Photo courtesy Depositphotos/tepic
I occasionally get sneering looks from strangers while hiking on the trail with Chester and Gretel. Why? Because they see a small dog with short legs and think it’s cruel for me to “force” them to hike.
If Chester and Gretel hated hiking, I would not bring them with me. I find myself frequently assuring people that they totally love it. They are always eager to hit the trails and are, more often than not, the out in front of me pulling because I am slower than them.
A friend shared an article today and I thought it was an interesting read. The article, Onions, Hot Cars, Ponies, Panic And Greed. Fear And Loathing In The Animal World, says that many people are overreacting when it comes to the safety and health of animals.
This is not a blog I am familiar with but it appears that this man lives on some kind of farm. Last week, his dog ate a small onion from the garden and he wrote about it. The author said, “I could not count the number of warnings, alarms, grisly tales and hysterical messages I instantly received from people telling me I should rush her to vet, get her stomach pumped and pray for her survival. Also chastising me for not diving headfirst into the garden to save her from this vegetable, which, I was told, is lethal for dogs.”
What I took away from this article is that the author thinks many people are going too far. He says that some people are purposely searching out situations where they can scream animal cruelty or abuse. He says some of these people “believe they are protectors of animals and their rights [and] often seem to only be able to see animals and pets through this prism of hysteria and abuse and victimization.” He also thinks that people are spending way too much money on “treating” their pets for things that aren’t that big of deal.
I have seen people make judgments about what other people are doing with their pets without actually knowing the owner or the situation. Some of these people feel perfectly ok confronting the person online or in person. Heck, I’ve been one of those people judging (more often than I would like to admit). I’ve also been blasted by others judging my actions without knowing the whole story or bothering to ask.
So I want to know what you think about this. Read the article and let me know in the comments. And come back tomorrow to see how I feel about it. I definitely have some opinions but I need a little more time to gather my thoughts.
Flea says
Interesting. I’m going to head over and read her post. I can already tell you that it rings true, just from your brief synopsis.
Flea says
Omigoodness. What a breath of fresh air. Thank you for sharing this! Sometimes I feel like I’m evil and going crazy because I don’t follow fear mongering and an animal police state. This was a beautiful thing. Thank you!
Jessica Rhae says
My nature is to take the middle road on most things. I always try to suspend judgement and see things from both sides. The amazing (and sometimes frustrating) thing about this world is there are so many different views and ways of doing things. While I don’t think people should be allowed out outright injure animals, there is an entire spectrum of “good care”. Just because it doesn’t look like what I would do, doesn’t mean it’s wrong. Oh look… I’m giving away my “feelings” before tomorrow’s post. Ha, ha. Don’t worry, there will be more 🙂
Jillian says
I’m glad to know I’m not alone. I recently remarked to my husband that I’ve been feeling like a terrible dog parent. It’s been well over 80F here most days with 70% or above humidity. When it’s like this, we just don’t take Yuri (husky) and Kina (malamute) for walks. They have thick fur coats that make any semi-strenuous activity feel like running in a snowsuit in the middle of summer. They look miserable on the hot pavement and the panting is just too much, so why would we force them? I get criticized frequently. How dare I not take my dogs for long walks? How dare I put them on runners (always always always supervised) in the yard? Don’t I know that walks help them learn good leash skills?
Instead Yuri and Kina hang out in the yard with us, lounging around in the shade if they want. If it’s slightly better in the woods, we might go for a short sniff walk just to see what’s hanging out behind our house. As for the rest of the day, they play in their finished basement bedroom (yes, we finished half our basement for our dogs) where it’s never above 70F year round. They have tons of toys, sticks, things to chew on, and of course it’s the perfect place to play tug of war with their humans or embrace in a case of the zoomies (run quickly in circles because you can). Yuri and Kina are happy, healthy, well socialized, and well behaved. They’re both avid hikers, boaters, mountain bike chasers, and they’ve even gotten into backcountry snowboard chasing with us. We’re terrible dog parents, right? I don’t even want to get into ALL the other things we’ve been criticized for. It’s a sad and long list, and we too have swapped vets!
I entirely agree with you and the other article. It’s great to be protective of our canine friends, but it’s SO wrong to go around looking for trouble where there is none or criticizing someone who appears to have a happy and healthy relationship with their canines. There are many dogs out there who are in truly terrible situations, so let’s just focus on legitimately helping them. Alright?
Jessica Rhae says
Thanks for sharing your experience. Yes, it is very easy for people to make snap judgments without knowing the whole story/reasoning. In addition, there are misconceptions and “ignorance” about animal stress signals and different dog breeds. You can’t judge what someone should do with their “cold weather” dog if you only know Greyhounds. There are so many facets to things. For example, exercising a dog. While you may not be walking your dogs, you are playing tug with them and stimulating activity in other ways. Let’s say you do that for an hour a day vs someone who does actually walk their dog but only does it for 30 minutes. Now who is doing the “better” thing? I think one is not necessarily better than the other.
I, too, wish that the passion could be channeled to the animals that really need it – the ones in the dog fighting rings, having their mouths taped shut, and being tied up on a chain so long that it grows into their neck. Imagine the good that would do.
Paige Junge says
Yet you know that if people saw you out walking your dogs, with their Arctic coats, they’d criticize because HOW DARE you take them out in such hot weather?! You’re killing them! Or some such thing.
