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kitykat44

Religion, Politics and dogs...

kitykat
17 years ago

On this cold winter day, I just finished reading and laughing over the thread on 'dog poop'. Having been there, and sharing the frustrations expressed by others, I've come to realize this is another topic, like religion and politics, where some people 'just don't get it' and cannot, under ANY circumstances, be reasoned with.

My story: I had a relative(MIL) whose stated attitude was "love me, love my dog!" Where she traveled, so did the animal. My dog did his business in a corner of the utility area in the yard. Hers went anywhere... including the wall of my sewing room! She cleaned up afterward, but dismissed the act, saying he was only marking his territory. His??? I drew the line when she got a second dog (to keep the first company), then wanted to bring both for her weekly visits. When told no, she ended all contact for a year. Darn!?! I soon moved far away, and later still she became a 'former' relative.. not a loss.

Nevertheless, animal owners are so often blind to the behavior of their 'babies' and how they affect others. Any other stories/gripes out there to share until garden time starts???

Comments (3)

  • roadtrip
    17 years ago

    I've lost contect with people over the years and didn't even have as much reason then you did in parting ways so to speak. We just drifted apart like two ships at sea.

    Life changes and so do people. Distance also makes matters complicated as it's easier to "drift" when you don't face the person daily.

    I tend to like plants better anyhow. If you forget to water them, you don't have to go through the ritual of self punishment and guilt over your transgressions, you simply water and hope for the best.

    I love my dog, but wouldn't allow him to try and make anothers property his in any manner.

    Thanks for sharing!

  • mizmom
    17 years ago

    I also just finished reading the thread about dogs. I wasn't sure whether to laugh or cry.

    I have always considered myself a responsible dog owner and having had small children who played in our yard, I understand the frustration of living in a subdivision with NOT so responsible pet owners. Once I was walking my elderly male dog on a street I had not previously walked and was verbally attacked by a man who was standing in a yard THREE houses down for not picking up after my dog. (he had squatted to pee in the grassy median between the sidewalk and street because he can't lift his leg anymore due to arthritis) I held up my very full cleanup bag and told him that I did indeed pick up after my dog, so he went on to rant about female dogs who burn the grass. As a gardener who is often complemented on the appearance of my yard and plantings, I also understand the effect of repeated application of urine IN ONE spot. My dog very rarely even gets out of our yard and somehow my gardening has not suffered. I went on to tell him that my dog was not female and the fertilizers that he put on his yard probably had more uric acid than the one shot my dog made to the grass in that spot. Of course he was still ranting when I walked away. I don't walk my dog down that street anymore.

    I often wonder how he manages to controll the wildlife that is frequent in our yards because the subdivision backs up to a state park. We have deer, turkeys, geese, ducks, squirrels, fox, rabbits, coyote and of course birds. The deer in my yard leave bigger piles than my 35lb dog does. If they eat the plants that I plant, I don't plant that anymore or I apply a deer deterrant. I also wonder if he thinks about the pesticide and fungicide applications he makes to his yard that wash into the pond behind his property and are killing the fish. People like that are oblivious to anyone or anything other than themselves. They want to live in a suburban or rural setting but don't want to deal with nature OR neighbors.

    There is a saying that fences make good neighbors. Some people need to baricade themselves behind a wall with a moat. Perhaps an apartment or a condo would be the best place for them to live. Then of course they would have to deal with other people who play music, walk around in shoes or children who laugh loudly in the next apartment. Some people are just never happy unless they have something or someone to complain about.

  • pondwelr
    17 years ago

    mizmom, it is obvious that you are having problems with neighbors. And also, it does it appear that you are one of the responsible pet owners.
    I have a feisty Bichon dog and a sneaky tomcat. Neither are ever out of my sight for more than a few seconds. I learned some time ago that you cant ever 'win' an argument with neighbors about your pets. Just give it up. Most of us pet owners learn to live with strange neighbors. Some of mine are just neat freaks, one is super mom, another a cat lover. They all dislike my dog. Oh well. I still like them. I just stay out on the front porch or in the yard until dog/cat is done exploring, then insist they come indoors. All the neighbors have given up on accusing my pets of wrongdoing, because they know that I am out there and watching them.

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