Tuesday, December 09, 2008

All Dogs May Go To Heaven, But I'm Not So Sure About Their Owners

I have several neighbours who have dogs. I'm happy for them, I really am. I'm happy for anyone who has a pet that they love, that they enjoy having in their lives. I prefer to have a cat, as he is much easier to take care of. Cats are quite independent creatures {DemonSpawn especially} & with all the running around, & the to-ing & fro-ing I do, it's nice to know that he's happy on his own for short periods of time without tearing the place apart.

I'm not too sure how much these people enjoy their pets, however. I never, evah see them out walking their dogs. I never, evah see them out playing with their dogs. I never, evah hear them reprimand their continuously barking dogs.

What I do see, is dogs running loose in the neighbourhood. Dogs gathering together in packs to roam & play & cause mischief & scare little old ladies {& me!} when they are out walking. Dogs digging into garbage bags on garbage pick-up day, strewing the mess all over my street.

I don't blame the dogs. I really don't. I blame the "owners" who don't have much interest in their pet. They don't discipline or love or exercise or socialize with their animals. They don't provide the dogs with a properly fenced yard or securely fastened lead to keep them close to home, to keep them safe from traffic & antifreeze & developing little psychopaths, of which I firmly believe Dodge has several. How can you have a "pet" & not pet them? How can you have a member of your family that you ignore? How can you get a dog for the children, & then not show them through example the proper way to love & care for them?

I just looked out the window & saw my neighbour's dog rooting in a garbage bag across the street. I rapped sharply on the window. He froze, then looked around as I rapped again. Knowing he was doing wrong, he trotted off home, with a sheepish look on his face & his tail down. He's a good dog. He responds well to discipline. He listened to my rap on the window {which is more than I can say for the sprogs on this street!} & stopped what he was doing & headed home. If he had a proper fence, one that didn't have spaces between the boards so wide that he doesn't even have to squeeze to get out, he would stay home. If he had any attention or any love given to him, he would stay home. If he was walked & exercised on a regular basis, he would stay home. He's a good dog.

This is the same neighbour that I caught throwing stuff {dirt lumps or rocks, couldn't really tell} at a dog that had wandered into their yard. Yup. The owner of a dog who wanders got mad at a wandering dog.

Figure that one out.

2 comments:

Queen of Halloween said...

I agree with you on that one! I've a dog problem here...it lives next door to me. She just opens the door when it needs to go and it does...all over MY place! This is a BIG dog and SCARY. Complaining to the town only gets you in trouble with that neighbor and I've found it's not worth the hassle of trying! I don't walk any more because of the dog problem. We need a dog catcher!

Poopsie aka Blue said...

With you a 100%!
I'm the dog lover, when you have one you have to love & care for it, otherwise whats the point???