12 Reasons NOT to get a Dog - Why are Americans so crazy about them?

[Jester]

I dream of having a big, family type dog, to run with, hike with, and keep me company. I like little dogs too - for example my gf's miniature Yorkie - but I look a little silly with them, and some are a little yappy and excitable for my taste.

One hears bad things about dogs in SEA and LA. Strays in the streets, neglected pets tied up in the yard. Hardly the well-kept, well-fed, well-run, loyal hounds of British fox-hunting paintings.

I suppose Buenos Aires must be a good town for dogs, since every blog complains about dogshit on the streets.

It sounds like some here, like Rock, have experience with dogs overseas. I would love to read people's experiences.

[Winston]

Update:

Hi all,
I'm currently traveling on a road trip with a female friend through the Southwest USA. The thing is, she wanted to bring her little Chihuahua dog with her so she wouldn't always have to worry about her cause her landlord can't be trusted with it.

I do like the Chihuahua a lot. It's really cute, quiet, obedient and passive. It never barks or argues. But there is a huge problem. The fact is a fact, and a lot of you dog lovers here are in DENIAL of the truth for some reason. Your bias clouds your objectivity. The thing is, I've discovered a Reason #13 not to have a dog:

Reason #13: When you travel with a dog, most restaurants, stores, hotels and indoor public places will NOT allow you to take your pet in. But if you leave your pet in the car with the window down, the summer heat can be deadly to it. So you are between a rock and a hard place. The only restaurants you can eat at are the ones that have outdoor seating. Stores don't allow them in, unless they are zipped up in a dog stroller. And national parks also do not allow them on trails, only overlooks.

So you see, it is hard to travel with a dog. There are many restrictions on where you can go. And you can't just leave it in the car either, not in a hot climate. You also can't leave it home without finding a proper petsitter for it. All in all, a ton of trouble, and an UNNECESSARY one at that. Why make so much trouble for yourself? Highly illogical.

Now the thing is, modern life is already complicated enough, and filled with problems, so why the hell would you want to CREATE MORE PROBLEMS by getting a pet, such as a dog?! Wtf?! Humans are SOOOOOOOO WEIRD!!! It makes no sense. Why make trouble for yourself, especially UNNECESSARY trouble? That's stupid and highly ILLOGICAL. Life is already complicated enough. Why the hell would you want to create more problems for yourself by getting a pet? Sheesh. People don't make sense!!!

So how can you dog lovers here claim that a dog is worth it, in spite of the above?! You're not making any sense. You should try traveling with a dog sometime and see what it's like.

In fact, my friend regrets getting her Chihuahua and plans to take her back to the adoption center in San Diego where she got it from. She told me that her Chihuahua dog is like having a BALL AND CHAIN tied around her ankle. I can understand that of course, but what I don't get is why she had to get her in the first place? I mean, all of this could simply be avoided by not getting a pet in the first place, right?

Why do people make decisions that they have to later regret? Why not just make the right decision the first time? I don't get it.

Now she has to drive 5 hours to San Diego to return her pet dog to the dog rescue adoption center she got it from, and pay them $125 (in addition to the $250 she paid to adopt it a few years ago). It's a lot of trouble for her for sure. And it could have all been avoided if she didn't get one in the first place.

So again, I can't understand why people would create such UNNECESSARY problems like that. It's highly illogical. Why can't humans make sense?

She told me that she realizes now that people who are not stable or settled should not have a dog. A dog is for families that are stable and settled and don't travel much. Not for wandering people who like to pick up and go at the spur of the moment, or who plan to travel a lot. Since her living situation is not stable, she doesn't think it's best to have a dog now, and her mom and landlord can't take care of it either.

Plus, her Chihuahua was suffering in Las Vegas. It has an inability to tolerate hot or cold weather, or even rainy weather. The only weather it can tolerate is the perfect San Diego climate. Yet in spite of this, we see other dogs walk out in the heat, cold and rain all the time. Normal dogs don't have a sensitivity to weather. Just her luck huh? Like me, bad luck and Murphy's Law always seems to follow her too.