Unless given definitive evidence to show otherwise, we need to assume that people generally know what they’re doing and don’t need strangers “educating” them.
Roberta says
I, too, once left a dog in an air conditioned car with the AC recirculating only to be met by a policeman when I returned. He was called by people concerned by my dog who looked “distressed.” She was distressed because I left her alone. I opened the tail gate and asked him to take the temperature of the inside. One “problem” was he couldn’t hear my car running (Honda CRV). Inside, it was obviously cool and she was obviously in no distress. For these reasons and others, I post what I feel I need to post on Facebook and social media in order to help promote dog fostering and to highlight my fosters and their rescues but personally, I’m backing out of social media as much as possible. My personal page is limited to close friends and family. People can be so mean and, as the author says, they have no concept of what truly took place or even when the photo was taken. Thank you for sharing this article and soliciting a sane conversation. I’ll be interested in returning to read other comments. When I was blogging, people seemed much more reasonable. I’ve never imagined trolling for dogs in hot cars! OMGosh.
Nancy Lea says
Same thing happened to me, along with a “friend” who told me, self-righteously, “Well, if you were here in Virginia, you find yourself arrested and fined.” (she loves to let me know she thinks I am one step above trailer-trash and not too bright..we are no longer friends). I also have a Honda..and Element, and, thank heavens, you can hear the engine, but, I’ve had people start in on me with “We were about to call the police.’ When I open the door and a wave of cooled air hits them, they have at least had the grace to either look embarrassed or walk away…I leave the radio on, as well, since it seems to keep my two “go-dogs” happier and it lets people know that the car IS running. I also make it fast in case the car cuts out for some reason…this happened to a friend of mine who spent a little too long grocery-shopping and the engine cut out, the ac ran the battery down and he got there in the nick of time! ( I WOULD counsel anybody who does this to make sure that your absence is short, for just that reason!)
OTOH, once or twice, when I have seen a dog left in a hot car, I have gotten SO MUCH ABUSE from the owners that I have been sorely tempted to call the cops. I do threaten that and they usually go and fix the situation, albeit with ill will.
Jessica Rhae says
I didn’t used to think much of me leaving Chester and Gretel in the car because I know I would never do it under unsafe conditions. It’s stories like yours that make me think twice though. Now I am a little paranoid, especially since it’s a law in our state now that I police officer can break your window without repercussions if they “think” a pet is in danger.
Debra says
I so agree with this article, and thought I was alone in that. Thank you for posting. Having said that, of course there will always be people who do things without thinking, such as leaving dogs in hot cars on a hot summer day. Education is the answer rather than legislation and panic.
Frankly, I’ve often thought we’ve gone far overboard regarding children as well. Overprotecting to the point where children fail to learn how to be safe yet independent and able to exercise caution and good judgement.
Dogs, kids – can we just let them be dogs and kids?
Great article – thanks again for posting.
Jessica Rhae says
It’s such a tough thing – give people the benefit of the doubt and don’t judge or regulate because there are still a small fraction of people making very bad decisions. I agree that education is probably the best solution.
Taryn says
That blog is my the reasonable famous author Jon Katz. Great writer and a very rational person.
Jessica Rhae says
Thanks for pointing out the author was a man. I was too busy reading, and rereading the article (where there was no “by” or author box) that I missed the big, fat, red author name at the top. I have heard of him before. I changed the references to “he”.
Taryn says
I can’t type or proof read…..that should say….by the reasonably famous…..
Jen says
It’s like you were reading my mind. I’ve been thinking about this topic often lately and I do think in some cases we have. Just a few weeks ago I left Leroy in the car for 90 seconds. It was a cool morning and I knew he would be fine. I had to run into my work to grab something and run back out. The whole time I was thinking :”OMG what if someone breaks my car window?” He’s panting, yes. He’s a Newfoundland. He’d be panting if it was snowing out but everyone thinks they know what an overheated dog looks like now a days. Another example, I was on a forum the other day and a young mother was looking to re-home her cat because she felt the cat may be having issues with the new baby and she was scared. The people that came out and chewed her out were awful. This is a brand new mother who is overwhelmed and emotional right now. She wasn’t looking to take her cat to shelter she was looking for someone who could give her cat a good home. What’s better-Locking the cat in a room 24/7 where it will be miserable or finding it a home where it can be loved and free? She wasn’t be cruel or irresponsible she was trying to do best by her cat.
Everyone thinks they’re an advocate these days but they fail to see that an advocate does what is in the best interest of the animal not the person. My years as a vet tech I had to advocate for the pet not for my beliefs.
Thanks for letting me vent. I look forward to your follow up post. I’ve found it quite difficult to find the right words without sounding like an asshole but I know you’ll do much better!
Jessica Rhae says
Thanks for the vote of confidence! 🙂
I have so many feels around this article and these issues. I know things have changed with pets in the last 30 years (and it’s a good thing) but I grew up on a farm of sorts. I feel like my perspective is so much different than others. It’s nice to hear that I might not be as alone as I thought.
Jen says
I think the only thing that I con’t agree with is the “treating” their pets for things that aren’t that big of deal” I think it’s great that veterinary medicine has advanced so far over the years. We can catch things early and treat it which equals a longer life for our pets. Eating a scallion, nah. Eating one piece of chocolate, nah. Making a quick call to the vet just to be sure-yes.
