PETS AS CHILDREN
ALLISON’S response to Mr. Man’s blog of Aug 29 has inspired my offering today. ALLISON said that the trend in the US is to treat dogs (in particular) as children. This is also done here in the GREAT FAR NORTH - Canada.
As I mentioned before, I work in a doctor’s office. Yesterday a patient came in to pick up something and brought along his Golden Retriever. The dog was beautiful but rather large. One of the doctors did not appreciate the dog in the office and told the patient that it was not allowed as there may be patients with allergies to pets in the office. The patient was okay with it and took his dog out to the car.
The sister of one of my very good friends is rather amusing in her relationship with her British Bulldog. The dog’s name is Moby and was quite a cute dog originally. But she cuddles and babies the dog so very much that one cannot see the dog as anything but ridiculous! The dog goes EVERYWHERE with her but work, during those hours he is at the dog-sitter. (My dog-sitter is apparently Popsy’s grass - which Buddy loves to dig up 
)
She takes the dog out for walks and along with the poop baggie she takes toilet paper TO WIPE THE DOGS BUM!!!!!!
. She does not seem to believe that the dog will drink or eat unless coaxed to do so. She carries this full grown British Bulldog up the stairs at night because, you know, the stairs might be hard for the dog to handle. She dressed the dog up for HALLOWEEN and BUYS special costumes for Moby!! I am not aware of any visits by Moby to the family physician. …YET 
. Yes, she does take it to the extreme. She has to handle alot of teasing from her friends and I am sure many stares and shaken heads from her neighbours.
As dog owners we have to be realistic. They do not belong in situations that could make other people or the dogs themselves uncomfortable. When a dog is uncomfortable or anxious sometimes it sees the only course of action as to bite. A doctor’s office has the potential to become an uncomfortable situation for the dog and the patients. Keeping the dog at home sometimes will NOT not hurt the dog.
Do you think that dogs should be allowed in all public places? When is it acceptable and not? Share your views or funny stories.
August 30th, 2003 at 8:18 pm Ciya, does this friend of yours have any children? If not perhaps she needs to exercise her maternal abilities. One thing I hate is when people have their mutts swimming amongst other people at the damn beach. I fully agree with you, we must love our animals and take care of them, but I dare say….wiping the dog’s ass!?
August 31st, 2003 at 8:36 am Hmmm. To be honest, I have actually been to the beach and had dogs swimming in the water with me and not been perturbed. At the same time, I wouldn’t like the dog to be in a pool with me. I guess I’ve thought of it like this… that the larger the body of water, and the more it moves around (eg. tides) is the more that whatever washes off of the dog is dissipated. But the sea one doesn’t really trouble me. Dogs shouldn’t be in bed with you, or in your chair. They shouldn’t be indoors either, unless they know better than to urinate whereever they feel like. A lady I know has about eight dogs and they are always urinating up the place. Me nuh like that, especially when you step in the dog pee. I don’t like it when people treat the dog like a person, as in kiss it and so on… I’m sure that some germ thing is going on there…
September 2nd, 2003 at 10:58 am Lawd, them an dem damn dog!!