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Common Mistakes Pet Owners Make

msnbc.msn.com — For all they add to our lives, we owe it to them to do all we can for them in return. One of the ways to ensure your pet enjoys a long, happy life is to avoid the pitfalls of the most common pet-parenting mistakes: ....Impulsive adoptions/purchases.....Killing with kindness.....Assuming your pet is a person in fur clothing

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  • killbert24, on 05/01/2008, -13/+24#1. Masturbating in front of them leads to terrible things.
    • borninda818, on 05/01/2008, -1/+9I know exactly what you mean. I dugg you up.
    • debuggercll, on 05/01/2008, -1/+6Doesn't matter which one of them is doing it either.
  • binorgog, on 08/07/2008, -4/+23Dogs above 30 pounds for the WIN.
    • Cyborg326, on 05/01/2008, -4/+3dogs between 10 and 20 pounds ftw
    • b04155, on 05/01/2008, -1/+3The best animals I had were over 100 pounds. Not fatties either, I kept them lean and fit. Appearances were deceiving though, a friendly 'hello' would turn my 'mean' looking dogs into tail-wagging, belly-up goof-balls.
      Now I have a monster of a cat that actually frightens some people with his size when he comes out unexpectedly... and of course he's another treat / rub / attention seeking goof-ball.
      • InferiorWang, on 05/01/2008, -0/+5Those are big dogs. The biggest I've had was a shepherd-husky mix at about 60 lbs. She looked like a sled dog and was sweet as could be, but protective around people she hadn't seen with us before. Big dogs rock. How is a dog supposed to protect my house if I can kick it across the room?
      • Gir53457, on 05/01/2008, -0/+3I had an 80 lbs Chow Chow with a facial scar that caused two animal rescue workers to try and take him from me because they thought I had him fight, until thy learned he was the biggest loving ball of fluff in the world and would let every cat in the neighborhood play on top of him and eat his food.
    • pear1jamten, on 05/01/2008, -0/+3my 140 pound German Sheppard/black lab mix is the perfect dog :)
  • CDoug03, on 05/01/2008, -7/+27It's not bestiality. It's inter-species erotica.
  • pegothejerk, on 05/01/2008, -0/+22Getting one is number 1. Most people have no idea how to analyze animal behavior, and even less know how to respond to it accurately to help the animal adapt to YOUR environment for successful cohabitation. Don't even get me started on how they train their kids. And I don't mean goats.
    • rompom7, on 05/01/2008, -0/+7I agree. I know a person that puts those stupid coats on her two dogs... The dogs must hate it.. I see them trying to scratch themselves but they can't do it because the coat is in the way..
      • InferiorWang, on 05/01/2008, -0/+2When we were little, my brother attempted to put his karate gi pajamas on our dog. He actually succeeded in getting the top on without her trying to get away. But, yeah, don't put clothes on dogs. They're already wearing coats.
        • ricksite, on 05/01/2008, -0/+2I am not into dressing up dogs but some dogs need coats to keep warm. For instance, greyhounds don't have an undercoat to keep them warm in the winter. They often wear coats outside to keep the heat in. Putting a coat on a dog that doesn't need one probably makes them colder since they can't fluff up their fur.
          • Gir53457, on 05/01/2008, -0/+3Chihuahuas need jackets for the same reason.
    • b04155, on 05/01/2008, -0/+9I had a friend who wanted a dog as an accessory. I knew from the start she'd be a bad owner so I just sent her a personality / lifestyle test to match up the type of dog that would fit... needless to say she didn't match with any type and thank goodness she opted to buy a new purse instead.
  • chr0nic21, on 05/01/2008, -16/+6Common Mistake: Owning One
  • TylerDCA, on 05/01/2008, -3/+17I had a dog with a terrible temper. I thought he was a dog, he argued with me until I accepted he was a person.
    • rompom7, on 05/01/2008, -4/+12Don't talk about your mother that way.
  • fissionignition, on 05/01/2008, -1/+10I bought my first pet (an adorable kitten I couldn't say no to) from a pet store in the mall then found out just what really goes on... Never again, it's all rescues from now on.