Jessica Rhae says
I think a call to a vet is good. Not all vets are created equal though. I think it’s possible that some will have you come in “just to check” while others will counsel you over the phone first before charging for a vet visit. I think to each their own when it comes to spending on treatments. Some can’t afford a $10k cancer treatment and some don’t want to pay that. I think it’s great it’s available to those who want it but people shouldn’t be shamed if they chose not to go down that road. I don’t think you would disagree with that though.
Jen says
I completely agree. 🙂
Nancy Lea says
If the folks who think you doxies are being “abused” they’ve never seen how fast those stubby little legs can move! LOL..my Macy can out-run just about any of the other dogs and likes nothing better than a long, adventurous walk. She can also jump and climb right along with the rest.
Jessica Rhae says
I call Gretel my little spider monkey 🙂 That little girl can climb over the most amazing things.
MyDogLikes says
Jessica, So glad that you shared this with your engaged audience. It is certainly interesting to see what other people think. There are some ways where we have made so many advances in knowing how to properly care for our pets and this helps them to live better lives. Unfortunately, sometimes the best of intentions just go a little too far I think. We have to be our dogs advocates and guardians but we also have to enjoy life with them. It is clear that Chester and Gretel love to hike, why would want to take that from them because of fear. I think its our job to share information and help to educate, but it can’t be from the most primal part of our brains, fear.
Jessica Rhae says
Very well said. Too much of anything is not a good thing I think. I am very thankful that animals have it better than they did 30 years ago and that I have the choice, in most cases, to spend money on the best possible treatment for my pets – even some typically only available to humans 10 years ago. Stepping back to take a breath before reacting to judgement about something can improve pet’s lives even more. People aren’t open to listening and learning if they feel attacked.
Alexandra says
we have an acquaintance who was tased by a supposedly “concerned bystander” when leaving his dog in the shade with a bowl of water while he went into Sears. She told him she’d called the police and she tased him as he turned to unhook his dog from the trailer hitch to load his dog in the car! Thankfully the cops arrived mid-fight and ticketed the woman and her partner for assault.
Jessica Rhae says
I think there are times to step in to people’s business but this doesn’t sound like one of those situations. I am glad that it turned out fine for your friend.
Christie says
Well you know my viewpoint. I really feel like some people have truly lost their minds.
Christie
Debbie Reed says
The author of the post you quoted is the author Jon Katz. He has written many books about the work of dogs. He is very outspoken about his philosophy of how people see/treat animals. He has written a number of books about his working dogs on his farm I upstate New York.
Jessica Rhae says
That’s what I hear. I don’t read 🙂 Well, I do read sometimes but it is mostly business and self-improvement books. I think I have heard his name before but just took this article at face value. I kind of like that I read it without knowing about of his history. Thanks for sharing with me about it though. Now I might be compelled to actually read his stuff 🙂
Stephanie says
This has totally happened to me before. I was waiting to pick my boyfriend up from work with our dachshund. I sat in the car (comfortably parked in the shade at 7pm when it was about 75 degrees out), with our dog, for about 15 minutes before he called me and asked if I would come up to help him bring stuff down.
We were inside his work for 5 minutes – I know because I timed it! – and when I came down, some cyclist was calling the police because she said our dog had been in there for almost 20 minutes, alone, and it was cruelty. Lady, I was in there with him!
When I told her that we had the situation under control and had only been gone a few minutes, she told us that we were lying, that we should not have a dog, and that she hopes we never had children. How dare she!
I agree it’s bad to leave a dog in the car under many circumstances (hot, in the sun, more than a couple minutes, etc.). And I could have appreciated that she was only trying to watch out for our dog and in other circumstances this may have been warranted, but my goodness. Make sure you know the whole story/have your facts right! She genuinely thought she was in the right, even as she rode off. I was furious.
Jessica Rhae says
I would have been angry too. It doesn’t feel good when people judge and kind of “shame” because of the story about it in their minds. People often see “distress” and a dog in a car and make the assumption they are dying in there. I don’t know about your pup but Chester and Gretel are always briefly distressed when we leave them in the car because they want to go with us real bad.
Random Felines says
I think it was a great article (and love Jon Katz). I think in the age of the internet and everything else, people have come to believe that everything else is THEIR business, regardless of circumstances. Compare the things that people worry about with kids now days as compared to when I was a kid (I’m in my 40s). I rode in the back of a pick up truck, rode a bike without a helmet, etc. I think people need to take more PERSONAL responsibility and stop worrying so much about what others are doing. I do think sometimes with pets that people can’t let go and use medical technology to keep pets alive much longer than they should. But then again, that is their decision – just don’t expect me to do the same and don’t berate me for my decisions. I have a friend who lives on 5 acres in Alabama. She tried every rescue within a reasonable driving distance to get a Great Pyrenees when they moved out to their property. NO ONE would adopt to these people – and they are great and foster kittens for a local rescue. Why? Because the dogs would be working dogs and live outside protecting livestock. OMG – the job they were meant to do. What a shocker! So they ended up finding a reputable breeder….
Jessica Rhae says
I am HUGE on personal responsibility. There are so many situations, not just with animals, that people don’t take enough… but are quick to criticize others when something doesn’t meet their expectations.
