DOGS ARE MORE THAN JUST DOGS

The relationship between and animals is complex. It varies with both the animal involved and the person. There are obvious things such as a dairy farmer and his milk cows; no farmers would think of a milking parlor filled with Angus beef cows—it would make no sense. However, on Facebook I see pictures of pit bull dogs playing with babies or as cuddly living-room pets. Dog breeders created this breed of dogs to be the bull-baiting dog, which means to hold bulls, bears, and other large animals around the face and head. At the turn of the 19 to the 20th century, advanced countries outlawed bull baiting; however, the American Staffordshire Terrier, and the Staffordshire Bull Terrier breed was perpetuated as fighting dogs; perhaps one of the cruelest games known to man equivalent to gladiators of ancient civilizations. Lately, certain misguided groups—misguided in my opinion—are promoting this breed with such statements as “a family dog that blends strength, sweetness, and intelligence”. My point is that they miss the entire purpose of having dogs or any domestic animal for that matter, but also what they are doing is a dangerous thing. Practical people know this; it seems innate. The strange thing to me is that some people, usually people who have no idea how to handle a dog; especially a dangerous dog, buy this breed as family pets because they are known to be dangerous—it makes no sense to me. I am especially turned off when I see them strutting with their dogs; the dogs with heavy studded collars and chains for a leash as a message; “this is a dangerous dog, and so am I”. The wedge that upsets the practical relationship between man and animals is an emotional attachment. The attachment is mutual. They purchase or are given a cute little puppy bull terrier puppy. In spite of loving care, the dog grows into a “vicious bulldog fighter.” This misguided emotional attachment seems to be the driving force behind promoting the breeds as loving pets. A dog is not just a dog any more than a cow is just a cow. A duck hunter wants a Labrador retriever; a sheep rancher wants an Austrian Shepherd; a junkyard owner wants a Doberman Pincher, or apartment dwellers own a French poodle because they want a lap dog. It is just plain wrong for an apartment dweller to buy a pit bull terrier because someone told the American Staffordshire Terriers are, “family dogs that blend strength, sweetness, and intelligence. This breed is something they do not want and something they do not need. Stop the cruelty to both the Staffordshire Terriers and other dogs they happen to meet in the doggie park and especially stop promoting dog fighting by breeding this breed. I lived in a fishing village on an island in which no one owned a dog yet there were dogs that hung around different houses. The idea of neutering, vaccination, worming, or veterinary care never a subject that came up in conversation. They all looked alike and were the same color, and were the same size with the same conformation; they all looked like brothers and sisters because that is what they were. They were scavengers; the people would throw excess food or chicken bones out the window, and the dogs kept the village clean. In North America, we put our scrape food in a bowl, which makes us civilized. Dogs have a practical purpose, which most often includes being an object of deeply felt affection. Don’t destroy that because you do not know dogs, which is evident every time a pit bull mauls his or her owner. URL: firetreepub.blogspot.com Comments Invited and not moderated