HOT TAKE: DOG EDITION (dogblr feel free to join)
• chihuahuas and other small dogs aren’t automatically evil and violent, people just bother them by treating them like little toys instead of animals.
• that being said, some dogs ARE more likely to be aggressive in certain situations because they were bred to have that temperament. I love chow chows but if you get one you need to put careful time into socialization.
• you shouldn’t bring your young children to a dog park. you have no idea how many times i’ve seen parents freak out because a large dog ran up to their toddler. it’s a fucking DOG PARK where dogs are off leash. I got knocked over by a dog as a toddler and it made me scared of dogs for a while, USE A BRAIN WHEN TAKING YOUR KIDS PLACES.
• having your dog tied somewhere in your yard is fine as long as the leash gives the dog enough room to run and play, water and food are provided, and the dog is not out in unsafe temperatures. if you don’t have a fenced in lawn it’s safer for you to do this than let your dog run free.
• stop putting fucking babies next to your giant dogs just because the dog is gentle. I have a giant dog (here’s a pic showing how big he is sitting with me, an adult) and he’s super gentle, but he can knock over things without even noticing. when I bring him around little kids I keep him on a leash even though most likely he will just lick or sniff them. I see so many videos of babies and big dogs and everyone thinks it’s cute but it can actually be dangerous.
MORE because i’m in the mood to talk about dogs
• it’s not automatically evil to get a dog from a (reputable) breeder. some dogs are meant to serve purposes aside from companionship, like service dogs or rescue dogs.
• that being said, buying a dog from a pet store is NOT buying a dog from a reputable breeder and you should never do it–yes, even when your goal is to ‘save’ the dog. you don’t ‘save’ puppy mill dogs by giving money to the people who abuse them. money is what drives this abuse in the first place.
• just because your dog looks thin doesn’t mean it’s unhealthily thin for its breed. stop over feeding dogs with a more thin frame or assuming people are starving their dogs for having a thin one. i’ve seen so many overweight greyhounds. also, some overweight dogs (like greyhounds) may not look overweight to someone who doesn’t know about them so check the average weight for your dog.
• walking a long hair dog breed in the summer is not harmful as long as the dog has water, isn’t out for too long, and preferably is walked in shade. i’ve had people come up to me and act all concerned that i’m walking my leonberger in the summer…when we’re literally walking to a lake for him to swim. ALL dogs need exercise. stop assuming everyone has cruel intentions with their dogs.
• leaving your dog in the car with the window rolled down in safe temperatures while you make a quick stop somewhere is not animal abuse.
• crate training is not animal abuse.
• appearance doesn’t determine whether or not a dog is aggressive. always ask if you can pet a dog before petting it, even if it’s a “family friendly” breed. i’ve come across aggressive golden retrievers. my lab was extremely aggressive toward strange dogs when she got older and would even try to attack them.
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ifesbob 