What makes a bad owner?

People who don't take their dog to the vet when there is obviously something wrong are bad owners. People who chain or kennel their dog in the backyard and ignore it other than feeding/water are bad owners. People who let their dog bother other people/dogs are bad owners.

I crate my dogs, but definitely not all day... and once they are reliable they are never crated...
 
I don't have a yard and I am a model dog owner... who feeds raw and runs my dogs free in different places twice a day and walks for miles... it's how much you put into it that counts! I also have very little money but I give up things like cable TV and dinners out and nights out with friends and new clothes so I can feed raw and take my dogs to classes for fun and go to the odd dog show and give my dogs the best care. I work minimally and have less money so the dogs get more time... they are my priority.

ORIGINAL: paulaedwina

I think a good dog owner agrees with me and does everything I do, and a bad dog owner doesn't agree with me and does things I don't approve of.

Paula

 
You read my mind![]

LOL Ed!  I was about to re-post this.  My concern is that this thread will make people question their own abilities and not in a constructive way.  We are all different and its really okay.

Paula

ORIGINAL: glenmar
And hey, I guess this REALLY makes me a bad owner, but sometimes I walk ONE dog at a time....
And nope, none of us has to have a dog, but gosh, imagine the jump in shelter dogs if everyone had that attitude.

GLENDA--I am SHOCKED and HORRIFIED by what a bad dog owner you are--for shame....I'm sure that all of your dogs would far rather be in a high stress enviroment such as an animal shelter, being taken out of the kennel very few times a day, surrounded by barking and yelping and smells of fear rather than be owned by a owner who has the nerve to only walk one of them at a time and crate them.[8|]

Fortunately, the only beings whose opinions I care about in the dog ownership department are my two dogs, and they are both happy and healthy--just ask my vets and trainer.  Actually, Sally is sleeping in the open crate as I type.  I informed her of how horrifically neglected she is and her response was to twitch her ears and go back to sleep.....

A bad dog owner is someone who is so close minded that they think that there is only 1 way to raise, train and feed a dog.
 
I am biting my tongue to not respond to some of the posts in this thread

ORIGINAL: Jewlieee

A bad dog owner is someone who is so close minded that they think that there is only 1 way to raise, train and feed a dog.

I am biting my tongue to not respond to some of the posts in this thread

 
I guess it's all about agreeing to disagree.  I know I don't fit the mold of what may be the perfect pet owner.  If I have to make a choice between premium food or groceries for my kids, there is no contest.  Some people may have more resources to do the ideal things that I can only wish I could provide for my pet.  I don't think that makes me or you or anyone else a bad pet owner. 
 
It seems to me this was just a curious thread about what peeves people about pet owners, but it can get a little touchy when others are feeling attacked by some of the responses.

ORIGINAL: Jewlieee

A bad dog owner is someone who is so close minded that they think that there is only 1 way to raise, train and feed a dog.

I am biting my tongue to not respond to some of the posts in this thread

Amen, hear hear and hallelujah.

Paula

I agree with Paula too, Ed....that's it in a nutshell.

A bad dog owner is someone who is so close minded that they think that there is only 1 way to raise, train and feed a dog.

I am biting my tongue to not respond to some of the posts in this thread

 
I agree!Sometimes it can actually harm the dogs.Example: friend thinks that a dog  eating out of a kong or being crated for short periods is cruel!???His dog is extremely bored and  to put it bluntly crazy!!!

ORIGINAL: whippetsownme

I crate my dogs, but definitely not all day... and once they are reliable they are never crated...

I don't have a yard and I am a model dog owner... who feeds raw and runs my dogs free in different places twice a day and walks for miles... it's how much you put into it that counts! I also have very little money but I give up things like cable TV and dinners out and nights out with friends and new clothes so I can feed raw and take my dogs to classes for fun and go to the odd dog show and give my dogs the best care. I work minimally and have less money so the dogs get more time... they are my priority.