In addition, this Chihuahua refuses to eat for some reason. She has no idea why. This dog seems very fragile and not fit to be a traveling dog. Just our luck huh?

A few other things:

To MarkLambo:

You said that dogs should never be given people food. I asked my friend about that. She said you're totally wrong. She said that this is propaganda fed to you by the commercial pet food industry and veterinarians for profit interests. She said that she has been feeding her dog people food for three years now and that her dog has never gotten sick from it. Also, she says that the logic of never giving a dog people food is faulty, because dogs have survived for thousands of years on people food and done just fine, and have NOT evolved for thousands of years on commercial dog food.

How would you respond to that? Why do you think commercial dog food is better than real natural food? Isn't most commercial pet food mostly filled with empty carbs?

To Momopi:

Yes walking with a pet around does attract attention and conversation from other people. However, the attention we've gotten is mostly from men, kids, and older women. Not young women. So sorry, again your theory doesn't match the reality. Nothing is ever that simple and easy. And even when young women do stop to pet the dog, they merely talk to the dog and say nice things to it. They don't focus on you or try to start a conversation with you. So again, reality is not as simple as you make it.

[marklambo]

Update:

Hi all,
I'm currently traveling on a road trip with a female friend through the Southwest USA. The thing is, she wanted to bring her little Chihuahua dog with her so she wouldn't always have to worry about her cause her landlord can't be trusted with it.

I do like the Chihuahua a lot. It's really cute, quiet, obedient and passive. It never barks or argues. But there is a huge problem. The fact is a fact, and a lot of you dog lovers here are in DENIAL of the truth for some reason. Your bias clouds your objectivity. The thing is, I've discovered a Reason #13 not to have a dog:

Reason #13: When you travel with a dog, most restaurants, stores, hotels and indoor public places will NOT allow you to take your pet in. But if you leave your pet in the car with the window down, the summer heat can be deadly to it. So you are between a rock and a hard place. The only restaurants you can eat at are the ones that have outdoor seating. Stores don't allow them in, unless they are zipped up in a dog stroller. And national parks also do not allow them on trails, only overlooks.

So you see, it is hard to travel with a dog. There are many restrictions on where you can go. And you can't just leave it in the car either, not in a hot climate. You also can't leave it home without finding a proper petsitter for it. All in all, a ton of trouble, and an UNNECESSARY one at that. Why make so much trouble for yourself? Highly illogical.

Now the thing is, modern life is already complicated enough, and filled with problems, so why the hell would you want to CREATE MORE PROBLEMS by getting a pet, such as a dog?! Wtf?! Humans are SOOOOOOOO WEIRD!!! It makes no sense. Why make trouble for yourself, especially UNNECESSARY trouble? That's stupid and highly ILLOGICAL. Life is already complicated enough. Why the hell would you want to create more problems for yourself by getting a pet? Sheesh. People don't make sense!!!

So how can you dog lovers here claim that a dog is worth it, in spite of the above?! You're not making any sense. You should try traveling with a dog sometime and see what it's like.

In fact, my friend regrets getting her Chihuahua and plans to take her back to the adoption center in San Diego where she got it from. She told me that her Chihuahua dog is like having a BALL AND CHAIN tied around her ankle. I can understand that of course, but what I don't get is why she had to get her in the first place? I mean, all of this could simply be avoided by not getting a pet in the first place, right?

Why do people make decisions that they have to later regret? Why not just make the right decision the first time? I don't get it.

Now she has to drive 5 hours to San Diego to return her pet dog to the dog rescue adoption center she got it from, and pay them $125 (in addition to the $250 she paid to adopt it a few years ago). It's a lot of trouble for her for sure. And it could have all been avoided if she didn't get one in the first place.

So again, I can't understand why people would create such UNNECESSARY problems like that. It's highly illogical. Why can't humans make sense?

She told me that she realizes now that people who are not stable or settled should not have a dog. A dog is for families that are stable and settled and don't travel much. Not for wandering people who like to pick up and go at the spur of the moment, or who plan to travel a lot. Since her living situation is not stable, she doesn't think it's best to have a dog now, and her mom and landlord can't take care of it either.

