Why do Americans love dogs so much?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Judging by the constant posts on this site including this one they and their owners are pretty much the scourge of the earth, so my conclusion is actually that most Americans really dislike dogs. The animosity towards them is enormous.

It's not dogs that people hate--it's the owners.

+1, and that's the sentiment you find oftem on this site when people complain. But many days g owners are the oblivious and will be like "why do you hate dogs???" because that's easier than accepting it is the crap dog owners who are the problem.

Same with kids-- l love kids (have one myself, love hanging out with them) but there are a lot of awful parents in the world who make kids unpleasant to be around. I don't hate those kids, I know it's not their fault.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:What’s not to love? They love their families unconditionally.

So do babies? And also, a baby has never mauled its family

Children kill their parents all the time.

I think you are kidding but this is actually incredibly rare.

Dog bites are super common, though. I like dogs but most dogs could be provoked into biting a human without that much effort (even well behaved dogs-- they are animals with an attack instinct if they are sufficiently threatened), whereas most children simply don't have the means to murder someone even if given a good reason to do so.

Have you ever breastfed a teething infant? Child bites happen all the time, and without provocation. One of the most relevant situations is the common one of a toddler who bites other toddlers in daycare.

Compare bites to bites.

When’s the last time a teething infant mauled his mother and landed her in the ICU?

Well, if you want to talk about maulings, why don't you talk about maulings? You (or another PP) was talking about biting. Get your story straight and shape up.

[Anonymous]

Americans feel so entitled to their individual rights, there’s also this huge cultural trend of being entitled to hold strong boundaries… I think this makes many Americans much less community oriented. So something like dogs, or even kids, that infringe and push those boundaries like space, grass, sound, etc are unliked by many. I think many dog lovers are generally more community minded and open to sharing resources and interacting with others. A few take it too far… it only takes one dog jumping on someone who doesn’t want their body touched ever without their permission, and there’s an issue. In general I’m not such a strong dog lover, but I also don’t think it’s the major infraction that some make it out to be if a dog jumps on you or barks. It happens. It’s called life. Now if your dog is actually physically hurting other people or animals, that’s where I think people should be held more accountable.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:They’re for the feeble minded or anxious who are unable to meaningfully connect with other humans. The dumb animal is more “on their level” and simpler to interact with. That’s a lot of people nowadays.

Nailed it. Hence the claim of seeking "unconditional love" from an animal.

Lots and lots of people have pets that they love and care for, but still understand the boundaries and differences between human and pet.

But there are a lot of dog owners who cannot comprehend the differences and put their pet on an equal pedestal. You don't see this in any other for of pet owner.

Do you have a pet?

Yes, I do. I love them, they bring me joy (and entertainment), but I don't seek validation or "unconditional love" from my pet. I certainly don't think they trump basic courtesy of other humans.

I used to have dogs, and I…also never did those things. Weird, huh?

Right. Not all dog owners are emotionally stunted, but a great many are - the people who bring their dogs with them everywhere certainly are.

Then there are the people who so clearly regret getting a dog, as they completely ignore their animal on an obligatory walk while spaced out on their phone. It's sad.

Few dog owners get a dog for the right reasons.

This is such a bizarre take. I don’t know anyone who brings their dogs into stores or whatever, and also don’t know anyone neglecting their dogs.

Most people are just normal like…I have a dog, we love him, but he’s not our child, and we take care of him. The end.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:What’s not to love? They love their families unconditionally.

So do babies? And also, a baby has never mauled its family

Children kill their parents all the time.

I think you are kidding but this is actually incredibly rare.

Dog bites are super common, though. I like dogs but most dogs could be provoked into biting a human without that much effort (even well behaved dogs-- they are animals with an attack instinct if they are sufficiently threatened), whereas most children simply don't have the means to murder someone even if given a good reason to do so.

Have you ever breastfed a teething infant? Child bites happen all the time, and without provocation. One of the most relevant situations is the common one of a toddler who bites other toddlers in daycare.

