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what if dogs are just...

pillars

pillars

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sweet furry abductees with stockholm syndrome?

I think about this all the time with my two dogs. We take them away from their moms as small children and raise them as our own. Do they actually love humans, or are we just the only family they know?

Sometimes, to be honest, I feel a little guilty that in the world we've made, dogs aren't able to run free and do doggy things all the time.

But I love my dogs.

Here's a picture of my "puppo" - Bowden - who is 3 years old and a total dork.


13920612_10154467755976096_2066034441205523586_n.jpg
 
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pillars said:
sweet furry abductees with stockholm syndrome?

I think about this all the time with my two dogs. We take them away from their moms as small children and raise them as our own. Do they actually love humans, or are we just the only family they know?

Sometimes, to be honest, I feel a little guilty that in the world we've made, dogs aren't able to run free and do doggy things all the time.

But I love my dogs.

Here's a picture of my "puppo" - Bowden - who is 3 years old and a total dork.
Click to expand...

Bowden is a darling dog. And I'm sure he loves you. Here's a picture of ours, sporting the "cone of shame". He loves us too!

Nerd Dog.jpg
 
pillars said:
sweet furry abductees with stockholm syndrome?

I think about this all the time with my two dogs. Do they actually love humans, or do they just do what they need to do to survive?

Sometimes, to be honest, I feel a little guilty that in the world we've made, dogs aren't able to run free and do doggy things all the time.

But I love my dogs.

Here's a picture of my "puppo" - Bowden - who is 3 years old and a total dork.
Click to expand...

I completely understand what you mean. Yeah, they're a bit Stolckholm-ish. They've lost all ability to survive independently. Compare a stray dog to a feral cat, in terms of how likely they are to make it. It's not even close. I'm not gonna lie -- that's part of why I'm more of a cat person. They're a bit more true to their original form. I get more of a sense that they get to make a choice whether they'll like me or not, rather than feeling compelled to.

That said, do they truly love you? All signs point to yes. They've been bred that way for thousands of years, and they do truly desire our company.

And at the end of the day, here's the thing: if you disagree with how much we've separated dogs from their self-determination, I get it, but you weren't the one who did that. They were already here long before you were, and they need homes. Genuinely need them. There's nothing "wrong" about giving them one.

If you aren't comfortable with what that means for their agency, you can adopt from shelters and ensure all your animals are neutered. You aren't contributing to their continued breeding by doing that. You're simply giving the ones who are here the care they require to be as happy as possible.

That's what I do, and that's a genuinely good service to provide for these animals.

That's a happy dog, and you've nothing to feel guilty about for making him that happy.
 
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pillars said:
sweet furry abductees with stockholm syndrome?

I think about this all the time with my two dogs. Do they actually love humans, or do they just do what they need to do to survive?

Sometimes, to be honest, I feel a little guilty that in the world we've made, dogs aren't able to run free and do doggy things all the time.

But I love my dogs.

Here's a picture of my "puppo" - Bowden - who is 3 years old and a total dork.


View attachment 67224416
Click to expand...

My Maja loves some humans with a passion, particularly my grandchildren who she only sees about once a year. She just possibly loves me but is sparing in her displays of affection.

If set 'free' she would immediately seek the company of people who she likes more than other dogs. She likes everyone; we recently had the house painted and the painters instantly became her new best friends.
 
Gaius46 said:
If you put that thing around my neck I sure as hell wouldn't love you. :)
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Sure you would. It keeps you reopening your surgical wound after your balls are removed ;)
 
lurchadams said:
Sure you would. It keeps you reopening your surgical wound after your balls are removed.
Click to expand...

Then I'd be pissed cause you removed my balls ....

Though my dog still loved me after I had his balls removed. But then I always questioned that guy's intelligence. Sweet and good natured to be sure - and funny as hell - but not the sharpest knife in the draw.
 
Gaius46 said:
Then I'd be pissed cause you removed my balls ....

Though my dog still loved me after I had his balls removed. But then I always questioned that guy's intelligence. Sweet and good natured to be sure - and funny as hell - but not the sharpest knife in the draw.
Click to expand...

I cringed when we had our cats neutered. I hate the thought of it. At least how ever our vet does it, they still look pretty normal after he's done. Not the hatchet job you see sometimes.

ldbWK_s-200x150.gif
 
lurchadams said:
Sure you would. It keeps you reopening your surgical wound after your balls are removed ;)
Click to expand...

I don't think I've ever laughed this hard about neutering.
 
countryboy said:
I cringed when we had our cats neutered. I hate the thought of it. At least how ever our vet does it, they still look pretty normal after he's done. Not the hatchet job you see sometimes.

ldbWK_s-200x150.gif
Click to expand...

Yeah... I get why people don't like doing it, but this is another aspect of how we've bred them to be less capable. They will die of complications in middle age if we don't neuter them. Seriously. Pyometra and reproductive cancer are EXTREMELY common in unneutered domestics -- both very deadly.

It's screwed up that we've made animals whose gonads don't work right and need to be removed for their health (not to mention to control their horrible rates of homelessness and unjustified euthanasia) but... that's how it is.
 
