Well, one thing that annoys me more than the sight of dogs wearing clothing is the sight of dogs that belong in cold places being forced to live in a hot, humid place like Taiwan, just because their owner thinks this or that breed of dog is a status symbol and will impress others.
Yeah, I think huskies, malamutes, Alaskan sled dogs, Samoyds, etc. are beautiful, but it is cruel to expect such a breed to live in Taiwan. Even worse, I saw one husky that had been shaved (in a poodle-type cut, no less!): OK, at least the owner realized that the dog was too hot, but shaving its coat down to the skin is hardly the answer.
The most suitable dog here is one of the indigenous dogs, or a breed that resembles them, if you want a purebred to impress others.
My dog Foxie has to wear a sweater on her back in winter, because she was the victim of some !@#$er with a bottle of acid and now has no fir on her back.
But I otherwise agree.
[quote=“stragbasher”]One of my greatest pleasures at the moment is walking out into places with dirt, muddy water, trees, watery mud, and interesting things for my dog to roll in and/or eat.
There’s something intensely satisfying about watching someone enthusiastically jumping into mud, walking around nonchalantly covered in mud, or charging muddily towards you intent on putting muddy footprints on your clean shirt. Rolling in mud, and eating disgusting things you find, seem to be the defining characteristics of being a dog. Watching a dog celebrate being a dog puts concepts like ‘cute’ and even ‘clean’ in perspective. It helps you stay in touch with the dog that lurks inside all of us.
Perhaps the people who dress their dogs up are seeking something else? Perhaps they are trying to distance themselves from the pollution of the city in which they have chosen to live, or the rural squalor in which their parents had to live?
Or perhaps they don’t have any dog in them? That can be remedied, and my li’l guy will be glad to oblige![/quote]
Well said.
I’ve always liked the following quote:
I’ve seen pictures of that on the Intarweb.
I think this is true. Dogs are evolving. I see more and more dogs who appear to know how to wait for the crosswalk lights, and how to cross the street with the proper light. They don’t just run out and zig-zag through traffic …
Hartzell wrote
It never fails to raise a smile when I see that street smart dog, waiting for the light to change and then strolling across the road, checking left and right. Why can’t the pedestrians here be half as smart… :s
If we could only teach the dogs to drive taxis …