The benefit of owning dogs.

I live out in the country too. Mine make me feel safer, as a warning that something is wrong.

Dogs have the most genuine love to give. We've had ours since she was 10 weeks old, a German Shepherd mix.. never once have we felt threatened with her around!

Once, she was on one of those corkscrew-type leads in the yard and a stray dog came up to me. I leaned down to put my hand out to the other dog, who flipped out and bit the knee of my pants. MY dog ripped the corkscrew lead out of the ground, with a piece of sod attached, ran over, grabbed the stray dog by the neck and flipped it over.

Dogs are awesome.

Yes they are. Your best human friend would not have done that.

I've Always had atleast five dogs around me at all times during my Life, not including puppys.
I can speak the toung of hounds. I know how they feel about this decadence on Earth! They dislike it!

Cons-they smell, they're dirty, they jump on you, they bark at or try to attack anyone that comes on or near "their" property.m

and you don't have to wash dishes

Yikes...what kind of "dogs" have you been exposed to?

Dogs respond that way to pure evil nwo scum. They can smell evil.

Those are tazmanian devils

They shit and shit and shit then they bark and bark and bark...get a motion detector light if your worried about people sneaking around your shed...lights don't take a huge shit in your yard and make noise all night long.

Quite a bit, seems that a lot are like that.

Wash them, Train them

Seems like it's more of an owner responsibility problem instead of a dog problem.

Dogs are better than some light that quietly turns on at 3:00am while I'm asleep and give light to some piece of shit trying to steal my Chainsaw.

Yep, they do shit. And yep, I have to clean it up. Oh well. They sleep all night long, unless something makes them uneasy.

Also, a light does't put rabbit stew in my bowl.

Poor training.

^^^THIS^^^

there is something wrong with a person who doesn't like dogs...

Yeah, but they're not cute and cuddly-wuddly like a nice doggie. Just sayin' :)

Just got my first dog late last year. Jumping, barking, smelling...those are strangely enduring qualities of my Boxer puppy.

My dog is great at finding lost things and playing hide and seek, which is like search and rescue practice. I was shocked the first time that I saw she was able to do this with little training. My neighbors now look to help from my dog if they lose a pet.

They are practically fearless. I love that about them.

There are four (4) camps of people with regards to their opinions on dogs.

1) These people simply do not like dogs, and no discussion will sway their opinion.

2) These people "like" dogs, but believe their responsibilities and relationship ends at the back door. The dogs kept are novelties, turned out to their own devises (tied or out in the yard), and receive little if any interaction beyond pouring out some garbage food from a bag.

3) These are the "foo-foo" dog people; possibly even seeing the dog as a replacement for a child. These are the folks you see "dressing" the dog in costumes and other adornments.

4) These people view, treat, and depend on the dog as a partner, while also understanding the differences between people and dogs, and benefit from a well established pack structure and honest relationship with their dog(s).

I am solidly in camp #4, and have been over the course of my 44 years.

Yes, I have a big, black, "scary" Rottweiler who lives inside our home, watches over my family, dotes on my 15m/o son, and goes nearly everywhere with me. Most anyone who is bothered by that are likely the same that fear a firearm because of it's color or configuration - and as such have no bearing on me and my dog anyway.

As strong of an advocate as I am for the ownership and use of firearms as part of a personal protection plan, a solid, well (highly) trained and clear-minded dog carries just as much importance in that plan.

No weapon I have ever owned has the ability to wake me at 3:00 AM for someone prowling around outside, or attempting entry into my home. No weapon I have ever owned can make the conscious decision to engage said threat(s) in the same window of time that I am grabbing another weapon (and waking up) to meet this threat.

I know that any firearms I may currently own or may own in the future require maintenance and upkeep. I drive an old Land Rover that I know requires maintenance and upkeep. Even my relationship with my wife requires maintenance and upkeep. As a responsible dog owner, I know that he, as well, requires maintenance and upkeep.

Since my dog is second only to my wife in being regarded as my best, most dependable friend; the training, maintenance, and upkeep are viewed by ME as a very small investment with limitless dividends.

Last Edited by ClydeX on 02/22/2013 11:08 AM