Cats or Dogs?

[JP_]

What are best, cats or dogs?

I think dogs. Dogs look happy to see you, enjoy walks, and scare away intruders.
Cats just mope about the place, kill the local wildlife and crap and **** indoors.

 

[Vinty]

Dogs are best.

 

[Notch7]

I like dogs.

I like feeding the birds in the garden, I find it hard to accept the numbers of birds killed by cats

 

[ellal]

Working/guide dogs aside, I wouldn't be unhappy if both species were banned from being kept as pets...

And I wonder if anyone realises that a quarter of the environmental impact because of meat production is attributable to pet food?

 

[ellal]

I like dogs.

I like feeding the birds in the garden, I find it hard to accept the numbers of birds killed by cats

How about the number of people (predominantly children) killed by dogs?

 

[sodthisforfun]

Both.. Had dogs all the time until work made it impossible, and grew up with a dog-mad mum. Dogs are fab and would love another.

Have had cats the last 8 years. The first was a rescue, well, sort of. Pushed on us really and he turned out to be the best cat ever and completely changed my view on cats. He didn't chase wildlife. He did initially, but we trained him not to. The wildlife actually learned to trust him and saw him sniffing noses with 2 squirrels in our garden and the birds would happily eat with him just a foot away. Not all cats kill and because he was so territorial and beat the crud out of other cats, he helped the wildlife in a roundabout way by keeping all cats away from our garden & neighbours. When he died, other cats started coming in and then the dead bird bodies started appearing.

The kitten we have now is showing more interest and has had a couple of opportunities to kill. A poorly bird was in the garden for 2 days on the ground and the kitten just sniffed it. She's been close to squirrels and again, didn't grab. The poor hedgehogs in the garden have to suffer her rubbing her cheeks over them while they're trying to eat. It may change, we hope to teach her that it's not ok and in the meantime she has a bell on her collar.

 

[sodthisforfun]

Working/guide dogs aside, I wouldn't be unhappy if both species were banned from being kept as pets...

And I wonder if anyone realises that a quarter of the environmental impact because of meat production is attributable to pet food?

So it's ok for humans and not ok for pets to cause environmental impact?

How about the number of people (predominantly children) killed by dogs?

You cannot blame the dog because of idiot owners. Train the owners as well as the dog or ban people who don't have a clue from keeping dogs. Anyway, those deaths are pretty rare, despite the headlines.

Dogs help with guide and police, sure, but they can help with so much more. Depression, used in hospitals to cheer up kids, they can give people, lonely people, elderly a sense of purpose and companionship. They offer a sense of security too. Dogs who sniff out when a fit is about to happen, some dogs can even tell if someone has cancer. Dogs get people out and walking! Dogs are pretty amazing creatures if they are handled right.

 

[JP_]

He didn't chase wildlife. He did initially, but we trained him not to. The wildlife actually learned to trust him and saw him sniffing noses with 2 squirrels in our garden and the birds would happily eat with him just a foot away.

That's good to hear. My main dislike of cats is that I'm allergic to them. Had to leave a good house party once because I couldn't breathe, thanks to the cats!
I do think they're nice, in very short bursts - about as long as I can hold my breath!

 

[sodthisforfun]

That's good to hear. My main dislike of cats is that I'm allergic to them. Had to leave a good house party once because I couldn't breathe, thanks to the cats!
I do think they're nice, in very short bursts - about as long as I can hold my breath!

Me too but I find I build up a natural resistance over time. I looked after my brothers cat once, moved into his house for a week and it was horrible. Lovely cat, but wheezy and my whole face and eyes burned and itched for the week! Antihistamines help for future parties

 

[ellal]

So it's ok for humans and not ok for pets to cause environmental impact?

Nope, just pointing out what enviromental impact these pets have...

You cannot blame the dog because of idiot owners. Train the owners as well as the dog or ban people who don't have a clue from keeping dogs.

Rubbish...

Any dog is capable of attacking a person however well it is trained or whoever it's owner is - it's in their nature!

Anyway, those deaths are pretty rare, despite the headlines.

Tell that the people who had their kids killed by dogs!

Or the thousands of people hospitalised because of dog attacks...

Which is being fueled by an increase in the number of 'small dogs'...

The Royal College of Surgeons says it is because 'their owners are not aware of the "significant damage" they are capable of causing'.

Hence why I said, "any dog is capable of attacking a person"

 

[Notch7]

How about the number of people (predominantly children) killed by dogs?

it is virtually zero, but still unecessary

And are all caused by people owning dangerous dogs.
the sort of people that dont train them properly (chavs).

unfortunately big dangerous dogs are a status symbol and those breeds are popular amongst the doughnuts.

 

[ellal]

it is virtually zero, but still unecessary

4 a year on average...

