Thursday, December 04, 2003
Dogs
Let us get this out there. I love animals. I really really love animals. In my mother's house we have two cats, a Labrador Retriever and a ferret, periodically there are fish and parakeets. I understand the need to have pets. Pets are wonderful.
Now, I have this minor issue. Pure breed dogs were breed for a purpose. German Shephards were bred to help herd sheep. Labrador Retrievers were bred to help hunt, they are used to running after falling ducks. Rottweilers are also herding dogs. They need to run, they need land....SO, Why the hell are so many of them living in Manhattan?
It is an inherently selfish act to take a dog, a big dog and put him in a small apartment. Even if you walk him, even if you take him for a four mile run every friggin day he is not getting the exercise he needs. While you are at work he is pacing around your apartment in maddening circles wanting to run, to be outside, to live.
I realize that aesthetically big dogs are very beautiful. Labradors, in particular, also happen to be an extremely intelligent breed which makes them great pets. But, not in an apartment. It just isn't fair to the dog. The other day I saw a woman with a St. Bernard. A St. Bernard!! Those things are the size of bears.
There are many medium breeds that work well in apartments. If you are reading this you obviously have internet access, there are a lot of great websites that will tell you what is the best breed of dog for you. If a friend mentions wanting to get a big dog and you know they have a little apartment try to convince them not to. The worse that can happen is that they will just go ahead and get the dog anyway and I will growl at them when they walk past me with their dog ;-)
Let us get this out there. I love animals. I really really love animals. In my mother's house we have two cats, a Labrador Retriever and a ferret, periodically there are fish and parakeets. I understand the need to have pets. Pets are wonderful.
Now, I have this minor issue. Pure breed dogs were breed for a purpose. German Shephards were bred to help herd sheep. Labrador Retrievers were bred to help hunt, they are used to running after falling ducks. Rottweilers are also herding dogs. They need to run, they need land....SO, Why the hell are so many of them living in Manhattan?
It is an inherently selfish act to take a dog, a big dog and put him in a small apartment. Even if you walk him, even if you take him for a four mile run every friggin day he is not getting the exercise he needs. While you are at work he is pacing around your apartment in maddening circles wanting to run, to be outside, to live.
I realize that aesthetically big dogs are very beautiful. Labradors, in particular, also happen to be an extremely intelligent breed which makes them great pets. But, not in an apartment. It just isn't fair to the dog. The other day I saw a woman with a St. Bernard. A St. Bernard!! Those things are the size of bears.
There are many medium breeds that work well in apartments. If you are reading this you obviously have internet access, there are a lot of great websites that will tell you what is the best breed of dog for you. If a friend mentions wanting to get a big dog and you know they have a little apartment try to convince them not to. The worse that can happen is that they will just go ahead and get the dog anyway and I will growl at them when they walk past me with their dog ;-)
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