I don’t know much about Great Pyrenees but I have seen the topic of them guarding livestock come up several times. It must be a very controversial issue.
Kay says
OMG it’s nice to know other people have noticed this “trend” and feel sorry for anyone who has been unjustly caught up in it like some of the other people who have commented here.
While I agree dogs should be left in HOT cars, people are rather overzealous on this and related subjects. I once saw a fb posting stating the steps you should take if you think a dog has been left in a hot car as well as signs of distress in dogs (notably not jumping to conclusions and breaking the dog out but a more rational process). One person responded saying the original poster seems to be giving people excuses to walk away (quite the opposite point of the post actually). When I defended this individual by pointing out the facts they unsurprisingly got annoyed and tried to backtrack and jump all over me too. It’s a shame since there are so many real issues related to animal abuse that people like these could champion instead of looking for trouble where there often is none….
Jessica Rhae says
I wish I had read that Facebook post because I feel the same way. Let’s open a conversation about what distress looks like and the proper steps you should take to help instead of saying “never leave a dog in a car” (not saying a HOT car) and “breaking a window is always ok”. I think an article on “how to start a conversation in a non threatening way and educate someone” would be great.
Kimberly Gauthier says
I think the author of that article does have a point. Last week a woman shared a picture of her dog with a corn on the cob (choking hazard) and all of the comments she received were about getting that cob away from the dog and stories of dogs that died, because of the cob.
In a group, a woman shared a picture of her dog, who looked overweight. This prompted a 2-day discussion about her dog’s appearance, 50+ comments, and the woman eventually left the group and the response to her departure was “good riddance.”
I don’t think people are over protective of animals; I think people are using animals as an excuse to be mean, to feel smarter/better than others, and to stir up drama. There are nice ways to raise awareness; we see it every day.
Jessica Rhae says
I totally agree with you. Do we as humans sometimes need to step in and share our opinions or experiences in order to help educate others? Definitely. But some people look for things to criticize and share their opinion in a mean way. As with the woman in the group, all that does is make people walk away. You don’t change any minds that way. Attacking people makes them defend their actions even if they are wrong and shut down.
Lara Elizabeth says
The Bedlam Farm blog is actually written by Jon Katz – he has written many books about his dogs, one of which he received a lot of backlash for because he euthanized his aggressive Border Collie, Orson. I don’t always agree with him, but I do like this post a lot. I am a worrier by nature and sometimes get overwhelmed by the constant fear-mongering directed at dog guardians. Before we knew better about onions, I used to pick them out of my food and feed them to my childhood dog (I hated them). She lived to be 15. My previous dogs lived to 14 + and often ate “grocery store food” that I wouldn’t touch now. I adhere to the “Know Better, Do Better” mantra, which is why I’m an information seeker, but not all of this information is good, nor does it need to be brandished so shrilly. A few years ago, I was ambushed by a woman in a parking lot once for leaving my dogs in the car for 20 minutes on a warm November day in Colorado (it was probably around 65 degrees and they were absolutely fine and happy to be with me on an outing). She waited for me to appear so that she could yell at me in public. I think there is a fine balance between advocacy and condescension sometimes.
Jessica Rhae says
I agree with the “Know better, do better” mantra too. I shudder to think of some of the mistakes I made early on with Chester. I made an even worse mistake before that. I have never told admitted this online but when I was 19 I adopted a kitten. I was in a situation where I left him in my car and it was hot out. I mean really hot. He should have died. He didn’t. This was 20 years ago so there wasn’t the information about it that there is now. Anyway, I learned a very valuable lesson and would never put a pet of mine in that situation again. Because of that experience I am very aware of people leaving pets in hot cars. I would not be afraid to wait, like this woman did, and talk to the owner about it. I would start by asking questions first and hope to open a conversation though and know when I was pushing the issue too far.
Lindsay says
I’m a huge fan of Jon Katz, and I had read this post earlier this week. Loved it! I’m glad you wrote about it and brought up this discussion on your blog.
I leave my dog in the car quite often and I’m always worried some nut is going to call the police or break the window to “rescue” my dog.
It’s also funny what people will pick apart in my blog posts. Just last week I wrote what I thought was a pretty detailed and helpful post on teaching dogs to stop barking on walks. In it, I mentioned using hot dogs or whatever it takes as a highly valued treat to keep your dog’s attention. Well, I got a message from someone telling me she would never feed her dogs hot dogs! Well fine with me, but why get so concerned over a brief mention of hot dogs for training? Ha. Good grief. 🙂
Jessica Rhae says
There are definitely two types of people in this world when it comes to risk. Those that are comfortable with some and those that avoid it at all costs.
I know cheese is bad for dogs. I also know it is a very high-value treat for many so it’s typically something used in training. Trainers will even recommend it. They aren’t recommending that you give it to them all of the time. In fact, just the opposite. For something to remain high-value, it cant’ be given at other times. I know you know this but I guess I am saying that is how I see your hot dog recommendation. I can see that someone might get a little put off by the recommendation because they feel like people less knowledgeable might start feeding it regularly. That is venturing into the “fear” territory Jon is talking about to me though.