Plus, her Chihuahua was suffering in Las Vegas. It has an inability to tolerate hot or cold weather, or even rainy weather. The only weather it can tolerate is the perfect San Diego climate. Yet in spite of this, we see other dogs walk out in the heat, cold and rain all the time. Normal dogs don't have a sensitivity to weather. Just her luck huh? Like me, bad luck and Murphy's Law always seems to follow her too.

In addition, this Chihuahua refuses to eat for some reason. She has no idea why. This dog seems very fragile and not fit to be a traveling dog. Just our luck huh?

A few other things:

To MarkLambo:

You said that dogs should never be given people food. I asked my friend about that. She said you're totally wrong. She said that this is propaganda fed to you by the commercial pet food industry and veterinarians for profit interests. She said that she has been feeding her dog people food for three years now and that her dog has never gotten sick from it. Also, she says that the logic of never giving a dog people food is faulty, because dogs have survived for thousands of years on people food and done just fine, and have NOT evolved for thousands of years on commercial dog food.

How would you respond to that? Why do you think commercial dog food is better than real natural food? Isn't most commercial pet food mostly filled with empty carbs?

To Momopi:

Yes walking with a pet around does attract attention and conversation from other people. However, the attention we've gotten is mostly from men, kids, and older women. Not young women. So sorry, again your theory doesn't match the reality. Nothing is ever that simple and easy. And even when young women do stop to pet the dog, they merely talk to the dog and say nice things to it. They don't focus on you or try to start a conversation with you. So again, reality is not as simple as you make it.

Well, as for #13, it doesn't really make sense to me that someone would bring a dog to a restaurant or leave the dog in the car while eating and traveling. I've traveled with my dog many times and when people travel, they usually stay at a hotel or something. In this case, the dog would just stay there, or a trusted friend would watch them for you. You said she doesn't trust her landlord, but does she have any friends or family that could help? I'm sure she does. If she doesn't, there are still other ways. #13 doesn't make much sense to me and not really a valid reason to not have a dog.

As for feeding a dog human food, I don't care what she says. She is wrong. It's no different than a human eating garbage food every day for years, they will seem to be ok but long term it will have negative effects. Dogs have different and more sensitive digestive systems. Certain human foods are poison to dogs and can even in some cases, kill a dog or cause them to be really sick. Commercial dog food is garbage too because of the by products and other garbage they put in but a smart dog owner will be selective on the food and avoid anything with by products. There are good dog foods out there that are actually designed to be healthy and safe for dogs. No two dog foods are alike. Just like human food, no two foods are alike. A healthy grilled chicken breast with salad made at home is always going to be healthier than going to Mc Donalds.

There are certain human foods that can be given to dogs as a treat once in a while that will be ok but you have to know what is good and what is bad. Sometimes if I'm preparing a chicken meal, I'll give my dog a few pieces of boiled chicken after it's cooled off. But when I give it to him, it's just plain chicken, no additives or anything. Sometimes I'll give him "certain" fruits that are safe once in a while. Not all fruits are safe for dogs. But he never gets human food as a replacement for what he normally eats. Dogs also become very spoiled if you only give them human foods.

Sorry to say, but your friend doesn't really know much about keeping a dog healthy. I don't know what human foods she's giving her dog but if she's giving the dog food that she cooks and prepares for herself on a daily basis, chances are she's just slowly poisoning her dog. In the long run the dog will not be healthy or live a shorter life span than it normally would. Unless she's a trained animal nutritionist, I take her advice about giving dogs human food as a grain of salt. As I said earlier, dogs have a different and more sensitive digestive system. There are a lot of human foods that just don't work well with dogs. Some dogs can handle it short term, some can't. I had a friend who used to give his dog all types of fast food. I always thought he was an idiot for doing it. His dog seemed ok for years, but eventually got really sick and died when it should not have died so soon.

Did you know that onions or garlic can destroy a dog's red blood cells?
If food is prepared that contains these in any form, it is obviously not good for the dog.