    BTW, that cat's still providing many an LOL, with many more to come...
    • pegothejerk, on 05/01/2008, -0/+11what a tease of a story. That's like me telling you about this really hot girl I met in a dive bar last night, all dressed up in her little black dress, telling me about her boring boyfriend she broke up with last night and that's why she's drinking and she just had to party with me, so we left the.. anyway, I had fun.
    • rompom7, on 05/01/2008, -0/+9an lol?
      • fissionignition, on 05/01/2008, -1/+6yes, an LOL
      • mxmj, on 05/01/2008, -0/+1There are two kinds of people on the internet: The 'el oh el's and the 'lawl's. You must be of the lawl variety.
    • InferiorWang, on 05/01/2008, -0/+5I found my cat on the side of the road in the middle of a rain storm. I was out running near my grandparents' farm and it started pouring. About half way back I saw a little orange fur ball in the grass at the edge of the road. It turned out to be a kitten that was about 6 weeks old so I picked it up and brought it back. None of the neighbors knew of anyone having kittens so I kept him and he's been great. I've always been more of a dog person, but he imitates the dog, which is funny. Even better is that the dog now coughs up fur balls. The dog, incidentally, was also a stray that just happened to show up a couple months before our other dog got sick.
  • greeniemeani, on 05/01/2008, -15/+5Look - It's an article about animals! OM NOM NOM!!!!!
    • ANT1138, on 05/01/2008, -1/+1Just google "om nom nom" so you never make this mistake again.
      • debuggercll, on 05/01/2008, -1/+1An image of TWC eating a plane comes up.
  • centran, on 05/01/2008, -1/+21"Keep in mind that pets tend to think in different and often much simpler terms than we do. They aren't walking around all day plotting how to get back at you for leaving them at home while you go to work or to punish you for what you have or haven't done for them lately."

    Ever own a Lab? I have a couple friends that own labs and I must say that yes they do plot against you. If one member of the family is ignoring them then they will find an object of just that one family member and destroy it. They said it has happened in several instances and not just constantly to only one particular family members but specifically when someone isn't giving the dog attention.
    I have never seen that behavior in my dogs or other friends dogs.
    • roflganker, on 05/01/2008, -0/+6I have a black lab, and I've seen that sort of thing. He won't destroy an item, but if he's feeling like he doesn't get enough attention he'll steal someones sock or shoe so that they have to come see him to get it back.
      • funk49, on 05/01/2008, -0/+5I have three English Labs and my black one will get pissed when he's not getting enough attention and either bark until someone chases him around or will steal the cordless phone and/or remote. In 7 years, we've been through about 20 remotes and 15 phones. Sounds like he has us trained pretty damn well.

        I'll never forget my chocolate lab eating a bow at Christmas time and when the bow came out the other end, he was walking around with it hanging out of his ass for about 15 minutes. Labs...never a dull ***** moment.
    • b04155, on 05/01/2008, -0/+8I'm sure I'm not the only one who wraps their dog's presents for Christmas... so anyways, on Christmas day one year I come downstairs to find one of my dogs had ripped open all of his presents and was chewing on them. The freaky part was all the presents (dogs and people presents) were all mixed together and still in whatever box they had come in. How did he know to ONLY open up all of his I'll never know.
      No plotting, just a wtf??
      • pear1jamten, on 05/01/2008, -0/+4he was spying on you when you were wrapping them... my beagle did this when my mom wrapped presents for her... the exact same thing.
      • InferiorWang, on 05/01/2008, -0/+8smell?
        ...sweater...book...socks...CHEW TOY!
        • b04155, on 05/01/2008, -0/+3multiple dogs, multiple chew toys... and only opened his...
          • InferiorWang, on 05/01/2008, -0/+1that's a head scratcher, then.
          • mxmj, on 05/01/2008, -0/+1You've got yourself one smart dog. Next year maybe get him some books?
        • spootmonkey, on 05/01/2008, -0/+1yeah thats way more crazy
    • Lilitou, on 05/01/2008, -0/+3I have a Lab/Foxhound mix and he does that. Or, rather, he used to do that and now he just steals things when he's feeling neglected (i.e. whenever he's not actually being petted or fed at that precise moment). He doesn't always chew on what he steals, since the object is just to lure his chosen person to the living room to play. He's got a good grasp on what belongs to whom.
    • kday, on 05/01/2008, -0/+8If my dog (actually my parents dog, but I call her my dog) is bored, she'll get my shoe, come in my room, drop it loudly so I can hear, and then bark. If I continue to ignore her, she'll find other items of mine such as my socks or another one of my shoes. If I really piss her off, she'll find any item she can that belongs to me, and pile them on her bed. This could be my wallet, slippers, belt, multiple pairs of shoes, underwear, shirts, etc. She'll then bark repeatedly next to her bed until I come and give her attention. I find it quite cute and funny. When she was a pup, she would destroy my shoes if I didn't pay attention to her. She probably destroyed 2 or 3 pairs of my shoes. She won't do this anymore, but she'll still hint at me she is thinking about it.