And if you spelled that out for people – this ok for this situation but not all of the time (sorry, I don’t think I read it) – then it’s definitely a mute point 🙂
Lauren Miller (ZoePhee) says
I think some people take it too far and others are not concerned enough. I honestly think that finding a good balance between the two is a good idea. It’s hard for me to not freak out when something happens with my dogs, it would be so much easier if we could tell them that something is dangerous for them to eat or if they could tell us if they are sick. I do feel like it’s my job to keep them out of stuff that could be harmful and so I make sure that things are put away and that they are trained to leave it if I ask them to. As for hiking with little dogs, I think it’s amazing that you take them with you and I’m glad they love it! A lot of people just leave their little dogs at home as lap dogs.
One thing that I do let my dogs do that’s probably not the safest thing ever is that I take them to a thousand acre off leash park and let them run free. They like to chase bunnies throw blackberries and be wild. They don’t stick right with me and for a lot of people that’s horrible. People can’t believe I let my dogs run around off leash and out of my sight. Most of the time we have them wear bells so we can hear them and they always come back when I whistle for them.
Jessica Rhae says
I feel like the author is talking mainly about overreacting to how OTHER people are treating their pets. I don’t think there is any overreaction with your own. He does venture into the territory of “over the top dog owners” though and condemns them in a way. In that case, he is sticking HIS nose where it doesn’t belong. Ha, ha.
Lisa Ownbey says
I have always gotten grief or at least disbelief when hiking with dachshunds or worse yet running. My mini is great on hikes but on neighborhood walks she drags behind because it’s boring. People think I’m torturing her even though once we get close to home she runs!
For years I had a Suburban with a sunroof. If I parked with even a little shade and left the sunroof open and the windows down an inch or two it never got too hot. The volume of air inside and the fairly vertical windows plus the big hole in the roof keep the temperature reasonable. But I worried about people trying to “save” the dogs or steal them so I never left them very long.
Eons ago I was sitting in our pickup camper that had a crawl through to the pickup cab. One of my dogs was in the camper with me with all the windows open. But one dog always wanted to be in the truck and so she was sitting there when I heard some people complaining about “that poor dog in the hot truck” so I said through the window “she could sit back here with me but she’s too stubborn”.
Sometimes it may look like a dog is in danger when it isn’t. Because there are idiots out there who really can’t take care of a pet we are all being questioned.
Jessica Rhae says
It’s a tough one – do you totally mind your own business and let pets get injured by less knowledgeable pet owners? I don’t think that is an answer. Are you compelled to “educate” every pet owner who perceive is not being as responsible as they could be? Probably not that either. The hard part is that it’s hard to tell the difference between the two different pet owners unless you ask questions.
Jay, Sparking Synapse says
I think there’s a lot of truth in this article. We have lost perspective. There are too many people online who attempt to validate their own lives by putting fear into others, or by lambasting others, or by nitpicking or bullying etc. In the greyhound world, people are terrified of bloat, of osteosarcoma, of heatstroke, of theft, of dog parks, and most of all, of letting their dogs off lead, ever, outside a fenced field. Well, I don’t know about the US, with its variety of dangerous wildlife, that may be different, but I’ve always aimed for off-lead status for my dogs in safe areas. They tell me that if I do this, my dog WILL DEFINITELY (their capitals) run off and never come back, WILL run into the road and get killed, maybe not today or tomorrow, but eventually, and then I’ll be sorry. I’ve had six dogs now and haven’t yet lost one that way, they have gone through heart disease, cancer, or embolisms. I’ve had dogs run off, but then come right back to where they left me, and I’ve had dogs get out of the garden, and run round to the front door to be let in. My dogs have eaten small amounts of chocolate, of onion, and even of raisins (though I wouldn’t risk that one now, since some seem to be super-sensitive) and have never needed a vet because of it. Many people’s dogs have got hold of cooked bones and failed to die – not that I’m recommending cooked bones, because I’m most emphatically not – and wouldn’t give them to my dogs.
So sure there are dangers out there. It’s the same as for our children: the dangers are out there. But if you keep your dog or your child wrapped in cotton wool and never let them do anything, are you doing them any favours? What happens to the quality of life? How are they to learn how to behave if they never have the chance to try anything? And how about the people who refuse to let their dogs be given a GA to get their horrendous, pus-encrusted teeth sorted out because they’re afraid they might die under the anaesthetic? How is that sensible?
Jessica Rhae says
I think that every single thing in live is an exercise in risk analysis. There is some sort of risk in absolutely anything. Running could cause a heart attack. Many people have died of heart attacks while running (let’s not get in to the role coincidence plays in those statistics but…. ). Running can keep you healthy though and help prevent heart attacks. Whether you should become a regular runner has to to with your genes, your physique, and how enjoyable you find it, among other things. Translate that to dogs. Now, a lot of the dog’s decision is based on the owner. A dog in no way chooses to be shut in a hot car – and I am not condoning that – but there are many things we “allow” our dogs that are based on our own beliefs about risk. I think it’s ok for someone to question that belief because that teaches us to entertain other perspectives. I don’t think it’s ok to be nasty about it or push your fear onto others.
Hailey and Zaphod says
I think in general we overact in many situations (about pets, kids, people etc. etc.). I think we are a little safety concerned as a society.
That being said, last week I saw a car pull up outside my workplace with a dog. The owner got and left. I decided to monitor the situation and act if necessary. The owner was back in 2 minutes. No actions required on my part. However, if he had been a while, I would have called the SPCA, it was really hot!