4 too many!

But hey if you think that's virtually zero

And are all caused by people owning dangerous dogs.

Well if you include terriers as dangerous dogs...

the sort of people that dont train them properly (chavs).

Do you include the police under that description?

Because one of their 'highly trained' dogs caused the death of an innocent pensioner!
(it was still 'on duty' despite it having a long history of attacks)

 

[sodthisforfun]

Nope, just pointing out what enviromental impact these pets have...


Rubbish...

Any dog is capable of attacking a person however well it is trained or whoever it's owner is - it's in their nature!


Tell that the people who had their kids killed by dogs!

Or the thousands of people hospitalised because of dog attacks...

Which is being fueled by an increase in the number of 'small dogs'...

The Royal College of Surgeons says it is because 'their owners are not aware of the "significant damage" they are capable of causing'.

Hence why I said, "any dog is capable of attacking a person"

I agree, should never trust a dog 100% and when I was a kid, animal rescue places wouldn't allow a dog to be rehomed with children under 5 years old. Young children have no understanding of a dog and how to treat them, therefore increasing the chance of a bite when things go wrong.

Dogs are pack animals, they want to belong. As long as a dog always knows who is boss then they are not aggressive and you do not need to show a dog who is a boss by any aggression done by ourselves. It really IS down to training, a well trained dog will actually want to please their owners. People take on dogs and don't know what they are doing or bother to put the time and effort in. I see it all the time. People also get these dogs then go to work all day. Then the most they get is a 10 min walk around the block in the eve - this isn't good for dog behaviour.

Dog deaths, if you can be bothered to go google, are rare. Most of those deaths are done by the mastiff, bull terrier type dog, not by small dogs. Not bad really, as they think there are about 9 million dogs in the UK. You're just reacting to the sensationalist headlines. Sure, no dog deaths or bites would be better but please, people need to train their dogs. It's nearly always avoidable if the owners just took the time to learn how to keep dogs.

 

[ellal]

Young children have no understanding of a dog and how to treat them, therefore increasing the chance of a bite when things go wrong.

Maybe you could explain this then...

Why should the parents of all children have to explain the dangers of dogs and how to treat them, if as you say 'things go wrong'?
(Despite claiming that it is all down to training)

And how do you explain it to a child, especially if you don't have a dog to reference them to!

Then you have all those times when a dog jumps up at a toddler (or adult), and we are then supposed to accept it as it was 'only being friendly'

How do you spot a well trained dog or a badly trained dog on sight btw?

Dog deaths, if you can be bothered to go google, are rare.

Not bad really, as they think there are about 9 million dogs in the UK. You're just reacting to the sensationalist headlines.

As I said, 4 deaths a year are 4 too many...

Add to that the thousands of maulings and disfigurements, and I would disagree with you thinking that I'm 'just reacting to the sensationalist headlines.'

Do you think all those victims think it sensationalist?

 

[sodthisforfun]

Maybe you could explain this then...

Why should the parents of all children have to explain the dangers of dogs and how to treat them, if as you say 'things go wrong'?
(Despite claiming that it is all down to training)

And how do you explain it to a child, especially if you don't have a dog to reference them to!

Then you have all those times when a dog jumps up at a toddler (or adult), and we are then supposed to accept it as it was 'only being friendly'

How do you spot a well trained dog or a badly trained dog on sight btw?


As I said, 4 deaths a year are 4 too many...

Add to that the thousands of maulings and disfigurements, and I would disagree with you thinking that I'm 'just reacting to the sensationalist headlines.'

Do you think all those victims think it sensationalist?

I think your reaction is sensationalist yes. I have no opinion on those who have suffered other than it's sad but you reaction of getting rid of all cats and dogs is reactionary and shows little understanding on how dogs work. Please, show me where there are 'thousands of maulings and disfigurements' because that sounds very sensationalist.

The thing about young children and the rescue centers we went to when I was young was that children under 5 are too young to know that it's not ok to put their fingers in a dogs nose or eyes, or shove a bit of lego in it's ear. Children are too young to teach under that age how to treat animals with respect and understanding of what they are.

Your question about all children is not to do with what I wrote about with the rescue centers, but since you asked then yes, all children should be taught respect to animals, all animals. I was taught by my mother that even though us kids loved dogs, not all dogs were the same as our own. We were taught to always ask permission from the owner of the dog if it was ok to say hello and if the dog was friendly. It's something I still to today. If a dog jumps up at a toddler then again that is lack of training on behalf of the dog owners and the parents of the child. If you are allowing your 2-3 year old child to say hello to an excitable dog without asking the owner beforehand then sorry, that's also your fault and your responsibility. If you do not like dogs, or do not wish your child to be near dogs then keep them away.