Compare bites to bites.

Comparing bites to bites, it is much, much more dangerous to be bitten by a dog than a child. Human beings are not built to be predators -- our teeth and jaws are not designed for clamping, ripping, and tearing. Many dogs' are. Now, dogs are domesticated and these instincts in dogs have been suppressed and reigned in. But I'd still rather be around a child who might bite me than a dog who might bite me.

My baby definitely bit me when she was teething. It could be surprising and sometimes hurt but it never even broke the skin. So "bite to bite" dogs are way scarier than children.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I like dogs perfectly fine, but I don’t get why it seems to be such a thing for Americans to be so enamored of dogs.
It seems like it’s more acceptable to say that you don’t like children than admit that you don’t care for dogs. This doesn’t seem to be as prevalent in other countries. Why is this?

There are lots of people who hate them.

Why?

I've been bitten by a dog.

I do not want your dog approaching me, when I'm minding my business on the right side of a path or sidewalk. Yes, I know most dogs won't bite, but I'm not psychic and do NOT want to be sniffed or approached by your random dog, who I do not know.

Think of it like this - have you ever been sexually assaulted? Obviously most men in public are decent men, but do you want random men who you do not know, to just come right up and invade your personal space? Of course you don't. Because like me with dogs, you're not psychic about total random men.

Don't forget the barking, peeing on people's yards, leaving of dog poop bags, bringing your dog with you everywhere inappropriately, etc. SO many dog owners are beyond rude. I would argue that they are in the majority.

So many dog owners refuse to acknowledge that past experiences with dogs might make someone *justifiably* wary of dogs, and that's fine.

I was attacked by a dog about 20 years ago, the [poorly trained, large] dog of an acquaintance. The dog was surprised by me and came at me very fast with teeth bared. Fortunately my brother [240 lb athlete at the time] was a few feet away and had an incredibly fast reaction and basically through his entire body on the dog. The dog managed only one grazing bite of my ankle, though it did draw blood. My brother wound up with multiple bites. He and another man there managed to basically shove/kick the dog through a doorway and get the door closed. It was terrifying. Had I been alone with the dog, he definitely was capable of killing me, and could also have permanently disabled me or disfigured me.

I don't even hate dogs after that experience, but I have a wariness of larger dogs -- basically anything over 40lbs, and even a 30-40 lb dog can make me nervous if they are muscular and a breed with a strong jaw. I'm okay around smaller dogs, and can even be okay (not super comfortable but not freaking out) around larger dogs if I have a chance to get to know them while they are leashed and well controlled and they can see I'm not a threat and I can see the same.

But I cannot tell you how many times I've told a dog owner that I'm nervous around dogs because of a bad experience, and they will instantly get annoyed with me and tell me their dog is well behaved and would never hurt anyone. Like, okay, great. I have a totally normal and reasonable aversion to dogs because I once saw my life flash before my eyes as an 80 lb dog leapt at me, teeth first. It is so ridiculous that anyone would expect me to be like "oh, I'm sure this dog I've never met before isn't like that, it is fine for him to bound up to me unleashed."

By the way, this dog who attacked me wasn't some trained attack dog. He was a large shelter dog who had been adopted by a lackadaisical college student, who never trained him and often ignored/neglected him. He was aggressive because he had no idea how else to be. Dogs will revert to instinctual, aggressive behavior if it's not socialized and trained out of them, and if they do not learn to defer to their owner. You HAVE to train dogs. It's unreal to me how many dog owners don't understand this, or think only "bad" dogs need to be trained. I sometimes think you should have to get a license to adopt anything other than a small dog.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I like dogs perfectly fine, but I don’t get why it seems to be such a thing for Americans to be so enamored of dogs.
It seems like it’s more acceptable to say that you don’t like children than admit that you don’t care for dogs. This doesn’t seem to be as prevalent in other countries. Why is this?