      I don't live with my parents anymore, and when I come home, she usually acts angry at me for the first day or so. She'll distance herself from me for a while.Then the next day or two, she gets over it, sleeps on my bed, and follows me everywhere. I've never seen another dog that has the complex behaviors like her. I think she is smarter than most dogs. We also taught her a whole bunch of tricks (and I mean a lot), taught her to turn on and off lights, and taught her to open doors (the kind with handles). It literally took her minutes to learn these things.

      BTW, she is not a lab.
    • Luminoth, on 05/01/2008, -4/+2In this particular thread: Lots of people projecting their emotions and anthropomorphizing their pets. Congratulations on completely ignoring that common mistake.
      • Gir53457, on 05/01/2008, -0/+4If by projecting emotions and anthropomorphizing our pets you mean sharing stories about our pet's quirks and personalities?
        • Luminoth, on 05/01/2008, -1/+1The meaning of the word anthropomorphizing is beyond you, isn't it.
          • Gir53457, on 05/01/2008, -0/+1Only if I were a furry.
          • mxmj, on 05/01/2008, -0/+3If you don't think dogs and/or cats have unique traits and personalities you must never have had a pet.
    • acis1, on 05/01/2008, -0/+2it's not that the dog is getting back at you for not paying attention to them. i've read a bit about dog thought processes and when they destroy something of someones who isn't paying attention to them it's because they remember you interacting with that object. it's simply there way of interacting with you because you aren't giving them the normal attention.

      or something like that
    • chabs39, on 05/01/2008, -0/+2My dog was pissed at my dad once so it took a ***** on his pillow, I find it hard to believe that it wasn't plotting revenge with that.
      • Schda, on 05/01/2008, -0/+1When I lived with my dad my cousin was also living with us. My cat was a sort of stand offish cat, friendly to me, but didn't likebeing held by anyone else for long periods of time. Well my cousin would constantly flip him on his back to play with him and 'attack' his stomach. My cousin had done that with his cat when he lived at home so he thought it was fine. Well my cat didn't like it too much and waited for his revenge, my cousin normally left eh door to his room shut just for privacy reasons, but one day my cat was waiting for him. He left the door open a little too long so my cat dashed in, jumped up on his bed, looked him straight in the eye and started peeing all over his bed. Now my cat never goes to the bathroom outside his litterbox, still hasn't to this day. So I hadve to think it had to be a bit of revenge.
  • merc22, on 05/01/2008, -2/+13My girlfriends dog will eat anything it finds. For instance, one time it got into a makeup bag and ate a bunch of Advil. I said just let it commit suicide like it wanted, however my girlfriend took it to the vet to $1000 instead. Since then we have learned the tsp of hygrogen peroxide trick to get it to puke up anything extreme it eats and save vet bills. It's not like we don't watch the dog, it just a sneaky animal.

    If you have a dog that eats the wrong thing, learn the hydrogen peroxide trick. Might save you some money.
    • bobfuk, on 05/01/2008, -2/+4sometimes vomiting is the wrong thing to do.... be careful
    • ncapone, on 05/01/2008, -2/+1I had a theory whether some animals were actually capable of thinking about suicide; you didn't help fortify my theory, since dogs don't know Advil has a negative effect on their health. I still wonder if it's possible though...will we ever know?
    • Cyborg326, on 05/01/2008, -0/+2we learned that when one of our dogs ate a a chocolate bar (chocolate is really bad for dogs)
      • funk49, on 05/01/2008, -0/+1I've heard this before and I had one eat a huge bag of chocolate bars and it didn't do anything except caused him to puke smelly chocolate for a day. I hear it's something about the chocolate causing seizures.