Did you know that you can give a dog fruits such as seedless watermelons ,bananas, and apples but not grapes because they can cause kidney failure to dogs?
Not all fruits are safe for dogs

Did you know that foods that contain dairy products in it can cause diarrhea and other digestive problems for dogs?
Did you know that chocolate is one of the most dangerous foods a dog can eat? It can be considered poison
Did you know that meat fat from bones of steak can be dangerous for dogs? The fat from the steak can cause pancreatitis in dogs
Did you know that a dog that eats too much salt can lead to sodium ion poisoning?

These are only a few examples. The list goes on and on. If someone is giving their dog human food, chances are that the food contains at least 1 additive that may not be good for the dog. It will have long term negative effects on the health.

Sorry to say but your friend is walking on fire if she's giving her dog too much human food. And I'll say it again, unless she's a trained animal nutritionist, she most likely isn't knowledgeable enough to know what is really good or bad for her dog. Saying things like "I eat it all the time, I'm ok" or "I give my dog that stuff all the time and he's ok" is simply just ignorance. The fact that her dog is tiny, it makes it even worse and more risky.

This is why they have commercial dog food. It's food that can be eaten by dogs without getting immediately sick because they don't include some of the poisonous ingredients that can be found in most human foods. But like I said, no two dog foods are the same. Most commercial dog foods are generally "safe" for dogs but a lot of companies use low quality ingredients and by products. It's worth spending a few extra dollars on something of higher quality.

[momopi]

To Momopi:
Yes walking with a pet around does attract attention and conversation from other people. However, the attention we've gotten is mostly from men, kids, and older women. Not young women. So sorry, again your theory doesn't match the reality. Nothing is ever that simple and easy. And even when young women do stop to pet the dog, they merely talk to the dog and say nice things to it. They don't focus on you or try to start a conversation with you. So again, reality is not as simple as you make it.

What I said:

One practical purpose of keeping of a dog is that the owner will get more exercise. Your dog will nudge you and get you off your lazy arse until you get the leash and walk them. Dog owners generally get more exercise and is more healthy than lazy couch potatoes. Yes the walks are good for you and it's cheaper than a gym membership. Having a well behaved dog also creates many social opportunities to meet with other dog owners (girls) at the local park and dog park. If you don't have a dog, borrow someone else's for a walk and you might observe a very different social interaction with people. This probably won't work if you bring a pit bull.

I've personally known 2 friends who meet their GF's at the local dog park. They're dog owners who take their dogs for walks and runs at the dog park on routine basis. One friend is a short Burmese guy and he meet a pretty tall Chinese medical student at the dog park.

How long have you been walking dogs and socializing with other dog owners at the local dog park?

[Winston]

Well, as for #13, it doesn't really make sense to me that someone would bring a dog to a restaurant or leave the dog in the car while eating and traveling. I've traveled with my dog many times and when people travel, they usually stay at a hotel or something. In this case, the dog would just stay there, or a trusted friend would watch them for you. You said she doesn't trust her landlord, but does she have any friends or family that could help? I'm sure she does. If she doesn't, there are still other ways. #13 doesn't make much sense to me and not really a valid reason to not have a dog.

As for feeding a dog human food, I don't care what she says. She is wrong. It's no different than a human eating garbage food every day for years, they will seem to be ok but long term it will have negative effects. Dogs have different and more sensitive digestive systems. Certain human foods are poison to dogs and can even in some cases, kill a dog or cause them to be really sick. Commercial dog food is garbage too because of the by products and other garbage they put in but a smart dog owner will be selective on the food and avoid anything with by products. There are good dog foods out there that are actually designed to be healthy and safe for dogs. No two dog foods are alike. Just like human food, no two foods are alike. A healthy grilled chicken breast with salad made at home is always going to be healthier than going to Mc Donalds.

There are certain human foods that can be given to dogs as a treat once in a while that will be ok but you have to know what is good and what is bad. Sometimes if I'm preparing a chicken meal, I'll give my dog a few pieces of boiled chicken after it's cooled off. But when I give it to him, it's just plain chicken, no additives or anything. Sometimes I'll give him "certain" fruits that are safe once in a while. Not all fruits are safe for dogs. But he never gets human food as a replacement for what he normally eats. Dogs also become very spoiled if you only give them human foods.

