Psychy of Dog people

[brecker]

Owners seem to fall in a few categories:

Kid Replacements - Usually a young couple preparing for real kids, or an older couple who miss having kids.

The tough dude - (The average owner of a pit or Rotty - no explanation necessary)

The plain weird: The ones with dog statues, bumper stickers, and dog mugs etc...

The perfect family: They probably have a white picket fence along with 1.5 kids and 2.5 cars. (The Joneses next door)


Any other categories that make sense? For the most part I think dog owners are weird - What are your thoughts?

[Bailey_]

No, I don't think I would call dog owners 'weird'...unless loving your pet requires one to fall under a 'category'? I agree that SOME people get dogs for the wrong reasons, but I don't think that means the rest of us are crazy. (Or does it?!)

[BenMax]

So, I have a child but she is now in University so I am alone now.
I have had both - a pit and a rottie
I absolutely have mugs that resemble my dogs and cats
I do not have a white picket fence but it was once a dream....

So I guess I am weird....crazy or just a plain animal lover! Whatever my category, I would not change it for the world!


Hey I would be a 'perfect plain tough kid'!

[breeze]

how does one go about having

1.5 kids

and 2.5 cars??



does this mean that you can have 1.5 dogs or 2.5 dogs??

[mollywog]

whoa, talk about being stereotypical!!!
There are so many dog owners in this world for so many different reasons. The idea of "grouping" all dog owners into 4 "labels" is absurd to me.

[breeze]

How about the category of

loving animals .......a lot of people fall into this..no grouping no category just plain and simple..

extra love to give and share.

[Bailey_]

Originally Posted by breeze

How about the category of

loving animals .......a lot of people fall into this..no grouping no category just plain and simple..

extra love to give and share.

[brecker]

Originally Posted by breeze

how does one go about having

1.5 kids

and 2.5 cars??



does this mean that you can have 1.5 dogs or 2.5 dogs??

It's the north american average per household.. or a least it was a couple years back... Are you living the dream?

Just starting some debate or chat if you will

[brecker]

Originally Posted by BenMax

So, I have a child but she is now in University so I am alone now.
I have had both - a pit and a rottie
I absolutely have mugs that resemble my dogs and cats
I do not have a white picket fence but it was once a dream....

So I guess I am weird....crazy or just a plain animal lover! Whatever my category, I would not change it for the world!


Hey I would be a 'perfect plain tough kid'!

[brecker]

Originally Posted by mollywog

whoa, talk about being stereotypical!!!
There are so many dog owners in this world for so many different reasons. The idea of "grouping" all dog owners into 4 "labels" is absurd to me.

I left it open to add more "labels"

[Bailey_]

...Sorry, maybe I'm confused...I'm just trying to figure out why this is at all of any consequence? As far as I'm concerned, there are simply good owners and bad ones.

[breeze]

Originally Posted by brecker

I left it open to add more "labels"

I personally don't like "labels"..
I find "labels" are hurtful. they do more harm than good IMO

[Melinda]

I would fall under the label of "loving person"

I had/have 2 adult kids, one grandson, raised over 71 children for any length of time in 25 yrs, raised countless pets, countless dogs, have had dogs and kids at the same time...so I say a new category,

Loving person

[chico2]

Melinda,I agree,I feel I am a loving person,compassionate to anyone in need,be it four-legged or two.
Oh and yes,I don't have a dog,but love dogs,unfortunately me 3 cats don't
I have 2.000,003,500 pics of my cats and all kinds of kitty-stuff,I guess I am a little weird,love "my"7 Crows and anything else feathery or furry

[hazelrunpack]

LOL brecker! What category would you assign yourself to?

You don't have a 'crazy' category, although I might fit into 'weird' pretty well, but mainly I think we need one for 'softy'--the kind of person that sees a dog (or cat) in need and gives it a home We seem to be masters of that last

[14+kitties]

Originally Posted by brecker

Owners seem to fall in a few categories:

Kid Replacements - Usually a young couple preparing for real kids, or an older couple who miss having kids.

Mmm, could be me. Nope. I had pets along with having kids.

The tough dude - (The average owner of a pit or Rotty - no explanation necessary)

I find this one a little insulting. I know just as many women who own pits or rotties as I do men. And I would not classify them as being necessarily tough. Loving but not tough.

