It's a Dog's Life But Why Spoil it For Others?

Let me go through the ritual first: I am of an Irish farming family where dogs like horses were the most wonderful colleagues. Domesticated, they were better behaved than the children. In terms of usefulness they were essential. Wonderful creatures – they were intelligent, amusing and well behaved.

i totally agree in Calpe there is dogs doings everywhere it unsanitary and not on.Maybe its time for doggy asbo's where the owner are fined maybe then we would see a change.Then again maybe not the chav's in england are given asbo's and still no change in their behavior its just lazyness on the part of the owners and parents alike no wonder the world is going to the dogs

Well said Mike.  I don't always agree with your posts, but do think that you have the right to say what you think and agree that they often hit the nail on the head.  In todays RTN the town of Hernani plans to make all dog owners have their pets undertake a DNA test so that the failure to scoop poops can be traced and a hefty fine levied.  If an owner fails to have a dog DNA tested they also get a large fine.

I have to say that we origtinally thought it was the Spanish (their dogs) who were the main culprits, but we have come to suspect it's mainly the Brits with their lttle hairless rats that are really to blame.  We come from a fairly rural area and understand the critical place that animals, particularly dogs can play in rural life and can see that the elderly can benefit greatly from the companionship of a devoted animal, but in Spain they seem to exist as a fashion accessory and there is little more amusing than watching a great husky guy walking his wife's pooch little bigger than a squirrel on the end of a long lead.  We do have two  dogs next door to us, but have to say that they are quiet and well cared for by a meticulous owner, if only they were all the same.

One of our gripes is that we have a farm behind us and there a 3 dogs perpetually chained to their kennels in all weathers and they bark mainly because I think they have become demented at being confined, to a 2 metre circle of dirt covered with their own feces in all weathers, but that seems to be the offhand way that the Spanish treat animals.

Mike

  In todays RTN the town of Hernani plans to make all dog owners have their pets undertake a DNA test so that the failure to scoop poops can be traced and a hefty fine levied.  If an owner fails to have a dog DNA tested they also get a large fine.

Now, there's a lovely job.  You spend 3 years at Uni doing your BSc followed by a post-graduate degree in forensic science.  You then, after being brought up on the exciting bits of CSI etc (surrounded by all those georgeous women in lab coats), apply for a post in criminal scientology and forensics and get accepted.  Your job is then studying and being surrounded by bags and bags of dog poo.  Crap to the left, turds to the right.  oh how those nights of extra study now all seem worth it.  Seems a bit pointless having your missus spend all that money on bio washing powder to make your lab coats nice and white, doesn't it?

Mike

oh yes, I know where you are coming from with this. As a game keepers son, we had working Labradors as gun dogs and they were amazing animals I realise now, but I used to take them for granted as a child.  The ' rat on a rope'  excuses for dogs and their owners are something else?. I often think these people would be better off  owning a cat as they seem to be more closly related, and wouldn't be so annoying to other people. With regards to small dogs though, we also had a westie on the farm and that was a great little dog (rat catcher and pet) so it's not always about size (oo-er missis) but the people they are bred for I think?.

My whole reply just disappeared off tyhe screen and I don't think it posted, so I will try again:

Does size matter?  Well, with dogs i think the answer is yes.  We don't own pets as we travel quite a lot, but from what little experience I have I think the Jack Russel is the minimum size for a real dog.  They are working dogs, appear to be super friendly and don't bark (Iam told).  Anything smaller is a pooch.  They can be seen hanging out of womens hand bags around town and the markets, or if on a  lead wrapping themselves around everyones feet as they are seldom in posession of any discipline.  Clearly the owners don't think they need to be trained.  I also feel sorry for dogs dragged around the markets on leashes, usually trodden on by all and sundry and cowering in fright by their owners legs.

I genuinely feel sorry for animals in Spain.  Although I don't see human characteristics in them, animals are clearly sentient beings that feel fright, pain etc and to coop them up in tiny flats with no outside space is clearly cruel unless they are sufficently exercised.  I see horses around here in tiny corrals, no exercise, no vegitation, no shade and wonder quite why the owners keep them.  Anyway, that's another subject entirely.

Mike

PS, do these handbag minatures defecate in their owners purses I wonder?

........dirty money eh?

I don't think animal suffering is considered wrong by many in Spain, but hopefully changing? At least bull fighting is being seen as the evil it is and starting to be banned.

A small minority’s two-fingered thoughtlessness always backfires whilst inconveniencing others. Had some smokers and drivers acted more responsibly smoking in public might never have been outlawed and sleeping policemen never introduced.

Irresponsible dog owners are already responsible for overdue tightened regulations. These inconvenience also those who are a credit to the dog-owning fraternity.