Dogs are better than children. Every dog owner knows this.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:What’s not to love? They love their families unconditionally.

This. Plus it's not specific to Americans.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I like dogs perfectly fine, but I don’t get why it seems to be such a thing for Americans to be so enamored of dogs.
It seems like it’s more acceptable to say that you don’t like children than admit that you don’t care for dogs. This doesn’t seem to be as prevalent in other countries. Why is this?

There are lots of people who hate them.

Why?

I've been bitten by a dog.

I do not want your dog approaching me, when I'm minding my business on the right side of a path or sidewalk. Yes, I know most dogs won't bite, but I'm not psychic and do NOT want to be sniffed or approached by your random dog, who I do not know.

Think of it like this - have you ever been sexually assaulted? Obviously most men in public are decent men, but do you want random men who you do not know, to just come right up and invade your personal space? Of course you don't. Because like me with dogs, you're not psychic about total random men.

Don't forget the barking, peeing on people's yards, leaving of dog poop bags, bringing your dog with you everywhere inappropriately, etc. SO many dog owners are beyond rude. I would argue that they are in the majority.

So many dog owners refuse to acknowledge that past experiences with dogs might make someone *justifiably* wary of dogs, and that's fine.

I was attacked by a dog about 20 years ago, the [poorly trained, large] dog of an acquaintance. The dog was surprised by me and came at me very fast with teeth bared. Fortunately my brother [240 lb athlete at the time] was a few feet away and had an incredibly fast reaction and basically through his entire body on the dog. The dog managed only one grazing bite of my ankle, though it did draw blood. My brother wound up with multiple bites. He and another man there managed to basically shove/kick the dog through a doorway and get the door closed. It was terrifying. Had I been alone with the dog, he definitely was capable of killing me, and could also have permanently disabled me or disfigured me.

I don't even hate dogs after that experience, but I have a wariness of larger dogs -- basically anything over 40lbs, and even a 30-40 lb dog can make me nervous if they are muscular and a breed with a strong jaw. I'm okay around smaller dogs, and can even be okay (not super comfortable but not freaking out) around larger dogs if I have a chance to get to know them while they are leashed and well controlled and they can see I'm not a threat and I can see the same.

But I cannot tell you how many times I've told a dog owner that I'm nervous around dogs because of a bad experience, and they will instantly get annoyed with me and tell me their dog is well behaved and would never hurt anyone. Like, okay, great. I have a totally normal and reasonable aversion to dogs because I once saw my life flash before my eyes as an 80 lb dog leapt at me, teeth first. It is so ridiculous that anyone would expect me to be like "oh, I'm sure this dog I've never met before isn't like that, it is fine for him to bound up to me unleashed."

By the way, this dog who attacked me wasn't some trained attack dog. He was a large shelter dog who had been adopted by a lackadaisical college student, who never trained him and often ignored/neglected him. He was aggressive because he had no idea how else to be. Dogs will revert to instinctual, aggressive behavior if it's not socialized and trained out of them, and if they do not learn to defer to their owner. You HAVE to train dogs. It's unreal to me how many dog owners don't understand this, or think only "bad" dogs need to be trained. I sometimes think you should have to get a license to adopt anything other than a small dog.

I hate to say not all dog owners but, really not all dog owners are the same. I would respect you if you said that you were nervous around dogs but, not many people respect my dog for being nervous around kids! But, I am mindful of that and don't take him where I know there are a lot of kids.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:They’re for the feeble minded or anxious who are unable to meaningfully connect with other humans. The dumb animal is more “on their level” and simpler to interact with. That’s a lot of people nowadays.

Nailed it. Hence the claim of seeking "unconditional love" from an animal.

Lots and lots of people have pets that they love and care for, but still understand the boundaries and differences between human and pet.

But there are a lot of dog owners who cannot comprehend the differences and put their pet on an equal pedestal. You don't see this in any other for of pet owner.

Do you have a pet?