Sorry to say, but your friend doesn't really know much about keeping a dog healthy. I don't know what human foods she's giving her dog but if she's giving the dog food that she cooks and prepares for herself on a daily basis, chances are she's just slowly poisoning her dog. In the long run the dog will not be healthy or live a shorter life span than it normally would. Unless she's a trained animal nutritionist, I take her advice about giving dogs human food as a grain of salt. As I said earlier, dogs have a different and more sensitive digestive system. There are a lot of human foods that just don't work well with dogs. Some dogs can handle it short term, some can't. I had a friend who used to give his dog all types of fast food. I always thought he was an idiot for doing it. His dog seemed ok for years, but eventually got really sick and died when it should not have died so soon.

Did you know that onions or garlic can destroy a dog's red blood cells?
If food is prepared that contains these in any form, it is obviously not good for the dog.

Did you know that you can give a dog fruits such as seedless watermelons ,bananas, and apples but not grapes because they can cause kidney failure to dogs?
Not all fruits are safe for dogs

Did you know that foods that contain dairy products in it can cause diarrhea and other digestive problems for dogs?
Did you know that chocolate is one of the most dangerous foods a dog can eat? It can be considered poison
Did you know that meat fat from bones of steak can be dangerous for dogs? The fat from the steak can cause pancreatitis in dogs
Did you know that a dog that eats too much salt can lead to sodium ion poisoning?

These are only a few examples. The list goes on and on. If someone is giving their dog human food, chances are that the food contains at least 1 additive that may not be good for the dog. It will have long term negative effects on the health.

Sorry to say but your friend is walking on fire if she's giving her dog too much human food. And I'll say it again, unless she's a trained animal nutritionist, she most likely isn't knowledgeable enough to know what is really good or bad for her dog. Saying things like "I eat it all the time, I'm ok" or "I give my dog that stuff all the time and he's ok" is simply just ignorance. The fact that her dog is tiny, it makes it even worse and more risky.

This is why they have commercial dog food. It's food that can be eaten by dogs without getting immediately sick because they don't include some of the poisonous ingredients that can be found in most human foods. But like I said, no two dog foods are the same. Most commercial dog foods are generally "safe" for dogs but a lot of companies use low quality ingredients and by products. It's worth spending a few extra dollars on something of higher quality.

Why do you say that #13 doesn't make sense? It's true. If you don't believe me, try going to restaurants or stores with your dog. You will be told that dogs aren't allowed. We experienced this. We were rejected from most restaurants, unless they had outdoor seating. This is a reality that I experienced firsthand. Why doesn't that make sense?

One park ranger in Arizona came up and told us that we couldn't have a dog on the trail too. He arrived just when we started walking. If we had arrived a few minutes earlier or later, he wouldn't have seen us. What luck. Murphy's Law.

Most motels don't allow dogs either. Motel 6 is the only chain I know of that allows pets. Try going to motels with a dog and you will see what I mean.

This is a fact. So how does it not make sense? I don't understand.

I'm not an expert in dog food or dog health. But logic would say that since dogs did not evolve to eat commercial dog food, why should they be limited to it? I mean, what did dogs eat in the past million years? Or the past 10,000 years? They probably ate raw meat, like wolves, right? So why don't people just feed them raw meat?

Were there ever wild dogs before? If so, what did they eat? Did they hunt certain animals?

Dog food companies are in it for profit. How can you trust what they say?

Are you saying that there are dog food brands that have real food and aren't just mostly empty carbs? I'd imagine they'd put empty carbs in them to save money. If so, which dog brands do you buy that are good? And what do they contain?

Btw, that friend drove her dog back to the animal adoption center in San Diego and had a tearful parting with it. I don't understand why she got one in the first place if she felt that it was like a "ball and chain". I guess humans are contradictory.

She was right though that if you travel a lot and don't have a stable living condition, that dogs aren't for you. They don't like to travel and prefer to be with stable stationary families that stay put. Isn't that true?

[Falcon]

Anglosphere people worship dogs.

In rural Southeast Asia, people walking to different villages pick up sticks whenever they hear dogs bark for fear of being bitten.

