Dogs are people too!

Let me preface this post by saying I like dogs. At least I like likable dogs. 

Matt Walsh recently did a controversial post about a dog-mauling:

http://themattwalshblog.com/2014/03/17/pit-bulls-can-maul-children-to-death-but-hey-why-should-that-stop-you-from-owning-one/

There were two aspects to his post. One was his criticism of sociopathic dog-lovers whose empathy is reserved for a vicious dog at the expense of the child who was mauled. Their mercy begins and ends with the vicious dog. They are merciless when it comes to the young defenseless victim.

That part of his post wasn't controversial. Not, at least, for people who like to read Matt Walsh. 

But he also criticized pit bulls because that breed is reputedly responsible for most of the fatal maulings in the US. And that garnered the ire of pit-bull owners. 

I'll use this controversy to segue into a few observations about our dog culture.

i) Our culture is becoming more antinatalist. As a result, dogs are replacing children in the affections of many singles and (willfully) childless couples.

I understand elderly widows who have a dog for emotional companionship. It's pitiful, but it's understandable. 

ii) When I was growing up, the dog was usually the family dog. Parents bought a dog for their kids. 

But, nowadays, the dog is the family. The dog is a surrogate family. That represents a significant demographic and cultural shift.

iii) Because we have an increasing number of dog-owners who think it's wrong to distinguish between dogs and humans, I'm noticing some bad habits, even dangerous habits.

For instance, we have dog owners who turn a school campus into an off-leash dog park. Same thing with trails. Some dog owners keep their dogs on a lease, while other dog owners let their dogs roam at large.

That's a combination with predictable results. Even if the dog is friendly around strangers, there are always some dogs that dislike other dogs. It's a recipe for dog fights. If every dog is on a lease, then you can prevent a dog fight by pulling the dogs apart. If both are off-leash, or only one is leashed, then it's much harder to separate them. 

iv) I also notice women and sometimes kids with large, potentially dangerous dogs. In the case of women, that's deliberate. They get a big dog because they feel safer with a big dog. It's a message to potential muggers or rapists: keep your distance! Don't even try.

That's understandable. Problem is, some of these dogs are clearly more powerful than the owner. Even if the dog is leashed, if it lunges at an innocent pedestrian or jogger or biker, the female owner (or child) won't be able to restrain it. It's too strong. The owner won't be able to pull it back. Indeed, in many cases, it will break free. The owner won't be able to hold onto the lease. The dog will take the leash with it. 

v) There's a certain paradox about big dogs and small dogs. Small dogs tend to be insecure because they are vulnerable, and they sense their vulnerability. In that respect, many large dogs are less prone to bite than small dogs. Large dogs don't feel threatened. But when they do attack, they do more damage.

vi) Recently I saw a nasty little dog that viewed everyone as the enemy. It was chaffing to pick a fight with every pedestrian, every jogger, ever biker, every other dog on the trail. I saw it lunge at a Doberman, and I saw it lunge at a German Shepherd. All within a few minutes. That's just what I happened to observe. Imagine the rest of the time.

In a sense I'm glad. It's only a matter of time before it lunges at the wrong dog within reach of the other dog's jaws. That will be the end of this nasty little dog.

But I was struck by the indifference of the owner. Apparently, he thinks his dog is a person, so it would be wrong to train or restrain his pet, even for its own good.

vii) I also see a lot of grown men with little dogs. Forgive me for saying, but I find that a bit unmanly. I understand grown men with a German Shepherd or something along those lines. But a toy dog? Really? 

viii) There's also a problem when people with big dogs live in condos or apartments. Big dogs need space to exercise. And that's why you have dog-owners using a school campus as an off-leash dog park. 

That may be one reason I'm seeing some grown men with toy dogs. 

I also notice dog breeds that are clearly unsuitable for the climate. People in the sunbelt with a Husky. That sort of thing. It's cruel to the dog. 

ix) Walsh's critics defended pit bulls by saying, "Well, I own a pit bull (or two or three), and it's a very affectionate pet!"

That's such a manifestly stupid argument. As a rule, of course a dog is affectionate in relation its owner, or other family members. That says nothing about how the dog reacts to strangers. Indeed, the very fact that a dog is loyal to its owner means it may treat a stranger as a threat to its owner. 

x) Police have a schizophrenic policy about dogs. On the one hand, if a vicious dog is on the loose, you're not supposed to shoot it. Rather, you're supposed to call animal control. And they aren't supposed to shoot it either. Rather, the dog-catcher is supposed to capture the dog live. In so doing, the  dog-catcher is assuming a personal risk of being bitten or mauled by the dog. 

That, itself, reflects a cultural change. There's a famous scene in To Kill a Mockingbird where Atticus shoots a rabid dog. That's what you did back then. No questions asked. You didn't catch it and test it. 

On the other hand, we have increasing reports of police who shoot dogs with impunity. Shoot dogs on their own property. Say, a policeman is chasing a suspect who's running through backyards. The policeman trespasses on private property, then shoots the dog.

Another variant is drug raids gone bad. The police get a tip. It may be wrong. Or they get the address mixed up. After busting down the door, they shoot the dog. Sometimes they shoot the innocent owner. 

xi) There's another irony. Traditionally, when pioneers would settle the wilderness, they'd eliminate the major predators in the area (e.g. wolves, bears, cougars). That's because major predators posed a threat, both to livestock, and to humans. 

However, we've replaced the major predators with millions of dogs. According to current estimates, one dog for every two humans. Many of these are harmless. However, certain dog breeds can be far more dangerous than wild predators. Predators learn to fear man. They keep their distance. They flee at the sight of man.

By contrast, dogs are fearless. They spend all their time in human company. We're created an environment that's probably more dangerous than when wolves, bears, and cougars were on the prowl. 

xii) I notice some people bringing their dogs to outdoor sporting events. A football, baseball, or soccer game at school. The dog barks at players. It barks at newly arriving spectators. It may even wander onto the field, unless the field is fenced off. This is distracting.

Is this a new trend? Our dog is family, so we take him wherever we go. 

xiii) I notice people who take their dogs along when they go shopping. They leave the dog in the car. Not surprisingly, most dogs don't enjoy being left alone in the car. Why do so many dog owners do that? It's no fun for the dog to sit in a stuffy car. Why not leave it at home? 

xiv) Historically, authorities would evacuate people before a natural disaster, or rescue them after a natural disaster. But nowadays you have dog owners who refuse to leave their pet behind. It's family. But that creates many problems. What if you run out of room for…you know, humans? Likewise, how do you control dogs in evacuation centers? 

xv) Our dog culture is going to become more of a problem, because the dog lobby is very powerful. What politician is going to risk his career over Fido?