Yes, I do. I love them, they bring me joy (and entertainment), but I don't seek validation or "unconditional love" from my pet. I certainly don't think they trump basic courtesy of other humans.

I used to have dogs, and I…also never did those things. Weird, huh?

Right. Not all dog owners are emotionally stunted, but a great many are - the people who bring their dogs with them everywhere certainly are.

Then there are the people who so clearly regret getting a dog, as they completely ignore their animal on an obligatory walk while spaced out on their phone. It's sad.

Few dog owners get a dog for the right reasons.

This is such a bizarre take. I don’t know anyone who brings their dogs into stores or whatever, and also don’t know anyone neglecting their dogs.

Most people are just normal like…I have a dog, we love him, but he’s not our child, and we take care of him. The end.

This. I don’t know what kind of people you guys know, but the vast majority of people I know have a dog or two and they are treated like normal dogs. Maybe spoiled dogs because we’re financially secure and can afford to give them a nice life.

I love my dogs very much and talk about them and take pictures of them sometimes. So what. And we take our dog to Petsmart, but that’s it.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:France was the first place I saw people really crazy for dogs. This was in the 1970s. It was way beyond anything I'd seen here. Dogs in stores and restaurants. This is a newer trend in the U.S.

When Odysseus comes home to Ithaca, his dog remembers him and they have a sweet reunion.

It's not a pathology and it's not only in the U.S. and it's not new to love dogs.

Dogs and other pets give us a connection to nature, the earth, animal husbandry, and satisfy our need to care for another and give love. They are there for us and love us in a very special way.

Same here but it was Belgium for me. Lived there in the 70s and dogs were allowed in restaurants. I could not believe it at the time. It's not just Americans that love dogs so much--it's a worldwide phenomenon and it has increased in the past few decades.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I like dogs perfectly fine, but I don’t get why it seems to be such a thing for Americans to be so enamored of dogs.
It seems like it’s more acceptable to say that you don’t like children than admit that you don’t care for dogs. This doesn’t seem to be as prevalent in other countries. Why is this?

There are lots of people who hate them.

Why?

I've been bitten by a dog.

I do not want your dog approaching me, when I'm minding my business on the right side of a path or sidewalk. Yes, I know most dogs won't bite, but I'm not psychic and do NOT want to be sniffed or approached by your random dog, who I do not know.

Think of it like this - have you ever been sexually assaulted? Obviously most men in public are decent men, but do you want random men who you do not know, to just come right up and invade your personal space? Of course you don't. Because like me with dogs, you're not psychic about total random men.

Don't forget the barking, peeing on people's yards, leaving of dog poop bags, bringing your dog with you everywhere inappropriately, etc. SO many dog owners are beyond rude. I would argue that they are in the majority.

So many dog owners refuse to acknowledge that past experiences with dogs might make someone *justifiably* wary of dogs, and that's fine.

I was attacked by a dog about 20 years ago, the [poorly trained, large] dog of an acquaintance. The dog was surprised by me and came at me very fast with teeth bared. Fortunately my brother [240 lb athlete at the time] was a few feet away and had an incredibly fast reaction and basically through his entire body on the dog. The dog managed only one grazing bite of my ankle, though it did draw blood. My brother wound up with multiple bites. He and another man there managed to basically shove/kick the dog through a doorway and get the door closed. It was terrifying. Had I been alone with the dog, he definitely was capable of killing me, and could also have permanently disabled me or disfigured me.

I don't even hate dogs after that experience, but I have a wariness of larger dogs -- basically anything over 40lbs, and even a 30-40 lb dog can make me nervous if they are muscular and a breed with a strong jaw. I'm okay around smaller dogs, and can even be okay (not super comfortable but not freaking out) around larger dogs if I have a chance to get to know them while they are leashed and well controlled and they can see I'm not a threat and I can see the same.