The plain weird: The ones with dog statues, bumper stickers, and dog mugs etc...

Ok, I resemble that one.... a tiny bit.

The perfect family: They probably have a white picket fence along with 1.5 kids and 2.5 cars. (The Joneses next door)

Far from it. I have 3 kids, 2 step-sons, raised more kids when I had my child care than I can remember; no picket fence. Never wanted one. However, I have a large area that is fenced. One car, two trucks, all old.

Any other categories that make sense? For the most part I think dog owners are weird - What are your thoughts?

Weird is in the eye of the beholder. Can we consider you weird?

So if we have to place a label I guess you could add people who wanted to show their kids that having a pet in their life entails a lot of responsibility but in return you are loved unconditionally. And not just dogs. Cats, rabbits, gerbils, hamsters, fish, birds, etc....
Mmm, seems to me we have now included just about every single person in the world. Labels tend to get us into trouble once we start trying to put them on people.

[t.pettet]

One category is missing - those of us who are involved in rescue feel the need to help the discarded and the needy and attempt to stamp out cruelty, abuse and ignorance. We might personally only help 20 animals a year but it is our dedication to saving that pet from an untimely death or cruel outcome and finding that pet the best family/owner we can that keeps us going until the next pitiful creature cries out, thus we can make a small dent in this vicious circle. I do collect mugs with dogs/cats on them simply because I love looking at the pictures.

[BenMax]

Originally Posted by t.pettet

One category is missing - those of us who are involved in rescue feel the need to help the discarded and the needy and attempt to stamp out cruelty, abuse and ignorance. We might personally only help 20 animals a year but it is our dedication to saving that pet from an untimely death or cruel outcome and finding that pet the best family/owner we can that keeps us going until the next pitiful creature cries out, thus we can make a small dent in this vicious circle. I do collect mugs with dogs/cats on them simply because I love looking at the pictures.

. I could not say it better myself. thanks for this t.pettet!

[flipgirl4]

Working at an animal hospital, there are a few categories I would put dog owners in.

Paranoid - Worries and calls about every little thing whether it be a burp or sneeze

Doesn't-give-a-sh** owner = "The dog is sick? Put it to sleep! I ain't payin' any money for the animal"

Cling-on= This owner never leaves her pet's side, carries it everywhere regardless of size, baby-talks to it and gives you a dirty look if you get too close to her dog.

Diagnosis now or nothin' at all - demands a diagnosis and cure right away.

Cheap ass - feeds the crappiest, cheapest food, does the absolute minimum for his pet.

My-dog-is-my-life owner - Will pay and do anything to keep her dog healthy

Wait-until-my-dog's-guts-are-hanging-out owner - brings their dog to the vet at the last minute which is usually too late.

Down-to-earth owner - realistic, honestly loves her pet but knows when it's time to let go

I guess I would fall into the 'no-children-paranoid" category. I'll even add obsessive to my category.

[lUvMyLaB<3]

i have 3 kids, 2 cars, and my fence is chain link, 2 dogs, 3 cats and always room for a foster if they need it, i am .in hazels softy catagory for sure, and the weirdos, and if i change my fence, the perfect family one, although i would never use the word perfect.d

[LavenderRott]

Originally Posted by brecker

Owners seem to fall in a few categories:

The tough dude - (The average owner of a pit or Rotty - no explanation necessary)

I am with 14+ on this one - insulting and offensive. I can't even count the number of times I have read in articles that rottweiler and pitty owners are law breaking thugs and nothing could be further from the truth!

Honestly - MOST of the rottie owners I know are women. A couple of them might have a speeding ticket, but none have ever been involved in a brawl or been arrested. All are gainfully employed, many work more then one job. They are lawyers, nannies, kennel managers, fast food workers and one even drives handicapped kids for a living.

Stereotyping owners like this is dangerous. It is exactly this kind of thinking that leads to breed banning.

[Bearsmom]

Originally Posted by t.pettet

One category is missing - those of us who are involved in rescue feel the need to help the discarded and the needy and attempt to stamp out cruelty, abuse and ignorance. We might personally only help 20 animals a year but it is our dedication to saving that pet from an untimely death or cruel outcome and finding that pet the best family/owner we can that keeps us going until the next pitiful creature cries out, thus we can make a small dent in this vicious circle. I do collect mugs with dogs/cats on them simply because I love looking at the pictures.

