From: howard@iscsvax.uni.edu
Newsgroups: rec.food.veg
Subject: Re: pets 
Date: 10 Apr 92 18:06:42 -0500
Organization: University of Northern Iowa

> In article <1992Apr9.083521.16470@rtf.bt.co.uk> traub@rtf.bt.co.uk (Michael Traub) writes regarding a previous poster:
>>
>>Keeping pets at all is inconsistent with your stated objectives.
>>

I do not agree. My two dogs taught me a great deal about why I should
care about animals. I do not think I would be as sympathetic to animals
without them teaching me. 

Dog overbreeding is a severe problem. It is a problem caused by people
who have dogs but do not care about them. They let female dogs run loose
while in heat and are *surprised* when they turn up pregnant, or they
let their male dogs run loose with no regard to the fact that there are
females in heat also running loose. I think dogs should be kept in secure,
fenced yards, for their own safety as well as to prevent overpopulation. 
Females in heat should be inside the house (and out of reach of all males)
during the heat cycle. If people did this, then spaying/neutering would
not be necessary. That does not mean a dog should never be allowed to 
run free, but it should be under the watchful eye of his owner, such as
a walk on a wooded trail, and for a female, *never* off leash when in 
heat !!!

I have Newfoundlands. They are kind, intelligent, and wonderful. I do
not think their species should have to die out. They have been with 
man for a long time- they were originally used with the Indians of 
Canada to help carry things before there were horses, and later with
fishermen off the coast of Newfoundland to help save people that had
fallen overboard, since they have heavy, water-resistant coats. The
standard is written to promote a healthy dog- bad hips, bad backs, 
and so forth are major faults. The standard especially notes that any
sign of aggression in a Newfoundland is a major fault! Neither their
ears nor tail are cropped, as in some other breeds. 

So I have mixed feelings about breeding. However, I think breeding
should only occur in the following situations:

1) The breeder knows the health history for at least 3 generations back
on both parents, and does not breed if there are any health problems.
Note this eliminates all pound dogs and most pets from being bred, since
owners do not know if there are health problems in the lines. It also
eliminates most puppy mill (pet store) dogs, since these are usually the
dogs WITH health problems in their lines. 

2) The breeder is responsible for all dogs bred for their entire lives. 
This means that the breeder is willing to take back a dog for any reason
if the owner cannot keep it, and give full money back, as well as give
it a loving home. All dogs with any health problems, such as a heart murmur,
should be kept by the breeder until 6 months old, then spayed/neutured 
before placing in a home so that the dog will not be bred. The breeder
should pay full vet bills of any dog with health problems that the owner
wants to keep(this would also reduce puppy mill dogs). 

3) A healthy, non-agressive dog should be the main objective of breeding. 
I'm not opposed to breeding between breeds (if #1 and #2 above are met). For
example, the Newfoundland has been bred to both the Saint Bernard and
the Bernese Mountain Dog to improve the temperment of these breeds. I think
the natural breeds should be encouraged, and the unnatural breeds discouraged.


As for who is enslaving whom, sometimes I think the dogs have the better
end of the deal here!
-I buy them food at $25 a bag- that's $100 a month! for 2 Newfies. Also,
I find I buy them tofu dogs, tvp burgers, etc., etc. I don't even want
to add it up!
-I get home from work and don't even get to sit down before they've got 
me out the door for a 2-3 mile walk. And my 2 boy dogs (1 fixed, 1 not), 
are much more interested in talking to the female joggers and not at all
to the male ones! Now where does this get me!!
-Weekends they've got me off to the lake- they'll always shake next to me. 
They love to retrieve except when we are ready to go home, then I've
got to go in the water to get the toy I've been tossing!
-Get home from the lake- spend 2 hours making dog biscuits for the dogs
-Dog shows! I should point out that dog shows in Iowa are quite unlike
those in the cities- more typically they are at county fair grounds where
we just set up a tent and camp for the weekend. The dogs love these-
wouldn't you like to go to a place where there's 500 pretty girls?? They
make sure, in the competition misnamed *obedience*, to intentionally miss
something so we'll have to go again! But sometimes they are perfect. The
smile of accomplishment on their faces is worth it- I think dogs like to
learn new things to, as people do. If you don't believe me stop by sometime
and say "dog show" to my dogs- they'll have you packed and in the car
before you know what hit you! And more and more clubs are having "matches"
where mixed breed dogs are encouraged to participate. 
-Cleaning! The floor is a constant battle, as they trudge in from the yard
and plop themselves down. The dog hair in the spring is unbelievable. Grooming
has to be done at least once a week, sometimes more, just to keep the 
hair down. 

What do I get out of the deal? Love. It is worth every penny. I think
I'll go home now.  Not have a dog?  No way. But if you get one, it is
a lifetime commitment. They are like children. You don't just throw them
away when you get tired of them.  

-Mary Howard
 
Newsgroups: rec.food.veg,talk.politics.animals