of the time
- Time spent on grooming (and I know my guys don't need nearly as much as other dogs!)
- Collection of pictures and ribbons throughout my house
ETA - Oh, and at work we had the kids do a project in which they used various shapes to represent their family members. My assistant teachers and I also did one. Yeah, I had me, my DH, Kimma, Pen, Bubbles, Jari, and Nika. I'm awesome
Oh god yes. That Pip is on clomipramine and we gate/rotate and have worked hard on behavioral modification to get the boys friendly with each other again... I definitely get an element of "that's so hard why not just give one of them away??" from time to time, not so much from close friends but there's a reason I don't talk about it a lot.
Forgot to mention chews/toys/etc... probably the biggest part.
"You just spent how much on beef tracheas for her?"
"Why would you buy her a jacket?"
"Why do you have a toothbrush for your dog?"
"Why are you spending money on your dog when she already has toys?"
"You bought her a what? A lifejacket?"
"(insert awkward silence while I talk about Cali's new tricks)"
"Why bother taking her for a walk when it's so muddy?"
"Socialization? What's that?"
I am so, so, so excited for when I can move to a more dog friendly place and maybe make friends who will share my "obsession". I become almost livid and saddened whenever I walk down certain roads in my town. One family has both a boxer and a husky in a kennel outside. I have never seen them out of the kennel, and I've walked by at various times during the day. I can't fathom keeping any dog outside, especially not a boxer in the freezing cold winter. Dog owners around here infuriate me for the most part.
"You just spent how much on beef tracheas for her?"
"Why would you buy her a jacket?"
"Why do you have a toothbrush for your dog?"
"Why are you spending money on your dog when she already has toys?"
"You bought her a what? A lifejacket?"
"(insert awkward silence while I talk about Cali's new tricks)"
"Why bother taking her for a walk when it's so muddy?"
"Socialization? What's that?"
I am so, so, so excited for when I can move to a more dog friendly place and maybe make friends who will share my "obsession". I become almost livid and saddened whenever I walk down certain roads in my town. One family has both a boxer and a husky in a kennel outside. I have never seen them out of the kennel, and I've walked by at various times during the day. I can't fathom keeping any dog outside, especially not a boxer in the freezing cold winter. Dog owners around here infuriate me for the most part.
- Dental cleaning and teeth brushing. It's not something I really bring up, but living at home, my step-dad has caught me brushing his teeth and thinks I'm nuts. Sees no point in putting a dog under to get their teeth cleaned.
- agility and dog sports. Once I brought up that I did a training class with him with "all those obstacles" to my good friend and she kinda laughed. I don't think she thought I was serious.
- lifejacket. For some odd reason, I had a friend totally laugh and be like "Your dog wears a LIFEJACKET!" This is one of those things that I truly don't think is weird, like at all?
- my step-sister once saw me post on the Paco FB page and bulked at the fact that I paid over $60 for a dog collar.
- that I won't leave my dog in the car to go into places where I may be a while (grocery store, mall, etc). My friend was thoroughly shocked when she had to run in grocery store and I wouldn't go in with her (because I had Jax with me).
I will say though, when it comes to... in general, this area is very dog friendly and many people care very greatly about their pets. I'm probably just a notch more extreme lol. But I feel right at home at the dog park for example. Most people there are real interested in food, etc. And we have a couple of really nice high-end pet boutiques around here.
- agility and dog sports. Once I brought up that I did a training class with him with "all those obstacles" to my good friend and she kinda laughed. I don't think she thought I was serious.
- lifejacket. For some odd reason, I had a friend totally laugh and be like "Your dog wears a LIFEJACKET!" This is one of those things that I truly don't think is weird, like at all?
- my step-sister once saw me post on the Paco FB page and bulked at the fact that I paid over $60 for a dog collar.
- that I won't leave my dog in the car to go into places where I may be a while (grocery store, mall, etc). My friend was thoroughly shocked when she had to run in grocery store and I wouldn't go in with her (because I had Jax with me).
I will say though, when it comes to... in general, this area is very dog friendly and many people care very greatly about their pets. I'm probably just a notch more extreme lol. But I feel right at home at the dog park for example. Most people there are real interested in food, etc. And we have a couple of really nice high-end pet boutiques around here.