You might like whyihatedogs.com

http://www.whyihatedogs.com/
http://www.whyihatedogs.com/10-reasons-why-i-hate-dogs/
http://www.whyihatedogs.com/2013/06/typ ... orshipper/

[Winston]

So true Falcon. Americans like dogs a lot more than they do people. It's like a weird religion or cult in America. I guess since Americans don't like other people, they gotta love something (besides work and consumerism), so they pick dogs. It's really perverted and sick, and upside down as well.

What I hate especially are those people who love dogs so much that they think that restaurants, motels and stores are somehow "evil bad people" for not allowing dogs to go in and dirty up the place. It's really delusional.

[Falcon]

So true Falcon. Americans like dogs a lot more than they do people. It's like a weird religion or cult in America. I guess since Americans don't like other people, they gotta love something (besides work and consumerism), so they pick dogs. It's really perverted and sick, and upside down as well.

What I hate especially are those people who love dogs so much that they think that restaurants, motels and stores are somehow "evil bad people" for not allowing dogs to go in and dirty up the place. It's really delusional.

Pet dogs became extremely fashionable in Victorian (1800's) England. In the UK, I saw dogs everywhere. It's the only country I've been to other the US where people worship dogs. When I would go out for walks or runs, half the time I'd get barking dogs trying to chase or lick me. Of course the mantra is, "Don't worry, she doesn't bite, she's friendly." Yeah, but they climb onto you, they lick, and have very unpredictable behaviors. Or when they start barking and acting aggressive, the usual excuse is, "Sorry, she's not normally like that."

It's an Anglosphere phenomenon that has spread to upper-middle class Asians too. My relatives in Taiwan have very annoying little dogs that chase me around, bark non-stop, and try to eat my food whenever I sit down for a meal. I always have to try to get them back into their cages or kick them out onto the balcony before I eat, and they would always try to run away from me when I do so. Fortunately, my parents don't like dogs.

Also the US has the largest pet dog population in the world.
http://www.mapsofworld.com/world-top-te ... ation.html

[Winston]

Have any of you noticed that if you're a dog in America, you get lots of free love and attention. You don't have to earn it. But not if you're a man. lol

Also, what's funny is that even though Americans like dogs more than they do other people, they will never tell a dog to stop being needy and to not need people. Nor will they expect a dog to not be needy and dependent. But they will expect other people to. Yet people, just like dogs, do need others. It's in the nature of humans to need others, just as it is in a dog's nature to need humans. Go figure. America has some very warped views.

[E Irizarry R&B Singer]

I can live with any dog, but rottweilers, pit bulls, pit bull mixes, & mastiffs.
German shepherds and I barely get along, but I'm willing to deal with them if I can domesticate them so that we get along with one another.

The most aggressive dogs and I basically don't like each other. They look at me as a challenge because I'm big as f.uck.

[gibraltar]

Dogs are for protection, especially in the cities where the white americans have to deal with strong black and brown people.

6,000 years ago, Caucasians had dogs to protect them while living in caves in the hillsides of Europe.

It's a survival strategy. East Asians and Africans are sun people so they have no need for dogs.

[Winston]

Btw everyone, don't you guys hate how in America, if you are a dog, you get automatic praise, love and adoration, without even having to earn it? You certainly don't get that if you're a man in America. lol

Also, don't you hate how American women are very picky about the man they will kiss, but they will let a random dog lick their face and mouth? Yuck. Ewww. Stupid.

Hey did any of you see the latest Superman movie called "Man of Steel"? At the beginning, Clark Kent's earth father who raised him (played by Kevin Costner) ran back into an evacuated town to save the family dog. In doing so, he is unable to get out in time and so is killed by the tornado. In effect, he sacrifices his life to save a dog! Who would do that in real life?! Wtf? Who would give up their life to save a dumb dog? That's totally not realistic, even less realistic than Superman's powers. lol. It was such a stupid scene.

