Dogs: Why? Why not? Vote now please!

[Stradageek]

You can get done for hitting a dog with your car and not reporting it. Not so with a cat aiui but have you ever tried to hit one? One left me behind doing 35mph and accelerating once. A big ginger trapped under the retaining walls of a bridge. It left me behind and in one fluid movement ran away and jumped on n excess of 7foot up the side then stopped to watch me pass. They know how to take the mick!

My brother went on an advanced motorcycling course which covered what to when animals run out in front of you, the advice was as follows:

Sheep - aim for the rear, they always run forwards
Dogs - terminally stupid, will probably not move, aim to cut them in half

My brother than asked about cats and the reply was a sharp intake of breath followed by - "you've got to be really good to get a cat"

[Oldjohnw]

I don't like dogs. Never have. Both my children have labs and their dogs are very engaging.

Confused, not of Tunbridge Wells.

I suspect that most of us who say we like dogs only, in fact, like some dogs. Few will actually like the unsociable dogs or the dogs that bark all the time. But of those who say they don't really like dogs (yourself being one such) I imagine that is a generalisation and there will be dogs that you will like given the right conditions. Friends of ours have a very eager and active springer spaniel who has been brought up around farm animals and can be left to his own devices in the presence of sheep, cattle, horses, cats, geese and hens. Even the postie likes him.

You are, of course, correct. I like my children's dogs: in small doses. They are cute, friendly and engaging. I don't like my face being washed by them and i could never clean up after them.

[jimlews]

Before you allow yourself to be licked by a dog, spare a thought for the last thing it was licking.

[pwa]

Before you allow yourself to be licked by a dog, spare a thought for the last thing it was licking.

If and when we do get the whippet, not licking people's faces will be part of the training.

[landsurfer]

Want an Alsatian or Labrador .... don't have a JCB 3CX with back hoe to clean up after them ....
Get a Westie .... they think they are big dogs but don't produce big dog waste ...

[Cyril Haearn]

Before you allow yourself to be licked by a dog, spare a thought for the last thing it was licking.

If and when we do get the whippet, not licking people's faces will be part of the training.

Dogs are smart, just like kids, bet she soon learns to do it when no-one is looking
Remember, you should brush her teeth too

[jimlews]

Dogs HATE shampoo, but they love real poo.
In fact they are connoisseurs of the stuff.
You will often see them with a far-away look of discernment as they take in the bouquet of a particularly fragrant example - and then eat it.

[Cyril Haearn]

Or they roll in it so one has to bathe them back home, or put them in the outside kennel for the duration
I understand some people allow their dogs and cats to share their beds

[jimlews]

Eskimos, for instance. They have an expression for an especially cold night - "A two dog night".

[smcknighty]

I suppose spending time with an elephant or a giraffe could prove therapeutic,and promote good health,but nwould yoiu want one curled up at yiour feet while watching TV? I would find the acts of breaking wind and licking genitals quite unappealling.

Dogs are very non judgemental about this stuff


I'm a trendy consumer. Just look at my wobbly bog brush using hovercraft full of eels

[pwa]

I suppose spending time with an elephant or a giraffe could prove therapeutic,and promote good health,but nwould yoiu want one curled up at yiour feet while watching TV? I would find the acts of breaking wind and licking genitals quite unappealling.

Dogs are very non judgemental about this stuff

[Cyril Haearn]

There is a boarding kennel near me, when one cycles by one hears a Pet Symphony, a bit further is the Pet Semetery

At the kennels dogs may dwell in a cage outside, or in a wood or brick building (heating costs extra)
Dogs do not like being left, even outwith the food store, but do they understand that their keepers shall return after shopping or after the holiday?

[Tangled Metal]

You can get done for hitting a dog with your car and not reporting it. Not so with a cat aiui but have you ever tried to hit one? One left me behind doing 35mph and accelerating once. A big ginger trapped under the retaining walls of a bridge. It left me behind and in one fluid movement ran away and jumped on n excess of 7foot up the side then stopped to watch me pass. They know how to take the mick!

My brother went on an advanced motorcycling course which covered what to when animals run out in front of you, the advice was as follows:

Sheep - aim for the rear, they always run forwards
Dogs - terminally stupid, will probably not move, aim to cut them in half

My brother than asked about cats and the reply was a sharp intake of breath followed by - "you've got to be really good to get a cat"

Don't I know it! I was doing 30mph when it saw me with nowhere to go but run away from me along the road. I was doing 35mph and it was easily keeping ahead. Then it simply swerved to the right and jumped up a 7ft retaining wall without me closing in on it. They're fast and your only chance is to get lucky!

Seriously though, I would never have hit it, always kept my distance but I was a bit cruel getting it to run like that. Still they are cruel animals so I feel no guilt.

Btw there's an infamous cat near where I used to live. It's been run over by so many locals but if you stop to find it there's no sign of anything being hit. No blood, fur or anything. Apparently it's known as a ghost cat. I know very honest and logical thinkers who have been convinced they've hit a cat there. We're talking complete sceptics on things like that.

Our dog does a nice line in cat taunting. It rocks backwards and forwards in the cat's face with a paw up. The cat swipes and always misses but it never hurts the cat. It had a large ginger tom climbing backwards up a brick wall before I could pull her away. Considering she's a border terrier I doubt she is much heavier than that cat. It's amazing to see her do it but we're right on that behaviour trying to stop it. She's always pulled away sharply. Rabbits and squirrels (grey) are free game though. Rats too.

Dogs constantly surprise me with their behaviour. Certainly ours. Until you've lived with one you'll not understand how they learn your way of life and fit in with it. It's actually amazing how quickly they pick up on changes to that life pattern and how quickly they react or change to it. Even get upset by it. Dogs above any other animal have developed to live with humans. There's a symbiosis there.

[Oldjohnw]

I gave up having cats after having four killed by traffic. Of course I will never know how many near misses they had previously. Presumably eight of their lives.

[Tangled Metal]

Sorry to hear about your losses, makes the comments I made (and others) a bit insensitive. However, I do take the view that cats are more semi wild animals who choose to take advantage of humans who give them free food and shelter. They can give their "owner" (owned) pleasure but on their terms.

Dogs are more demanding and giving imho. They fit with humans rather than let humans fit in with them.