The animal of choice comes and lives with you in your house, it then has to be taught some manners on how to behave and integrate with all the other humans that stay in the house as well.
Generally this is not a problem your make a space for said animal in your home often buying it beds and toys which are manufactured more to please the human, but a pet animal is an emotional bond as strong as one we make with a child if not stronger in some cases, so using our emotional tie, the human of said pet animal will buy allsorts despite how unnecessary and ensure its every comfort. Of course I am talking mostly about cats and dogs.
Cats mostly do their own thing, they treat humans as their servants, and as long as you feed them well, ensure warmth and comfort, a way to get out of the house to explore the outside world, cuddle them (on their terms of course) they generally are quite content and if you are a cat lover this relationship works very well.
Dogs on the other hand are a different story all together, they need training in all sorts of things, the most obvious is not to do their toilet business in the house. Then there is eating and manners, not to eat any other food other than their own,or anything offered,and not to snatch it ripping ones hand off in the process, also not to chew the household in general and everything in it including the children and so on.....
I go out walking most days, their are a lot of footpaths around the area where I live that lead into woods or down by a river or lead in to open fields and hills. These footpaths are used by a variety of people, some going to and from work, others like myself just getting out to stay active and a bit of fresh air, cyclists, joggers mums with their babes in pushchairs and of course people with their dogs.
Majority of dog owner are responsible, they will have poop bags in every coat pocket that they own, so when their pet does its business, they will not leave it to rot on the pathway, or for some unfortunate person not to see it if its dark and step on it, or worse still a child to fall on it. Dog poop has serious health risks to humans, it is not their fault there are no public toilets for dogs, anyone that has a dog and just walks away shows irresponsibility and huge lack of respect for their fellow human beings.
A responsible dog owner will also keep their dog on a lead along the public footpath, letting it off only when they have reached their destination for said dog to run, and whilst there keep a constant watchful eye on their dog so it does not bother anyone, and if they happen across another dog they will be able to fully control their dog in what ever manner to ensure it does not display any anti social behaviour.
A responsible dog owner does not assume that every other person likes dogs as much as them and that it is ok for their dog to jump all over another person, especially a stranger with their dirty paws and slobbery breath or what ever.
A responsible dog owner will understand that to a non dog owning human this can be terrifying, dogs no matter how domesticated still have teeth and claws and depending on their social behaviour can be aggressive, which again is just terrifying to another person who is a stranger to their dog.
To treat this with a wry smile and comment of 'oh he means no harm' is not good enough and again shows lack of respect to your fellow human beings.
As you can probably guess I am not a dog owner, that does not mean I hate dogs because I don't, many of my friends have dogs, but they understand how I feel and will ensure my comfort and safety in their environment until I get use to their non human member of the family.
It is just a pity that some dog owners do not feel the need to do the same in public.
You going to love our dawgs! K-K-Katy, Haley and Bella!!
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