        My 3 dogs (labs = domestic goats) have eaten the following items: bags of coffee, bag of popcorn, bottles of prednisone, advil, birth control pills, bags of flour, rocks, cat *****, crayons, thousands of toys, used condoms, wood, cabinets and ziplock bags of food that exit as bags of *****.
        • Crasoum, on 05/01/2008, -0/+1Depends on how pure the chocolate is and how big the dog is, a couple of grams of pure theobromine (the chemical in chocolate that hurts dogs) per pound will kill a dog usually (depending on health). Milk chocolate takes A LOT, like a pound per pound. Baker's chocolate takes very little, an ounce per 10 pounds-ish
    • ncrep, on 05/01/2008, -0/+2speaking of fat animals...
      http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/23576263/
    • funk49, on 05/01/2008, -0/+1Dog are picking up on the sugar coating of the meds. That's why they eat them most of them time.
  • sparrowkc, on 05/01/2008, -9/+1This is one of those lists that could have been written any time in the last hundred years, and still would have been just as relevantand precedented as it is today. When I write something for school, I am always frustrated that the subject of my work is secondary to the existence of my work. I can't belifrustratedeve that there are actualy adults who presumably write this kind of meaningless filler for a living, and that people actually read it when they see it on MSN.
    • rompom7, on 05/01/2008, -0/+2You are just belifrustratedeve that Merriam-Webster wont accept your new word into thier dictionary.
  • jhails, on 05/01/2008, -16/+3The first mistake is bringing a pet home. Animals belong in the wild or raised on farms to be converted into burgers.
    • sparrowkc, on 05/01/2008, -0/+9Somebody never got their pony.
      • itsinmyeyes, on 05/01/2008, -0/+4Or did and was upset when his dad ate it
  • whatthefu, on 05/01/2008, -5/+1"However, the result is usually that they get into trouble by eliminating in the wrong place or chewing an inappropriate item." Um, what?
    • viserov, on 05/01/2008, -0/+1Taking a piss/*****.
      • debuggercll, on 05/01/2008, -0/+2Your's takes *****? Mine leaves them.
        • JakeyG14, on 05/01/2008, -0/+2Mine is in the process of having one.
        • Luminoth, on 05/01/2008, -0/+1Mine does both.
          • Crasoum, on 05/01/2008, -0/+2Mine leaves ***** in the yard, used to take them from the cat box.
            He was kind of like a vacuum cleaner.

            Hot-sauce was the fix for that, very hot hot-sauce.
        • SkippyDoorknob, on 05/01/2008, -0/+1"Don't take one of mine! I've only got three left and the weekend's coming up!"
          - George Carlin
    • ncapone, on 05/01/2008, -0/+2inappropriate item: something that is not good
    • cnot3, on 05/01/2008, -2/+3Thats the most pussifed way I've ever heard of describing urination.
      • H0tKarl, on 05/01/2008, -0/+1Yeah, I'd kick the living elimination out of somebody who used that term.
      • ricksite, on 05/01/2008, -0/+3"Eliminating" covers piss and poop. I have never heard of a dog urinating poop.
  • monsterette, on 05/01/2008, -0/+2...guess it's all in the technique: "reinforce appropriate behaviors and improve your bond with your pet..."
    • synwolf, on 05/01/2008, -0/+2I caught my girlfriend reading this article. Thing is, we don't have a dog.
  • dizilbdog, on 05/01/2008, -3/+5Dog Whisperer
    • ricksite, on 05/01/2008, -2/+2The "Dog Whisperer" is a fraud. He is a self proclaimed expert. He is nothing more than a dog trainer that uses crappy techniques.
      • Luminoth, on 05/01/2008, -2/+1I suppose you're just pissed that he had the idea first.
      • funk49, on 05/01/2008, -0/+1I don't agree with his stealth, behind the body head kicking technique. I also hear that his oldest rehab dog is used behind the scenes for alot of the training that goes on.
  • nobody7, on 05/01/2008, -1/+3Pet nutrition is KEY
    http://209.85.165.104/search?q=cache:Qp7gjJ8FhBwJ: ...
  • vetjet, on 05/01/2008, -0/+17every time I hear somebody tell me "I want to breed my dog so she/he can have the experience", I want to jump over the table and strangle the stupid ass.Let's go to the shelter and see how we murder about 100 homeless animals today. Oh yeah, let's breed some more. Idiots.
  • slsashrk, on 05/01/2008, -6/+1My biggest mistake was letting the marine down the street watch my dog while I was out of town!

