• TalkBass has been independent since 1998. Add your voice.
    Create a free account to reply to discussions, view embedded media, and browse with fewer display ads.
    Join free Log in
    Want zero display ads or expanded classifieds tools? Compare plans.

Show Your Spoiled Dog Pictures.

#3,921
Hypercaffium said:
I undestand it touched your heart and it touched mine too, but I'm gonna say something unpopular right now.
These poor dogs don't have a choice. They're basically raised to be sacrificed. They're not heroes, they're slaves.
It always makes me sick to read articles like that.
Click to expand...

Well said.
I see your point, & my thoughts on those pictures have shifted, somewhat.

72C6DF33-2827-4C09-8C8E-D3C8C02DFD07.jpeg
 
  • Like
Reactions: John M Ewers, Beersurgeon, BasturdBlaster and 6 others
#3,922
58kites said:
While I feel very bad about a dog getting injured in the line of duty, there are a bunch of dog breeds who are most happy if they have a job.
Belgian Malinois is definitely one of them, ...a Border Collie, Australian Cattle dog, Great Pyrenees, and a good number of other working breeds.
Some working dog breeds become pretty neurotic if they can't do something daily that approximates what they were bred for.
In some cases, real working breeds have been changed into just a good family dog like the (Americanized) Doberman Pincher in the last decade or two, but those still need a a lot more than a couch potato dog does.
Click to expand...
"Line of duty" is our creation, dogs shouldn't be part of that. They don't have any duty, especially towards us.
You named the word "job". What job? What those dogs get for doing their "job"? Food? Cuddles? There's plenty of well paid personnel among Police and Military. Let them do the dirty work if they want. They have a choice, a dog doesn't.
About the "working dog" theory, it's exactly the same. We created that, exploiting dogs (and other animals) for our own profit, for centuries. In nature, a "working dog" never existed and never will. Do you really think it's ok to decide which "work" a dog must do? Again, what's the reward? The reward goes to US, not them. That's not a job, that's exploitation.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Ggeorges, the harp unstrung and SteveC
#3,924
SteveC said:
People can be a-holes when it comes to animals. But thankfully there are many who try to save animals as well.
Click to expand...
I'm one that rescues dogs (PitBulls) from bad situations.

Hypercaffium said:
"Line of duty" is our creation, dogs shouldn't be part of that. They don't have any duty, especially towards us.
You named the word "job". What job? What those dogs get for doing their "job"? Food? Cuddles? There's plenty of well paid personnel among Police and Military. Let them do the dirty work if they want. They have a choice, a dog doesn't.
About the "working dog" theory, it's exactly the same. We created that, exploiting dogs (and other animals) for our own profit, for centuries. In nature, a "working dog" never existed and never will. Do you really think it's ok to decide which "work" a dog must do? Again, what's the reward? The reward goes to US, not them. That's not a job, that's exploitation.
Click to expand...
We should not be using dogs to do dangerous military/police duties, I think that's wrong ... I don't agree with many military/police tactics.
Agree, "line of duty" is a human creation that we thought up for ourselves and our companion animals, and in the case of most animals it was not their choice to be our companions.
On the other hand, the domestic dog was created by wild canines that decided it was to their benefit to become partners with humans so they could get easy food and shelter. They made that decision, not us...and that was 40,000 years ago.
We have since created many tasks that we want them to do with us and/or for us in this ongoing relationship, because humans exploit the whole earth.
We set the terms of our partnership, we decided we would take care of them if they help us with things that we do for survival, and they do most of those tasks willingly.
Dogs naturally alert for danger, it is the first thing that we benefitted from.
Dogs hunt in a group, and they help us do that, the second thing that we benefitted from.
In recent times (last couple thousand years) we have thought up lots and lots of additional tasks.
Dogs love doing nose-work, it's a job they enjoy.
Bird dogs love to retrieve prey.
Great Pyrenees love their goat companions and protect them very willingly, they don't like to sleep indoors with the humans, they want to be with their goat brothers and sisters.
Herding breeds love what they do.
Terriers love to hunt and kill vermin, they need little to no encouragement.
Many domestic dogs are very naturally protective of their family/pack...the same way wild canines are, so guard dogs are doing what they naturally do.
 