Then, to make the scene worse, when Clark Kent wants to use his super speed to save his earthly father, his father tells him not to, because with the whole town watching, it's too soon for him to reveal his powers to the world. What a stupid reason to let a parent die. So Superman lets his father die just to keep himself from revealing his powers in a small town? Yeah right. In past Superman movies, Superman never just lets someone die. He always makes an attempt to save him or her. So now Superman is amoral too, in the modern world? What a bad sign. Great. Now we have amoral heroes.

[IraqVet2003]

I don't understand something. Why do people, especially white Americans, need to have pets in their home, especially dogs? They are so much trouble, burden and responsibility, yet provide no practical value or benefit. So why do so many people seem to need them? Why are they so common? Why do so many people get them without thinking or weighing the pros and cons? As we all know, dogs are an icon of the typical American family home. This is exemplified in TV shows too, where every ideal American family has at least one family dog.

Now don't get me wrong. I love animals too. I'm a vegetarian after all. But that doesn't mean I want one sharing my living space, especially my bed. That's weird. I don't feel that animals and humans are meant to live together under the same roof. Animals are for watching in a zoo or in the wild, not for sharing your living space. Come on now. Isn't it kind of strange to have an animal running freely in your home, which could potentially harm you or others in your home (even if by accident), cause damage to your furniture and carpet, and also make you do more house cleaning as well? That's crazy.

So why do people get dogs as if they were some normal thing that everyone gets? Weird. People don't make sense! Americans don't seem to mind all the trouble and are addicted to pets, as if they need them for some reason. But in Asia, people aren't as big on pets, and if they have them, they usually keep them outside, because their standards of cleanliness in the house are very high.

Here is a list of factual drawbacks to getting a dog, which are valid reasons NOT to get them:
(apologies to any dog lovers here)

1. You constantly have to buy food for it, so there's an added cost to your budget. Though dog food is cheap, if you want your dog to eat well, you have to pay more for fresh food, even in a can.
2. The veterinarian bills must be expensive. Also if your dog gets sick, it's an emotional burden on you as well.
3. If the dog poops or pees on your floor, you have to clean up after it. Stains in your carpet and furniture will be common. Americans don't seem to mind this, but Asian families will not tolerate this at all.
4. Pets in the house result in fur everywhere, on the carpet, furniture and even bed. Ick. How do Americans tolerate this? Every Asian I know can't stand that and are clean freaks.
5. Dogs are very needy and dependent and need constant love and attention. They could emotionally drain you. Cats are easier and less trouble and not as needy.
6. A dog usually wants to share your bed, which means there is less room in it for you (and your partner) in it. Also, if you come to bed later than your partner does, the dog may already be lying in your space, so that you can't even snuggle next to your partner. And it also means that its fur and smell will get on your bed too. How come Americans don't mind that? Asians would never think to let that happen.
7. If you are with a woman and her dog is there, and you hug her or kiss her, her dog may think you are attacking her and bite you or attack you, or do it out of jealously. Would you want that? Geez. Why the unnecessary trouble? That's so stupid! Who would want that?! Also, if you are having sex or making out in your bed, and the dog is there, it will get aroused and make noise and try to join in the action by humping one of you. That's very distracting if you are trying to make love or have sex. Why wouldn't you want that? That's crazy.
8. A dog jumping up on you or into your lap puts you and any others around at risk for injury or bruises. This is especially the case if you have babies and toddlers around, who are more fragile. A cat with claws may accidentally scratch you, and there's also the risk that its claws could hit your face or eyes too. A cat will also scratch at furniture. Even the Garfield cartoon portrays this.
9. A dog is noisy and barks a lot, sometimes for no reason or for things you can't see. If you are a writer or artist and sensitive to sound, this will not be good for you. It will be very distracting to your deep train of thought.
10. Dogs can also be hostile to your guests and neighbors, and frighten children. Little kids or young females who visit are easily frightened by hostile animals or barking dogs. Why would you want to do that to them?! Geez. Why would you want a hostile dog barking at your guests? That's not good. So why put up with that, especially when there's no benefit in it? It doesn't make sense! People don't make sense!
11. When your pet passes away, you will suffer emotionally and endure grief and sadness. Why would you want to go through that? Why create unnecessary attachments that will result in sorrow? Why is that necessary?
12. Dogs and pets tie you down and obstruct a lifestyle of traveling. When you go away on vacation, you gotta worry about who's going to feed your pet and watch over it. So you gotta burden someone with the trouble, or else you have to put it in one of those pet kennels where someone babysits your pet along with many others. Such places put your pet at risk for catching diseases from the other pets there too. So if you want to be free with less burden/attachments, not more, then obviously pets aren't for you. Being responsible for a pet means LESS freedom.