Jessica Rhae says
I don’t blame you. I am just curious why you would you call the ASPCA instead of trying to find him and say someone to him yourself? Is it because you think the ASPCA coming down on him would be more effective? Is it because you wouldn’t feel comfortable confronting him? I ask because I have been in a situation where I maybe should have said something but wasn’t sure what to do. While I was trying to decide, the owner came back.
Hailey and Zaphod says
I am an avoid confrontation at all costs kind of girl -especially when confronting 6’2 guys. There is only like a 1% chance I would get brave enough to talk to him myself. I likely would have sicked one of the others at work on him, if he hadn’t been 2 minutes. There are about 20 businesses in the area I work he could have been visiting. I don’t think I would have searched for him. If I had thought the dog was in danger, I would have smashed his window (as someone called the SPCA/police).
Jen says
Oh man. Yes, I agree with that article. A thousand times yes!!
Some of the things I have heard people say about what you should and shouldn’t do with a dog are completely insane. Like, that you shouldn’t run with a dog because dogs don’t wear running shoes. And that taking them for long hikes is torture. Or that leaving them in a car in cold weather (where they are safe, comfortable, warm, and happy) is cruel and dangerous. It’s insane.
My dogs are my original children. I love them to pieces and can’t imagine my life without them. I also realize that they are DOGS. As far as I’m concerned, the worst thing you can do for a dog is not let it live a happy, adventurous life. Like you, my dogs do all kinds of outdoor things. Are they at risk of being eaten by a mountain lion or falling off a cliff or consuming a wayward onion? Sure. But those risks are incredibly low compared to the enormous rewards of getting to live awesome, active lives. We need to stop projecting our fears and neuroses onto our animals (and our children, for that matter).
I am in no way suggesting that it’s ok to force animals to do things that harm them or that they don’t want to do. I (obviously!) don’t believe that dogs should be locked in hot cars or left outside without food and water. I’m all about responsible pet ownership. I just think we need to be very careful when we start labeling things that are very, very unlikely to harm an animal as “irresponsible”.
Ok, I’m getting off my soapbox now. Apparently I had a lot to say about this topic. 😉 Thanks for drawing my attention to that article!
Jessica Rhae says
I worry about the cold weather one now too. For years I didn’t want to leave Chester home in a crate for 12+ hours so I took him to the ski resorts with me. He would sit in the car, snuggle in his down blanket, and be warm and happy. I would stop by the car ever few hours to check on him, let him out to potty, and to play around a little. There is no way he would have been happier sitting at home and he was not in danger if freezing. I will admit that winters here get down to the teens at worst. I might not have left him in the car if it was going to be below zero. It’s a good example of the “use your best judgement for the situation” for sure.
I checked out your paddleboarding trip in Moab. Looks fun. I haven’t been brave enough to venture out on a river yet. I think I might need a more stable board for that though. Anyway, I couldn’t leave a comment because the WordPress sign-in thing doesn’t work for me (it’s a long story).
Dachshund Nola says
I think it’s a great article, and spot on. The fear mongering in the dog community is out of control. You can’t walk your dog without someone flipping their sh!t. I’ve been confronted over letting Nola swim, taking her with me on short errands in the car (winter only – we are in Florida, after all), letting her stick her head out the window, ect. It’s insanity.
Jessica Rhae says
Hey, thanks for stopping by. I am always interested to hear your opinion on things.
I’ve heard the one about dogs sticking their head out the window. Not personally but in conversation. The fear is that something might fly in their eye and poke it out. The thing is though, a dog could be running in the house or back yard, stumble or not be paying attention, and jab something into their eye. Living is about the most dangerous thing ever. Things can happen! But the alternative is not living or living in fear your entire life. Luckily, dogs don’t have that kind of fear.
I am sure that you get extra push back because Nola is a Dachshund. You know, the whole back problems thing… which is primarily hereditary. I am surprised I don’t get more grief about that when it comes to hiking with Chester and Gretel.
Beth says
Wow! So many interesting comments. As with everything there is a time to step up and take action and then a time to MYOB. It’s about using good judgment, really. I hear a lot of bad mouthing about pure bred dogs and that the dog shows are all about breeding. Well, yes it is about breeding. Breeding healthy dogs that meet the breed standard to preserve the standard. I get annoyed because everyone associates breeding a dog with puppy mills.
Another example was when I was recently researching doggie nutrition and found some of the most untrue information presented on the internet as if it was gospel truth. So called experts seem to go overboard with some of their ideas about what to feed and not feed your dog.
Thanks for sharing. I look forward to reading more!
Jessica Rhae says
In the game of internet fame, controversy and sensationalism get you attention. I have seen experts make some shocking claims, intentionally or unintentionally.
The discussion is not for this blog but I have been thinking more and more about “Big Brother”. George Orwell wasn’t too far on in theory but Big Brother is not some omnipotent, out-there thing. It’s us. We are watching each other now and the ever watching cameras are our cell phones. Individuals, in attempt to gain some kind of power, and manipulating, blackmailing, and attempting to force people to do what they think should be done. It permeates everything in life and is extending to how we own and care for our pets. But I digress 🙂
24 Paws of Love says
This has been an interesting conversation. Talk about hittinghome! I recently lost my beloved dog to cancer and someone who I thought was a friend of mine believed my dog was in more pain than we understood because she talked to a couple of HER vet friends (who hadn’t seen my dog) and they claimed he was in more pain than our vet let on. Why she thought it was any of her business, I don’t know, but she took it upon herself to make it hers. I’m surprised she didn’t call the medical cops because we didn’t put him to sleep as soon as we got the diagnosis. She claimed my dog was suffering and needed to be put out of his misery. She assumed all this without talking to us or seeing the dog first hand.