    Never ever again!!!
  • JohnnyHotballs, on 05/01/2008, -3/+7I am an alumnus of the Richard Gere school of hamster care
  • gudnbluts, on 05/01/2008, -2/+10Puppies don't last long in salt water tanks. I'm going to try fresh water next time.
  • hfxadv, on 05/01/2008, -9/+2There are no bad dogs, just bad owners. FTW
    • RebeL5K, on 05/01/2008, -0/+6Dude, that "FTW" ***** is lame as ***** and doesn't even make sense in the context in which you used it. Find something more creative and descriptive to say, because just tacking on "FTW" at the end of everything you say doesn't make you seem any cooler but instead exponentially more like a ***** douchebag.
  • OfNumbers, on 05/01/2008, -3/+3I keep saying it, but no one gets it: The media is full of ***** catch phrases. Example:
    "However, the result is usually that they get into trouble by eliminating in the wrong place or chewing an inappropriate item."
    Yeah, it's something else when I have to go eliminate some poor unsuspecting bowl movements.
    • mxmj, on 05/01/2008, -0/+3That is a veterinary term, the author did npt make it up.
  • bobfuk, on 05/01/2008, -0/+5treating them like people is a major problem now days.
    your dog isn't people, doesn't think it is and never will be. i have a dog thats well behaved, loving and u can take anywhere, all because it knows i'm the leader. i'm consistent in my attention and i've never had to hit my dog to make it do what i want (another mistake idiots make)
  • fxu1989, on 05/01/2008, -6/+4I can't possibly eliminate my dog's man(dog)hood...

    Anyways, my dog had lots of fungus in his skin (not contagious to humans), we went to the vet, got a few remedies, 2 months later, he has even more. So we called up my grandpa back in south america (he currently has 6 dogs, and has had over 10 at one point) and learned his secret recipe to killing all bacterias in the skin: creolina. (Use it carefully, it can harm/kill your dog if you go crazy with it)... My dog is now fungus free, and 80% of his marks disappeared in 3 weeks or less.

    I hate the vet, the medicine (which didn't work) cost over $150. Creoline (which worked) costed $10 in the supermarket.

    What I'm trying to say is, if your dog is sick and he doesn't get well with the medicine from the vet, ask neighbors, friends, family who owned pets if they had a similar case and how they resolved it. Sometimes the old way of doing things is best.
  • laserblazer, on 05/01/2008, -4/+4Animals are sentient and have hopes and dreams - just like we do. To treat a being differently because of your perception of its intellect is to invite such judgment from others.

    Kindness is God.
    • Kytro, on 05/01/2008, -0/+2Some animals are sentient
    • Luminoth, on 05/01/2008, -2/+2I perceive your intellect to be much lower than average. Judge away.
      • laserblazer, on 05/01/2008, -0/+1I choose to refrain from judgment, mammal.
  • Cyborg326, on 05/01/2008, -0/+3One thing that isn't specifically mentioned in the article is that being overl nice to pets (particularly dogs) teaches them bad behavior. If a dog is begging for food from the table, don't give it to them, you're only reinforcing that behavior. If they jump up don't just look down at them and tell them "down" (unless they're trained), either ignore them completely or push them off of you, not is if you're hurting them of course but ina manner so that they learn not to do it again. It may sound like I'm promoting punishment over reward or that I'm cold hearted or w/e. It's always better to tell the dog when they do something right through praise and treats than it is to yell at them for doing something bad. Also stern behavior is not the same as abusive behavior, it's possible to be very stern without causing them any sort of trauma or harm.

    Put simply dogs are like little kids, I've always thougt of them that way since they level of thinking is similar and you use the same kind of discipline, but that's just me.
    • Luminoth, on 05/01/2008, -1/+4Dogs are like dogs, not little kids. If people got even that much straight, they'd be in better shape.
    • Cyborg326, on 05/03/2008, -0/+1Of course my analogy isn't perfect. That's just the way I think of it and it's something that most people understand.
  • basye, on 05/01/2008, -1/+2No, bad genes can make bad animals too. You cannot change a genetically-flawed animal, only work within their limitations. There are a host of serious personality problems within a number of major breeds due to improper breeding. That's one of the major reason you see beautiful full-bred pets at the pound, they carry a hidden personality defect and only experienced, patient handlers have a chance in working with them successfully. Unfortunately people are swayed more by the designer looks than investigating what personalities the parents/grandparents had.
    • funk49, on 05/01/2008, -0/+1Backyard breeding is the primary reason for this. Breeders of any type of dog that are worth their salt take temperament into consideration in addition to confirmation qualities.
      • ricksite, on 05/01/2008, -0/+1The new thing with backyard breeders now are designer dogs. They are the epitome of breeding for looks and not other traits.
  • arichard, on 05/01/2008, -8/+2pees ---> smack!
    sits ---> food!