But even if you travel with a dog, most restaurants, stores, hotels and indoor public places will NOT allow you to take it in. But if you leave your dog in the car, even with the window down, the summer heat can be deadly to it, so you can't do that if it's too hot. This puts you between a rock and a hard place. The only restaurants you can eat at are the ones that have outdoor seating. Stores don't allow dogs, unless they are zipped up in a dog stroller. And national parks also do not allow them on trails, only on overlooks. So bringing a dog with you on your travels causes many inconveniences and obstructions. In addition, pet experts will tell you that dogs do not like travel, but prefer stable environments. So constant travel would not be good for a dog psychologically.

So with 12 factual drawbacks to getting a dog, and no tangible benefit or gain, why are they so common then? It's so weird and illogical. Something tells me that the reasons must be mostly emotional, not logical.

Besides, isn't it kind of strange to have an animal running freely in your home, which could potentially harm you or others in your home (even if by accident), cause damage to your furniture and carpet, and also make you do more house cleaning as well? That's crazy. So why are they so common? Why do so many people get a dog like it's some normal thing to do without thinking or weighing the pros and cons?

I mean, if you need something to love you back, why don't you get it from humans, your kids, friends or lovers? Why a pet? If you are lonely, you can call your friend or Skype with them. Or find a new penpal or chatmate online. Or go out and make new friends. Why do you need a pet and put up with all the many drawbacks above? A pet can't hold intelligent meaningful conversations with you either.

If you need security in your home, you can get a strong lock on your door, or install a security system, or get a gun or tazer. You don't need a dog, and put up with all the trouble above. Come on now. Besides, danger to the home is exaggerated, especially in the USA which is relatively safe. I've never had anyone try to break into my home. So why live in unnecessary fear?

Aren't dogs considered ugly anyway? I mean, when guys refer to an ugly girl, they call her a "dog", not a "cat". Doesn't that indicate that dogs are physically unappealing? So why would people need them if they're not even attractive?

So why do so many people need pets? Especially dogs? Overall, they are a ton of trouble and burden, with many drawbacks, and no tangible benefits or usefulness. So why are they so common? People are weird and don't make sense.

And how come white Americans don't mind animals and humans sharing the same living space, especially sleeping space, but Asians do? Why do white Americans people not care about getting their home all dirty with fur?

Wouldn't it suck if you were dating someone and got serious, and found out that your partner is the type that needs a pet or a dog? That would suck. You could eventually break up over it.

I don't get some people's incessant need to have a pet or dog and go through all the UNNECESSARY trouble outlined above. It doesn't make sense. What do you think?

If you are a dog or pet lover, it'd be interesting to hear your feedback on the above too.

Thanks for listening to my rant.

Winston great post!!!! I too think it is crazy that some Americans (particularly women) seem to WORSHIP their pet dogs and give it more attention than men!!! In fact some go as far to DRESS UP their pets in silly costumes to celebrate Halloween !!! I just think that the nurturing nature that women have should be reserved for their men (husbands) and her children (if she has any). The only people Winston I truly see needing a dog are those who are handicapped (seeing-eye dog for the blind) or those suffering from PTSD (such as war veterans). Don't get me wrong I do believe animals should be treated humanely and not abused/neglected. But, however, they should not be valued over other human beings.

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Oh and on another note.
The whole people spending a fortune on their pet when their finances are not that strong is a bit nuts.

My brother spent a lot of his cat, but he could easily afford it. I know a girl [really nice girl BTW, of course taken] who makes minimum wage and has a diabetic cat.
I love cats but if I was making minimum wage and had a cat that needed costly treatments for the rest of it's life, it's time for a long nap.