When she found out he died, she never contacted me again.
She made friends with me just to get close to my dogs and gage their welfare if we were fit dog parents. Not to mention I trusted this person as a friend and dog lover. Now I’m just appalled about her. Where do people get off telling others about their business and/or sticking their nose right in yours?
Thank you for sharing this article. I’ll be interested in your thoughts.
Jessica Rhae says
Wow. What a piece of work she was. Kicking you when you were down even.
I like to believe that everyone is good and fair but I know that is just a fantasy world I try to live in. When I hear stories like yours, I am appalled, but not totally shocked, that people like that exist out there. It seems like quite a miserable existence to me.
Becky says
I’ve been reading Jon Katz for years (blog and books) and he just makes more sense all the time. From not letting people adopt because they work too many hours to having farmers arrested because they don’t have heated barns it seems some people in the animal rights movement are getting carried away. The end result is worse for animals in the long run. We don’t all have to agree but using common sense and sharing our ideas does not have to be so shrill!
Jessica Rhae says
I have actually never read his stuff before. I had no idea who he was. Ha, ha. I kind of like that I saw this article with fresh eyes though. I might read more of his stuff now because I think we are on the same plane. I am all for animal rights but I am almost an anarchist. When people start pushing into over-the-top territory my first instinct is to push back the other way. I am certainly not saying animals should be outright mistreated or that there is still not room for progress but what happened to letting dogs be dogs and asking them to do a little “survival” on their own. For example, while I would not leave my dogs outside unsupervised for long periods, I do think it is important that they spend some time outside in the back yard unsupervised. In the summer I leave the door open and they are free to come and go as they please. I don’t live in fear of someone stealing them or an owl swooping down to snatch them up (not that those aren’t totally legitimate concerns in some areas).
Becky says
So the owl swooping down thing is possible (or hawk, eagle, crane etc.) at my house so we do supervise our 8 and 12 pounders but our 20 pounder gets free time. He hasn’t been scooped up yet! I am similar in my beliefs and like to push back too. Generally I just think unless there is actual abuse we just need to mind our own business. Thanks for sparking this discussion.
Jessica Rhae says
Oh, I totally get that it’s a real risk some places. There are a lot of eagles and large hawks here in Western Washington so I would be more careful if we didn’t live in the City.
Carma Poodale says
Sometimes I think people look for excuses to be the “hero”. See a dog in a car , break the window and save the dog. One of these days we will hear a story about how some heroic person broke a window to save a dog and that dog didn’t like strangers or people coming near the car. Then when someones insurance goes up too high for them to pay it , we will have uninsured drivers on the road. There are sometimes that yes a dog needs to be saved because of people who either don’t care or don’t know any better. The other day their was a german shepherd in a truck (truck was running and could see his fur blowing) that was panting up a storm. Ma talked to the dog and there were no signs of distress from heat like dilated eyes but as soon as I went to exit the car, the dog went nuts. Dog was trying to break window to eat me up!
When we walked into the store, a man was at the register paying for food and asked if his dog went nuts. Ma told him yes, she thought he was going to break the window. Man said he thought so since his shepherd didn’t like other large dogs and that is why he didn’t bring him in.
Ma’s dog that she got when she was 16 lived 17 yrs. He never ate dog food in his life. He ate what she ate. Whether that was salad, chili, beans and tators, it didn’t matter. She didn’t have the internet to tell her she was doing wrong. Maybe it wasn’t wrong since he lived so long? Now we see things that are a total no no to feed but the problem is he ate all the no no’s. He never ate chocolate or had alcohol but he ate meals with sweet onions, grapes, and grains..
Sometimes I think a lot of people shield their dogs from so much that it can wreck the ability to fight or digest things. Just like grains. Everyone seems to be jumping on the grain free wagon yet vets, nutritionist and more will tell you that its unlikely that a dog is allergic to grain. Just like people with peanut allergies. Out of 100 people who eat peanuts, maybe 1 will be allergic.
Jessica Rhae says
I think the overprotecting thing can to too far. More kids today have allergies and , although I don’t know a ton about it, it’s suspected it’s partly from kids not being allowed to eat mud pies anymore and because they parents over-sanitize everything.
As someone who is gluten intolerant, I do know it is a real thing. The degree of modification of some grains these days are causing our bodies to basically reject it as food. There are definitely people making dietary choices based solely on personal belief though.
It’s “amazing” what we “did” to our pets back then. I mean, I guess you know better so you do better but not every discretion is cause for an emergency and warrants other people chastising you.
Elaine says
Wow! This is refreshing and I’m so glad you found and wrote about this article. I love Jon Katz and have read several of his books. Like most people here, I’ve become afraid to leave Haley alone in the car even for a minute, no matter what the weather is like because so many people are over-reacting and have lost touch with common sense and common decency on how they treat others.
I think social media deserves a lot of the blame and like Kimberly mentioned above, I agree that it probably has more to do with feeling superior, the desire to shame someone to build their own self-worth and an excuse to be nasty.