 
Gosh, they are so many things that I could say in reply to this. But all I will say is that there is not such thing as a 'model' dog owner, just as there is no such thing as a model parent. Different strokes for different folks as the saying goes. These sorts of things can't be quantified. You do the best you can for your dogs that's what makes a good owner. If your dog is healthy and happy then you know you are doing a good job. Would your dogs love you any less if you took a night off and went out to dinner or bought yourself a new outfit instead of something for them? Of course not. Depriving yourself of things does not make you a good owner. Relax buy yourself something nice, your dogs might thank you for it.[]

My point is, I have a standard for MYSELF about how dogs should live, and if I am going to have dogs, that is how they are going to live, even if I have to sacrifice some "petty" things like nice outfits and nights out drinking.
 
My original post states CLEARLY that I don't think people who don't do what I do are BAD owners. Just not ideal in MY opinion.
 
My list of "bad owner" things nearly everyone in this thread agrees with (overweight dogs, no grooming, no vet care, living outside, etc)

I haven't read this thread, so I'll just post off the top of my head:

BAD owners (people who do not deserve to have dogs and often deserved to be punished by the law):
- lack of shelter
- not giving food and water once a day
- purposely encouraging or rewarding a dog's aggressive tendancies (different than training the dog for actual police or protection work)
- physically abusing the dog
- neglecting the dog when it is obviously ill, injured, or malnourished
- knowing that a dog needs certain vaccinations and preventatives, but gets a dog anyway and then refuses to do these things
- breeding unproven dogs for profit (unproven to me = no conformation title, no working/sport titles relative to the breed, no OFA, CERF, etc and no official pedigree)
- using dogs for fighting or baiting


UNEDUCATED owners (typically mean well, but are severely misinformed or blinded by their own strange assumptions):
- blame the dog's breed or temperament for problems created by their improper care of the dog
- breed dogs because their friends want puppies or they want their kids to witness birth
- don't know about important vaccinations and heartworm preventative
- assume that a dog can train itself and will learn by imitation (not true, dogs to NOT learn by imitating people or dogs, only through classical and operant conditioning = active training)


A person who has an aggressive dog and laughs and eggs it on while it snarls and lunges at people passing by is a BAD owner.  A person who has an aggressive dog and thus keeps it confined to their yard but doesn't really address the problem is not necessarily a BAD owner, just someone who is uneducated about how to deal and may be resistant to consulting with a behaviorist.

I would never say someone who doesn't feed certain foods, someone who doesn't walk their dog exaclt X-miles a day, or someone who keeps their dog outside is always a BAD owner.  My parents certainly could not afford to feed us the best meals and couldn't afford for us to be driven around to fun playgrounds and sports camps (think dog parks, agility classes) and guess what?  I turned out just fine and don't resent them for it.  To me, bad means someone who intentionally does things that they probably know are wrong, things that are often punishable by law.  That's different than someone who is uneducated, misinformed, has a dog that doesn't thrive in a companion/housepet environment, etc.

For me a good owner is simply one who does the best that they possibly can to keep the dog safe and happy. Safety of course encompasses training appropriate to their lifestyle and needs, as well as security while the owner is not home, and veterinary care. Happy is different for every dog, but a good owner takes the time to evaluate their dog's needs and try their best to meet them. For me with two freakishly lazy hounds, keeping them happy is fairly easy--two walks a day, weekend trip to the dog park, a romp in the back yard. For someone with a 2 year old lab, keeping that dog happy is likely going to be more of a challenge and may involve getting creative.

Which leads me to the #1 skill I think all dog owners, of all kinds, of all temperaments, of all income levels and lifestyles need in order to do their best to keep their dogs safe and happy: creative problem-solving. A dog owner who is open to creative problem-solving is one who has a high probability of keeping their dog safe and happy. A dog owner who is unwiling to engage in creative problem-solving when it comes to their dog is likely going to be unsuccessful at keeping the dog safe and happy.

ORIGINAL: Jewlieee

A bad dog owner is someone who is so close minded that they think that there is only 1 way to raise, train and feed a dog.

I am biting my tongue to not respond to some of the posts in this thread

 
I'm with you on that one. [sm=wink2.gif]