  • Like
Reactions: MonetBass, Ggeorges, Honkey tonk and 5 others
#3,926
Hypercaffium said:
"Line of duty" is our creation, dogs shouldn't be part of that. They don't have any duty, especially towards us.
You named the word "job". What job? What those dogs get for doing their "job"? Food? Cuddles? There's plenty of well paid personnel among Police and Military. Let them do the dirty work if they want. They have a choice, a dog doesn't.
About the "working dog" theory, it's exactly the same. We created that, exploiting dogs (and other animals) for our own profit, for centuries. In nature, a "working dog" never existed and never will. Do you really think it's ok to decide which "work" a dog must do? Again, what's the reward? The reward goes to US, not them. That's not a job, that's exploitation.
Click to expand...
Hi, OP here. Early last summer, our city hired goat herders for wildfire prevention right adjacent to my house. Yes, there was also a so called "working dog" to keep the herd in order and to protect them at night. I watched with amazement the dog at work and it was like a game to him as he was wagging his tail the whole time when directing the goats. I asked the shepherd if I could pet his dog named "Chipper" as seen in photo. Turns out, Chipper was a rescue dog, supper friendly and loved by the shepherd. There is no way this dog was being exploited as he seemed to be a very happy just to be there and enjoyed herding the goats. Just sayin.
Goat Dog.jpg


Goats being unloaded next to my house.
Goats unloading.jpg
 

Attachments

  • goat trail.jpg
    goat trail.jpg
    436.3 KB · Views: 10
Last edited:
  • Like
Reactions: Beersurgeon, MonetBass, BasturdBlaster and 9 others
#3,930
Stewie26 said:
Hi, OP here. Early last summer, our city hired goat herders for wildfire prevention right adjacent to my house. Yes, there was also a so called "working dog" to keep the herd in order and to protect them at night. I watched with amazement the dog at work and it was like a game to him as he was wagging his tail the whole time when directing the goats. I asked the shepherd if I could pet his dog named "Chipper" as seen in photo. Turns out, Chipper was a rescue dog, supper friendly and loved by the shepherd. There is no way this dog was being exploited as he seemed to be a very happy just to be there and enjoyed herding the goats. Just sayin.
View attachment 4492686

Goats being unloaded next to my house.
View attachment 4492689
Click to expand...
You will always find exceptions, not every "job" is risky. I'm happy for the dog, at least he's free to do what he likes. That said, my opinion doesn't change.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Stewie26 and the harp unstrung
#3,932
Stewie26 said:
Hi, OP here. Early last summer, our city hired goat herders for wildfire prevention right adjacent to my house. Yes, there was also a so called "working dog" to keep the herd in order and to protect them at night. I watched with amazement the dog at work and it was like a game to him as he was wagging his tail the whole time when directing the goats. I asked the shepherd if I could pet his dog named "Chipper" as seen in photo. Turns out, Chipper was a rescue dog, super friendly and loved by the shepherd. There is no way this dog was being exploited as he seemed to be a very happy just to be there and enjoyed herding the goats.
Click to expand...
I know a mated pair of Anatolian Shepherd dogs who guard a group of around 60 goats, they sleep outdoors with the goats and only come in the owners house for about ten minutes before they ask to be let back out with their herd. They won't let me enter the property unless the owner comes to the gate and lets me in.

My son has a close buddy whose parents had a Great Pyrenees who was the most friendly 100 pounds of dog ever, she hugged you with her front paw when you came to her house for a visit. She guarded her 20-30 goats day and night and would not sleep indoors with her two Labrador Retriever buddies either.
All three of these shepherding dogs were/are happy doing what they were bred to do.

I've been involved with trying to "fix" several dogs who were living like spoiled human children with nothing to do, and these were not happy dogs.
 
  • Like
Reactions: FilterFunk, WI Short Scaler, Ggeorges and 6 others

Latest posts

Top Bottom
Back