    easy.
    • ricksite, on 05/01/2008, -0/+6Smacking a dog that is peeing is dumb. It could just cause them to pee more as peeing is a sign of submission.
  • Skooma714, on 05/01/2008, -2/+3I LOVE MY MISTA MUGGLES.
    • cramming, on 05/01/2008, -0/+0Haha, my mom is the same way with her chihuahua as Mrs. Bennet is with her pomeranian; she's always speaking babytalk to her.
  • milkmage, on 05/01/2008, -0/+4killing with kindness.. DONT FEED THEM PEOPLE FOOD
    • Lilitou, on 05/01/2008, -0/+2If only we could get my father to understand that one.
  • wondertwins, on 05/01/2008, -0/+5My mom has this serious issue of our dog being a person. She says that the dog is her daughter and she lets her do what she wants. My dog has a problem when she barks at everyone she doesnt know and every time i try to scold her for barking, my mom starts scolding at me because i am scolding at the dog and she has to release "stress". I tried telling her that our dog is not her child but she cant accept that.
    • mlvassallo, on 05/01/2008, -2/+2Your mom needs the Dog Whisper!
    • pegothejerk, on 05/01/2008, -0/+2His/her mom needs a therapist. Letting your dog do anything, but not letting your own child (as an adult) work with it's dog as it sees fit is lunacy. It's like watching a schizophrenic protect a used paper cup from the public on a sidewalk.. keeping the precious living thing safe from all the lunatics that can't tell it's alive, even lashing out and scolding the passer-bys. It's not another way of seeing things, its ultimately harmful and needs to be addressed.
  • digjam, on 05/01/2008, -6/+3Common Mistakes Pet Owners Make.....
    BUY A PET?
  • mlvassallo, on 05/01/2008, -1/+3I don't know how they can say that dog's don't have a personality. My Ace often stairs at me like this:
    http://photos-044.ll.facebook.com/photos-ll-sf2p/v ... (No photo manipulation...)
    • kday, on 05/01/2008, -0/+1Where did you find the green alien eyes? That would be a great addition to my dog.
      • mxmj, on 05/01/2008, -0/+1A healthy dose of radiation ought to do the trick.
  • funknjunk, on 05/01/2008, -4/+2CHEESING
  • H0tKarl, on 05/01/2008, -0/+3I love dogs too much to own one. I'd be a terrible owner.
    • ricksite, on 05/01/2008, -0/+7You make a good point. Some people are better off enjoying other people's dogs than getting one themselves.
  • PHiZ187, on 05/01/2008, -1/+3Mistake #9: Letting junior play with flesh eating piranhas.
  • Xyc0, on 05/01/2008, -4/+1Written by a Hippie.
  • ArchetypeRyan, on 05/01/2008, -3/+1"A perfect example of this is letting a pup eliminate on the rug (by not supervising them properly) and then yelling at them for doing so."

    Eliminate? Sounds like an Arnold maneuver. O_o
  • zebraz, on 05/01/2008, -2/+3Anyone who buys a pet from a pet store is supporting animal cruelty.
    • ricksite, on 05/01/2008, -0/+1I don't know if many people know this but neither Petco or PetSmart sell puppies and kittens. It is good to see the large chain stores setting a good example.
      • SkippyDoorknob, on 05/01/2008, -0/+1Some locations do, but the adoptions are actually through the Feral Cat Foundation or other similar animal rescue organizations.
  • dreamstretch, on 05/01/2008, -3/+2There's something I've always wondered about pets - What are they actually for??
    • ricksite, on 05/01/2008, -0/+3They are used for companionship. They are used to catch vermin (specifically terriers). Larger dogs can offer protection or at least intimidation. Many people feel more secure walking with a large dog than walking alone. One nice thing in the winter is that they can keep you warm at night.
      • dreamstretch, on 05/02/2008, -0/+1Wouldn't a person, exterminator, weapon or blanket be better?
  • jwoulf, on 05/01/2008, -4/+2It figures that the spay/neuter nazis would weasel their way into this list.
    I only hope humanity some day realizes that vasectomy and tubal ligation are the only humane solutions to the pet overpopulation problem, not more cruelty in the form of spaying/neutering.
    • zebraz, on 05/01/2008, -0/+2Huh ?
      I already had a vasectomy.
    • Ursapater, on 05/01/2008, -0/+2Perhaps they should be spayed or neutered themselves?
  • ali1722, on 05/01/2008, -1/+0Loving the use of the word "eliminate" in this article
  • Ursapater, on 05/01/2008, -0/+3While some of this is true I can attest that dogs are a lot more intelligent than the author gives them credit for. Dogs do sometimes plan, hold grudges, play tricks, and do things for their friends to make them happy. They grieve, they smile, and they love. They aren't human but they are self aware...and we'd be diminished without them.
  • reviewer2008, on 05/09/2008, -0/+0My pet is a spoiled brat but I still love her!
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