Dog "Ownership"?

shotgunner11

shotgunner11

Joined
Dec 17, 2005
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Hey guys, hope this isn't too off topic.

This is Chloe.

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She's an 8 mo. old Pitbull/shepard mix and shes been with us for about a month and a half.
She was a rescue, abused, and it took her quite a while to get comfortable around me. She still squirts on the floor if I yell at her in a particular tone.

She's a good woodswalking dog, lives for her time outside, but she still can't be off a leash. If she sees a rabbit or bird, I'll never see her again.

She's just about my best buddy now, she follows me everywhere in the house and the yard. She waits for me to get home from work at the door and whines when I leave. She lays on my feet when I watch TV, shes just a great dog.

I was a bit nervous about her being half Pit and watched her like a hawk when she was around the kids for the first few weeks but shes as gentle as can be.

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Now for the question, do you "OWN" your dog?

Not to sound like a PETA freak or anything, but I think it says alot about how a person views life and animals.

I care for Chloe, make decisions for her, provide for her, and live with her, but I don't feel as though I have the right to "own" another living thing.

Please dont take this as an insult, if you think differently, I think no less of you, it's just an opinion I have and was kinda wondering if I was the only one who felt that way.
 
I don't know...but that is one good looking dog! I am happy for your family, I am stuck with a stupid cat that hates people and my wife swears is a smart animal....I just don't get it. I think shes your friend...and I bet she thinks your the boss, and that matters to a dog more than us.
 
Thanks GKN, don't even get me started on the damn cats. Three of them in the house, wife won't let me use them for target practice.
 
I dunno. I view my dog as my responsibility. I'm responsible for his well being and his happiness. I'm also responsible to society for any deeds or misdeeds performed by him.

If I may give a bit of unsolicited advice- I wouldn't tell anyone that your dog has any pit, or shepherd in him/her. Heaven forbid something happens, there are practically no home owners insurance companies that will cover you if your dog has any pit. I'm pretty sure the shepherds are treated in the same light. (sad, but true)

Gorgeous and sweet looking pup though!
 
Thanks Runs with scissors, we discussed that with our vet and she said that we don't need to list Chloes breed to anyone because she's a mixed breed.

On the rare occasion that an insurance company makes an inquiry to her office, she said unless she considers a dog aggressive, she just tells them she's a mutt with no known breed.
 
To me, dogs are property. Same with cats, though I get the feeling they would disagree.
 
Yes, I own my dog. Otherwise he could bite people and I wouldn't be responsible, it'd be his choice.

If you don't own Chloe, let her run off.
 
I don't own my daughter, but I was responsible for her when she was young, and I still take some pride in how well she takes care of herself and business now.

I looked on my cats and on my dogs as adopted non-human members of the family. Definitely my responsibility as senior, but not my property. If they weren't happy around me, they would have gotten themselves adopted out.
 
I agree. My dogs to me are like members of the family. (Like Children). I am responsible for their well-being as well as their behavior. And I do things they don't like every once in a while...but it is in their best interest. If for some reason I felt my dogs were unhappy or were not able to be taken care of properly by me...I would go far out of my way to make sure they went somewhere they would be properly cared for.

When I got divorced I had to make the decision to either keep my dog in a tiny apartment with me working 80 hours a week or give her up. I gave her up to people that could take better care of her than I could at the time. It was hard...but it was in her best interest.
 
My dog has made it perfectly clear who owns who. Perhaps 'owns' is too strong a word, but she definitely thinks she's the head of the family.

More seriously, I think when we talk of owning an animal we're using a kind of verbal shorthand. We're responsible for them and we're responsible for their actions but there are still plenty of limits as to how far the rights of 'ownership' go.
 
We have a couple of cats and a couple of dogs that live with us. Own? Not us! However, we have taken the responsibility to provide for them and keep them healthy, so just like with our kids, there are rules in our home about running around in traffic and so on. We love em all and they return it. Although, it can be a real sideshow at times, what with a set of twin granddaughters getting ready to walk, an old cuss of a Manx that's set in his ways at 15 and his sis that's a witch at times and that's if she likes ya, a rescue Jack Russell terrorist that is as sweet as she can be, till she sees a cat willing to run from her and our latest child that's a 5# Rat terrier, who was abused by her previous family and is very skiddish, but loves to ask the old manx if he wants to play. Every time he's sees him.:D
 
Long have I guarded these prison like walls, of brick and wire and stone,
with not to break the time of day but a drop of water and piece of bone.
How I've longed to be a Sheppard in the opened and God kissed land,
and lead the sheep to water for the touch of the masters hand.

he epitaph my father wrought for the passing of his dog El Lobo Bianco
 
shotgunner11 said:
Thanks GKN, don't even get me started on the damn cats. Three of them in the house, wife won't let me use them for target practice.
Click to expand...

Your wife is absolutely right! Wasting perfectly good ammunition on a cat. Now if you check with coote about an appropriate snare....................

Doc
 
Dog owner here. OWNER. That is the legal status that animals have -- they are property, they are bought and sold, and that is as it should be. After what I pay for my dogs, I damn well better be "allowed" to own them!

Currently, I have a Brittany. She is my friend, companion, and servant in that she has responsibilities she is expected to perform beyond friend and companion. I am her servant in that I have responsibilities that extend beyond friendship and companionship.

She is not a disposable piece of property, like a table, lamp, chair, or car. None of those things are animate, affectionate, etc, but, just like a cow or horse, she is property and is owned.
 
I don't believe any animal, humans included, has the right to own another. We take care of other critters because we like to, and it also has health benefits for us. Lately I've wanted a dog, but I don't know if I could handle the responsibility, and our lease says no dogs.
 
I believe dogs should be free...once they get a job and can feed themselves :D

Seriously though, I own two dogs and am free to do what I want with them (within legal boundries, of course). The caveat is that I am responsible for all damages and expenses they incur. I can handle that.
 
I own my dogs and they run my life.:D


but if anything happens involving them it's all on me.
 
Well, I'm glad to see I'm not in the minority in my opinions.

As far as responsibility for a dogs actions, I'm liable for anything my children do wrong until they reach a particular age but I don't own them, so that point is moot.

Paying money for an animal really doesn't work either, if I were to pay the tens of thousands of dollars to adopt a child, do I then own them?

Don't think I'm one of those people who consider an animal to be equal to a child, just using that as an example.
 
Mans best friend, My dog Cisco Kid is my constant companion and we are devoted to each other but I am the master because in the K-9 pecking order that is how it is. Do I own him ? No.Am I responsible for him? Yes.
 
I find dog ownership is give and take.

The dogs work at seeing/hearing things i do not.

Keeping Varmints away from the house.

And I forgive the one who chewed a hole in the middle of the family room carpet that was less than 1 year old, about the same age as the dog that did it.
 
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