Beautifully said!

[Bearsmom]

Crudmonkeys, hit post too fast.

Wanted to add, I'm STILL seeking the ever-elusive St. Bernard items....they are hard to find!

[ruffian]

I am "that owner" the one that doesnt believe in breeding for no reason, my dogs are cute is NOT a reason, and I will tell you so to your face. I have both purebred show dogs and mutts, love em all the same. Many have called me a "purebred snob", but whatever. Most of my crazy dog stuff has been bought for me, sadly by my parents, LOL, but I am kinda wierd. I even have the "area patrolled by" sign for the Shibas . I have a rotty mix, but not to make me "tough" and I think dude is unisex, he needed a home and I gave him one. I had dogs before my son, and will have dogs after he moves out, so I dont have them as replacements, more like siblings . And I have a brown picket fence...but we are far from perfect. Guess I would fit into most of your groups, but oddly only one of flips "Down-to-earth owner - realistic, honestly loves her pet but knows when it's time to let go"

[Bailey_]

Originally Posted by LavenderRott

Stereotyping owners like this is dangerous. It is exactly this kind of thinking that leads to breed banning.

Well said, LR.

[Schwinn]

Originally Posted by brecker

The tough dude - (The average owner of a pit or Rotty - no explanation necessary)

I'm usually the first to tell people to lighten up, it's just a joke, but I bristled at this too. My wife, the bank manager who goes to church every Sunday got her pitbull before we were married, and the 75 year old woman who lived in the big house two doors down from us in Wasaga Beach with the Rotti are way more "average" of the owners I've ever met. Maybe it's because I find that if the dog isn't wearing a studded collar with it's ears hacked off, people don't recognize it as a pitbull, but when I see these stereotypes in a public forum, they bother me as well.

[joeysmama]

Schwinn, I had to laugh about your wife the bank manager who goes to church every Sunday. Our friends who have a pittie are teetotalers, he's the chairman of a very conservative church, I've never heard so much as a "darn" come out of their mouths. I don't know a more genteel family.

I just chuckled at this post but then I saw that it was posted by a banned user so maybe it wasn't all meant to be tongue in cheek?

I don't care if people think that I'm using my dog as a kid replacer. My kids are grown and the dog benefits from the fact that I have lots of love to lavish and kids who are too big to want to be smooched and talked to in baby talk. So what? He was lucky enough to land smack dab in the middle of an empty nest.

And if I have breed charms on my key ring so what? I see people with lots of things like that, hobbies, causes etc. It's fun and it's a conversation starter.

And now I'm old enough and cranky enough that I don't really give a rat's patootie what other people think of a perfectly fine quality--I love my doggie!

[BenMax]

Originally Posted by joeysmama

And if I have breed charms on my key ring so what? I see people with lots of things like that, hobbies, causes etc. It's fun and it's a conversation starter.

And now I'm old enough and cranky enough that I don't really give a rat's patootie what other people think of a perfectly fine quality--I love my doggie!

. Very well written with conviction. And you are right! We have the right to honor our animals anyway we feel fit. I find it odd those people that don't sport a mug with their dog on it to be honest or that special key chain with the breed proudly displayed. And I am certain there are those that sport tattoos as well. In my mind, we are not odd at all.

[clm]

Don't like labels.

I have no children, never wanted any but my pets are not my children, they are my pets and I do love each and every one of them. I do not however treat them like children.

Type of dog does not indicate the personalilty of the owner.....I don't know how on earth you could label an owners personality type by the type of dog they own. Some of the kindest gentlest people I've ever known have owned Rotties or dobies. Some of the toughest people I've ever known have owned ****zu's, Bichons or Poodles.

Plain weird? Please define what that is or what normal is.

The pefect family? I've never met one.

clm

[aslan]

LOL, Clm atleast you and hazel have multiples of the same breed what about us with different breeds..I have a golden and a terrier cross. hmmm so i'm a mellow psychopath. I have two kids, a home,car, blah blah..I don't find we replace the kids with the dogs, the dogs listen better. Don't play video games, use the phone or the comp. hmmmm should have stuck with the dogs.