I’m proud of my fellow bloggers that support common sense. 🙂
Jessica Rhae says
I had a long response for you but my computer ate it 🙂
It makes me feel better to know there are so many people out there that support common sense too 🙂
Beth says
I’ve read most of Mr. Katz’s books and while I don’t always agree with his perspectives on living with dogs, this is definitely something I can agree with. My mischievous dog seems to have made it her personal mission to work her way through the list of things on the magnet from the ASPCA that we have listing all of the toxic foods for dogs–but most of them, like onions or garlic, are things that have to be consumed in high quantities. When she flew through the air to grab a piece of garlic bread out of my brother’s hand, she got a scolding, but not stomach pumping. A lot of popular brands of dog treats contain garlic or garlic powder–and plenty of people who are quick to scold people like Katz probably purchase those treats. I think it’s important for people to be aware of the signs of a pet being negatively affected by those toxic items and have a vet they feel comfortable calling with questions about those types of incidents–and we should be able to share those experiences and support each other without having people jumping in quickly to judge us; sharing those experiences is so important because it’s how we learn about the symptoms and what to watch out for–my dog did get rushed to the vet after eating sugar-free gum, and the only reason I knew that was so serious is because I had just learned about another dog owner’s experiences with losing a dog to xylitol poisoning. If people are worried about the judgement that comes with sharing experiences like that, people might stop sharing and then we lose out on a great deal of knowledge and the support that other dog owners should be able to provide one another.
So many situations–like your hiking experiences or leaving a dog in the car–depend on the dog as well. Even if I leave my car running or it’s only 40 degrees and the windows are open, my dog is going to pant because she’s anxious when she can’t see me; usually, we’ve also just finished a long hike and she’s tired (but has had plenty of opportunities for water), so that contributes to her panting. I’ve certainly become more wary of leaving her in the car–even if it’s just for 5 minutes while I run into a rest stop–because I have heard so many stories of people trolling parking lots for dogs left in cars. I certainly think it’s important to help dogs in distress, but I also think a lot of people act out of a place of judgement/self-righteousness rather than a desire to actually help.
Thanks for sharing such a thought-provoking article and getting a good conversation started among dog people 🙂
Anonymous says
I think this video says it all:
http://www.upworthy.com/a-woman-lays-out-every-contradictory-way-moms-are-judged-in-1-minute-and-15-seconds?c=hpstream
Its about motherhood, but the same thing applies to dogs. You can be criticized for walking your dog, not walking your dog, taking him to the vet, not taking him. Vaccinating, not vaccinating. Spaying and neutering, not spaying and neutering. Home made diet, commercial diet. Training him, not training him.
There is someone out there in the world who disagrees with how you take care of your pet no matter what. I’m not above this. I make snap judgements too. Only mine are:
If your dogs nails grow down, around, into the paw, and out the other side–it’s too late for excuses. I hate you.
If your dog’s tail is matted to his butt and the glue holding those mats together is his own feces…I hate you.
If your dog has more than 10,000 fleas on him and you still don’t feel like treating the problem…I hate you.
If your dog’s tail falls off because you let your kids rubber band it and forgot it was there until it lands on my grooming table…I hate you.
This pretty much sums up my snap decisions.
We are all weak in some ways I suppose, but trust me, after seeing these things, a dog in a car on a cool day is no biggie.
Jessica Rhae says
Now those are issues to get concerned about! The only one I see semi-frequently is the nails. I’ve seen some dogs with their dew claw almost grown back into their leg. I nicely offer to clip them for them (I don’t carry clippers in my purse but I should. Ha, ha).
Thanks for sharing the video.
Kari says
Jon Katz has written several books about dogs. One especially poignant one is called “Going Home: Finding Peace When Pets Die.” He writes about “Once in a Lifetime Dogs” which is now my preferred descriptor for “Heart Dogs.”
Jessica Rhae says
I should maybe read that. I never got what people meant about a “heart dog” until Gretel found me. Man, I love Chester to pieces but she is my “once in a lifetime” dog.
Slimdoggy says
Great post – and great perspective. The PC police have gone way overboard. I posted a picture of Jack not too long ago. He was sitting in our car, in our driveway waiting to go on our morning hike and I took heat for it…he was in my driveway at 7am for pete’s sake. On the opposite end of the spectrum, I remember an acquaintance asking me if I was going to euthanize Tino when he turned blind from glaucoma. I was amazed that someone would think that was a reasonable reaction to blindness. Middle ground folks, middle ground.
Jessica Rhae says
Yes, middle ground.
Too bad you had to take flak for the picture of Jack. Sometimes I get negativity “out of nowhere” and it stings because I know what I responsible, careful pet parent I am. Occasionally, it makes me want to throw in the towel on this whole blogging thing.
I continue to be surprised by some people’s perspectives. On our Facebook page, someone’s response to the picture in the article was , “get that dog out of the hot car!”. I see a dog eagerly waiting for it’s owner to return. I asked her what about this picture made her think the dog was in distress but she hasn’t responded yet.
The was one see’s the world definitely has to do with this debate. I am very confused and frustrated when someone sees something so different than me, especially when I think they are seeing it through fear and negativity. I suppose someone like me who goes around trying to find the good, or “bright side”, in everything is as annoying to the negative person as they are to me 🙂