But I cannot tell you how many times I've told a dog owner that I'm nervous around dogs because of a bad experience, and they will instantly get annoyed with me and tell me their dog is well behaved and would never hurt anyone. Like, okay, great. I have a totally normal and reasonable aversion to dogs because I once saw my life flash before my eyes as an 80 lb dog leapt at me, teeth first. It is so ridiculous that anyone would expect me to be like "oh, I'm sure this dog I've never met before isn't like that, it is fine for him to bound up to me unleashed."

By the way, this dog who attacked me wasn't some trained attack dog. He was a large shelter dog who had been adopted by a lackadaisical college student, who never trained him and often ignored/neglected him. He was aggressive because he had no idea how else to be. Dogs will revert to instinctual, aggressive behavior if it's not socialized and trained out of them, and if they do not learn to defer to their owner. You HAVE to train dogs. It's unreal to me how many dog owners don't understand this, or think only "bad" dogs need to be trained. I sometimes think you should have to get a license to adopt anything other than a small dog.

I hate to say not all dog owners but, really not all dog owners are the same. I would respect you if you said that you were nervous around dogs but, not many people respect my dog for being nervous around kids! But, I am mindful of that and don't take him where I know there are a lot of kids.

Of course "not all dog owners." Of course there are very responsible, respectful dog owners out there who get it. There are others who very much don't. If I don't know you or your dog, I'm going to operate under the assumption that your dog could hurt me and that you might not be someone I can trust to control your dog if they tried. That doesn't mean I hate dogs. It means I have a bad prior experience with dogs and choose to be extra cautious moving forward because I just don't know.

I find it frankly bizarre how many people seem to expect total strangers to be eager to interact with their dog, off leash, even when their dog might be excited or worked up. A little common sense would go a long way here.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:They’re for the feeble minded or anxious who are unable to meaningfully connect with other humans. The dumb animal is more “on their level” and simpler to interact with. That’s a lot of people nowadays.

Nailed it. Hence the claim of seeking "unconditional love" from an animal.

Lots and lots of people have pets that they love and care for, but still understand the boundaries and differences between human and pet.

But there are a lot of dog owners who cannot comprehend the differences and put their pet on an equal pedestal. You don't see this in any other for of pet owner.

Really? I would like your evidence on that one! Tell us more about the 'boundaries' that one should hold. Since when does loving a dog and accepting their unconditional love mean that you don't love humans or put them on a pedestal?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:What’s not to love? They love their families unconditionally.

So do babies? And also, a baby has never mauled its family

Children kill their parents all the time.

I think you are kidding but this is actually incredibly rare.

Dog bites are super common, though. I like dogs but most dogs could be provoked into biting a human without that much effort (even well behaved dogs-- they are animals with an attack instinct if they are sufficiently threatened), whereas most children simply don't have the means to murder someone even if given a good reason to do so.

Have you ever breastfed a teething infant? Child bites happen all the time, and without provocation. One of the most relevant situations is the common one of a toddler who bites other toddlers in daycare.

Compare bites to bites.

When’s the last time a teething infant mauled his mother and landed her in the ICU?

This is such an apple and orange comparison

[Anonymous]

All the dog owners I personally know are normal and care for their dogs and train them, except for one neighbor who definitely neglects his dog and leaves her home alone a lot and has not properly trained her. I dislike that neighbor.

However, I frequently see dog owners I don't know doing really rude, inappropriate things with their dogs. There's pretty much always a dog or two at the grocery store when I go now. People bring their dogs off leash to parks in my neighborhood all the time. A lot of the dogs I see are not well controlled. I've encountered poorly socialized dogs in crowded areas who were lunging and barking at people and other dogs, and their owners were oblivious or even defensive. I've seen dogs brought to school events who ran around wildly knocking into kids and adults and stealing food.

So even though all the dog owners I know are responsible, good dog owners, there is quite clearly a scourge of horrible, bad dog owners out there. It feels worse than it used to? I suspect because a lot of people adopted dogs during the pandemic who probably should not have done so.