SmokeAndMirrors said:
I completely understand what you mean. Yeah, they're a bit Stolckholm-ish. They've lost all ability to survive independently. Compare a stray dog to a feral cat, in terms of how likely they are to make it. It's not even close. I'm not gonna lie -- that's part of why I'm more of a cat person. They're a bit more true to their original form. I get more of a sense that they get to make a choice whether they'll like me or not, rather than feeling compelled to.

That said, do they truly love you? All signs point to yes. They've been bred that way for thousands of years, and they do truly desire our company.

And at the end of the day, here's the thing: if you disagree with how much we've separated dogs from their self-determination, I get it, but you weren't the one who did that. They were already here long before you were, and they need homes. Genuinely need them. There's nothing "wrong" about giving them one.

If you aren't comfortable with what that means for their agency, you can adopt from shelters and ensure all your animals are neutered. You aren't contributing to their continued breeding by doing that. You're simply giving the ones who are here the care they require to be as happy as possible.

That's what I do, and that's a genuinely good service to provide for these animals.

That's a happy dog, and you've nothing to feel guilty about for making him that happy.
Click to expand...

We have 2 dogs, 3 cats and a bunny that were all adoptees. And it does provide me with some mental relief to know that they are having the best possible lives they can have in the modern world.
 
Sweden said:
My Maja loves some humans with a passion, particularly my grandchildren who she only sees about once a year. She just possibly loves me but is sparing in her displays of affection.

If set 'free' she would immediately seek the company of people who she likes more than other dogs. She likes everyone; we recently had the house painted and the painters instantly became her new best friends.
Click to expand...

Both my dogs love their humans, and our kids, and even our kids' friends, but they don't particularly like strangers. I don't think they'd do well if set free, tbh. My dog would love it for about an hour and then he'd want to come home and have dinner and snooze on the couch.

Which goes to show you exactly how dogs have been domesticated by humans.
 
SmokeAndMirrors said:
Yeah... I get why people don't like doing it, but this is another aspect of how we've bred them to be less capable. They will die of complications in middle age if we don't neuter them. Seriously. Pyometra and reproductive cancer are EXTREMELY common in unneutered domestics -- both very deadly.

It's screwed up that we've made animals whose gonads don't work right and need to be removed for their health (not to mention to control their horrible rates of homelessness and unjustified euthanasia) but... that's how it is.
Click to expand...

Yeah, I know it's the right thing to do, but I think it's just the idea of it. The cats seem less bothered by it than me, lol. The last one we had done (little Hungry Howie), seemed utterly unaffected by the procedure.
 
I've had dogs all my life, and have several now.

But this is the first time I felt a bit depressed about it ...
 
Chomsky said:
I've had dogs all my life, and have several now.

But this is the first time I felt a bit depressed about it ...
Click to expand...

Don't feel too bad, currently I have 100 pounds of doggy wagging tail smiling face love all up in my grill because my husband made me a bowl of ice cream.

He's not suffering too badly.
 
The question is: "What if those with stockholm syndrome are really acting like dogs"?
 
^^

Yeah, this is a pretty heavy thread!
 
pillars said:
Both my dogs love their humans, and our kids, and even our kids' friends, but they don't particularly like strangers. I don't think they'd do well if set free, tbh. My dog would love it for about an hour and then he'd want to come home and have dinner and snooze on the couch.

Which goes to show you exactly how dogs have been domesticated by humans.
Click to expand...

It's mutual. Humans have been trained by dogs. Maja sees my wife and me as reasonably competent domestic staff, capable of performing simple tasks on demand.
 
Can I just say that having a dog nap on you is one of life's great joys?
 
Gaius46 said:
If you put that thing around my neck I sure as hell wouldn't love you. :)
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Sometimes, moms and dads have to do stuff the kid doesn't like for his own good. ;)
 
pillars said:
Don't feel too bad, currently I have 100 pounds of doggy wagging tail smiling face love all up in my grill because my husband made me a bowl of ice cream.

He's not suffering too badly.
Click to expand...

Ah, commercial affection! You don't fool me, doggie--you want some of that ice cream!

Three dogs in residence here and five cats. Lost one to a coyote a couple of months ago. Ironically, this fearless little man was doing what he thought was his new job--patrolling the perimeter of my acre. He was raised in a dark, cramped apartment, and what's been so great is seeing all these animals "blossom." I didn't know I had an enchanted boxwood forest until they moved in. :lol:
 
pillars said:
Can I just say that having a dog nap on you is one of life's great joys?
Click to expand...

Lol, I woke up a few hours ago and really needed to get up and do some stuff today but the dog was cuddled up next to me with his head resting on my shoulder. Rather than wake him up I just decided to go back to sleep.
 
nota bene said:
Ah, commercial affection! You don't fool me, doggie--you want some of that ice cream!

Three dogs in residence here and five cats. Lost one to a coyote a couple of months ago. Ironically, this fearless little man was doing what he thought was his new job--patrolling the perimeter of my acre. He was raised in a dark, cramped apartment, and what's been so great is seeing all these animals "blossom." I didn't know I had an enchanted boxwood forest until they moved in. :lol:
Click to expand...

Damn you for getting me all misty. Wait, those aren't tears, I just have allergies.

Really.

K I need a tissue.

I am so, so sorry about the loss of your pup. That's so sad. But I'm so glad he got to experience your enchanted forest.
 
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