• 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.
Lmao maybe if you’re an asshole from PETA, but the reality of the race is much different.
For one, the money mushers win from the race is minimal. 2020 Winner Thomas Waerner is on record saying that this is not a money making sport, mushing is expensive even if you do it recreationally like myself. To have an entire kennel of dogs is VERY expensive. Those dogs need care. Typically winnings will cover dog care, fees to enter and travel to the race, dog food, vet care etc. how much money is allotted to the placements depends entirely on how many entries there are that year and Iditarod has been very transparent with what amount is allotted. A majority of Iditarod running kennels do dryland/kennel tours during the summer because they simply do not make enough money racing dogs to cover their care. Dog mushers also have sponsors to help them get to the race, it is really difficult to foot the bill by yourself.
Dogs cannot be successful in this sport if they mistreated and abused. A successful sled dog has to be conditioned, healthy, well fed, and HAPPY. Sled dogs get more veterinary care than any other dog on the planet. Vets are at every race checkpoint and the dogs have to pass veterinary checks before and after the race. You can read more about Iditarod’s Vet Center HERE.
Simply you cannot be successful in this sport if you don’t LOVE sled dogs. Iditarod last like what, a week or so out of the year. The other 300+ days you still gotta be on the sled training the dogs, scooping poop, being out in frozen weather, feeding the dogs, raising puppies, listening to dogs bark and howl, providing care for your retired dogs, making training plans, running enough tours to pay your bills so you can continue to mush dogs etc., many Iditarod mushers even have to supplement their incomes with non-dog/non-mushing jobs! In my opinion the dogs of Iditarod are treated with more care and kindness than the pet dog that lays around without mental stimulation and doesn’t do anything or go anywhere other than his own backyard.
This sport is about passion and the connection between man and dog in brutal wilderness surviving together, not money or control. PETA just likes to project because at the end of the day THEY are about making a profit and controlling others so of course other must be right? Mushers would still run Iditarod with a lesser prize/no prize, mushers are still going to run dogs, race dogs. but PETA and ARAs buy shares in oil companies in an attempt to control what dog owners do with their dogs. Do not fall for their narrative.
I feel like people are missing the Very Important reference picture and that’s just criminal. Clearly if you look at the dog that inspired the piece, you would understand the inherent validity of the voters’ choice.
ifesbob 