Vet and columnist Peter Wedderburn writes:
...[O]ne of the main reasons why people abandon dogs is that they should never have bought them in the first place. If people thought carefully about that initial act of taking the dog into their home, many of them would never do it. Instead, the typical sequence of events is something like this: “A dog would be cute. I’d love a dog. There’s one on the internet that I like. How much does it cost? Deal done.” It’s only several months later, when the dog has matured into a bouncy adolescent eating a hole in the family budget that the reality dawns: for many people, a dog is the wrong choice of pet. It isn’t easy to find a home for such half-grown animals, so they’re abandoned. The humans are allowed off the hook, but the dog is scooped up by the local authority dog pound, and you know the rest.
Full applause, and I could have not have said it better myself. We really do need to "de-normalize" dog ownership, or at the very least make people think long and hard.
But will most breeders (hobby, show, Internet, backyard, accidental, or puppy mill) really help in that regard?
Don't count on it!
- Related Links:
** The Madness of Dogs (12-2009)
** Ten Tips to Finding the Right Dog (10-2010)
** A Dog is Neither Shovel Nor Child (1-2011)
3 comments:
Bravo for posting. This is so true.
Volunteering at the shelter has convinced me 100% that if we could somehow de-normalize dog ownership, dogs would be so much better off.
But alas you are right, most breeders would NOT be on board.
Even the breeders that screen and regularly turn down people?
I'm pretty sure that if I applied to get a pup from a Tibetan mastiff litter, no matter how skilled of a dog owner I think I am, the honest truth is probably that I have no idea how to live with one because I've never done any research about them. The good breeder would easily turn me down and offer me other resources to learn more about the breed or recommend other breeds that would better suit my needs.
With that said, I doubt any breeder would tell me outright that I want a cat and really just need a goldfish--which is, I'll bet, your overall point.
And I am ALL for de-normalizing dog ownership. Instant gratification has come too far, and too many dogs (and cats, and horses, etc) are paying the price.
This is a statement I have at the top of my Frequently Asked Questions on my website:
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What do you mean when you say Manchesters are not for everyone?
Dogs are a long-term commitment, and each household has a different lifestyle. Potential dog owners should first assess whether they are ready to make a commitment to any dog before moving on to breed selection.
While Manchesters are small, clean dogs who shed minimally, they are also dogs that require a great deal of training and socialization. The keys to a properly trained and socialized Manchester Terrier are TIME, COMMITMENT, and CONSISTENCY.
If you don't have much time, have trouble following through, or have a great deal of chaos in your life, a Manchester puppy is not for you. A young adult or adult may work out, but we would strongly recommend against a puppy.
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We do a number of things to screen new owners, and I agree, upfront, to take any dog I breed back for life. I take committment very seriously for a variety of reason, but primarly the well-being of the dog. Also, the last thing I want coming back to my household is an untrained, un-socialized dog that's going to pee all over my family room.
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