Why do people buy unsuitable dogs?
Discussion
Watched a short video on Alaskan Malamutes yesterday, looking at their suitability as pets.
From what I could work out:
- huge (so expensive to feed)
- very powerful (potentially dangerous)
- stubborn, strong willed and difficult to train
- not affectionate
- shed loads so constant battle to keep house clean
- need intensive exercise or can become destructive
- escape artists
- can’t be trusted off lead as high prey drive and don’t listen to owners so can’t really do off lead walks
- aggressive with other dogs, especially same sex so difficulty mixing with other dogs - generally only work as single pets
- not great with children (at least young ones who don’t understand how to treat them)
These dogs were bred to live outside, be independent and to pull sledges. Why would anyone want one as a pet?
From what I could work out:
- huge (so expensive to feed)
- very powerful (potentially dangerous)
- stubborn, strong willed and difficult to train
- not affectionate
- shed loads so constant battle to keep house clean
- need intensive exercise or can become destructive
- escape artists
- can’t be trusted off lead as high prey drive and don’t listen to owners so can’t really do off lead walks
- aggressive with other dogs, especially same sex so difficulty mixing with other dogs - generally only work as single pets
- not great with children (at least young ones who don’t understand how to treat them)
These dogs were bred to live outside, be independent and to pull sledges. Why would anyone want one as a pet?
When I was in the North Pole we did a husky ride where I drove the sled, afterwards the bloke that owned 70 huskies was talking to us and said that over there anyone that owns a malamute needs to accept that sooner or later it will kill and eat your neighbours pets.
My friend had a malamute, it may as well have been a wolf...it was scary mental.
My friend had a malamute, it may as well have been a wolf...it was scary mental.
Esceptico said:
Watched a short video on Alaskan Malamutes yesterday, looking at their suitability as pets.
From what I could work out:
- huge (so expensive to feed)
- very powerful (potentially dangerous)
- stubborn, strong willed and difficult to train
- not affectionate
- shed loads so constant battle to keep house clean
- need intensive exercise or can become destructive
- escape artists
- can’t be trusted off lead as high prey drive and don’t listen to owners so can’t really do off lead walks
- aggressive with other dogs, especially same sex so difficulty mixing with other dogs - generally only work as single pets
- not great with children (at least young ones who don’t understand how to treat them)
These dogs were bred to live outside, be independent and to pull sledges. Why would anyone want one as a pet?
- huge (so expensive to feed) - Expensive is relative, its like trying to argue everyone should drive 1 litre cars, because big engines are expensive to run.From what I could work out:
- huge (so expensive to feed)
- very powerful (potentially dangerous)
- stubborn, strong willed and difficult to train
- not affectionate
- shed loads so constant battle to keep house clean
- need intensive exercise or can become destructive
- escape artists
- can’t be trusted off lead as high prey drive and don’t listen to owners so can’t really do off lead walks
- aggressive with other dogs, especially same sex so difficulty mixing with other dogs - generally only work as single pets
- not great with children (at least young ones who don’t understand how to treat them)
These dogs were bred to live outside, be independent and to pull sledges. Why would anyone want one as a pet?
- very powerful (potentially dangerous) - Powerful doesn't mean potentially dangerous, a chihuahua can cause a fair amount of damage to someone.
- stubborn, strong willed and difficult to train - So are a lot of dogs, such as Dalmatians.
- not affectionate - that is probably dog specific, some will be, others wont, like most breeds.
- shed loads so constant battle to keep house clean - People probably don't care if they love the dog.
- need intensive exercise or can become destructive - Like alot of other dogs, Staffies, Bulldogs, Terriers.
- escape artists - Again, similar to other dogs, my old German Shepherd once removed the letterbox from the front door, and then removed the bottom half of the UPVC front door to get out.
- can’t be trusted off lead as high prey drive and don’t listen to owners so can’t really do off lead walks - Need to be careful with every dog off the lead, not all dogs are good off the lead.
- aggressive with other dogs, especially same sex so difficulty mixing with other dogs - generally only work as single pets - Many other breeds can be like that, I have a westie that hates big dogs, and black dogs.
- not great with children (at least young ones who don’t understand how to treat them) - Children shouldnt be left alone with any pet, again, it wouldnt take long for a chihuahua to cause some serious damage to a child.
Evanivitch said:
How many people buy dogs purely on aesthetics? Too many.
I get the visual appeal of Malamutes and Huskies but the downsides seem huge compared with other dogs. Off lead walks and cuddles are probably the two things I like most about owning a dog - particularly the latter. Having an aloof dog as a pet seems a waste of time and money. Smurfsarepeopletoo said:
- huge (so expensive to feed) - Expensive is relative, its like trying to argue everyone should drive 1 litre cars, because big engines are expensive to run.
- very powerful (potentially dangerous) - Powerful doesn't mean potentially dangerous, a chihuahua can cause a fair amount of damage to someone.
- stubborn, strong willed and difficult to train - So are a lot of dogs, such as Dalmatians.
- not affectionate - that is probably dog specific, some will be, others wont, like most breeds.
- shed loads so constant battle to keep house clean - People probably don't care if they love the dog.
- need intensive exercise or can become destructive - Like alot of other dogs, Staffies, Bulldogs, Terriers.
- escape artists - Again, similar to other dogs, my old German Shepherd once removed the letterbox from the front door, and then removed the bottom half of the UPVC front door to get out.
- can’t be trusted off lead as high prey drive and don’t listen to owners so can’t really do off lead walks - Need to be careful with every dog off the lead, not all dogs are good off the lead.
- aggressive with other dogs, especially same sex so difficulty mixing with other dogs - generally only work as single pets - Many other breeds can be like that, I have a westie that hates big dogs, and black dogs.
- not great with children (at least young ones who don’t understand how to treat them) - Children shouldnt be left alone with any pet, again, it wouldnt take long for a chihuahua to cause some serious damage to a child.
You are joking about the Chihuahua I hope. I’m sure they can give you a nasty nip but when you see stories in the news about people killed by dogs (except perhaps babies) it is almost always big, aggressive dogs. - very powerful (potentially dangerous) - Powerful doesn't mean potentially dangerous, a chihuahua can cause a fair amount of damage to someone.
- stubborn, strong willed and difficult to train - So are a lot of dogs, such as Dalmatians.
- not affectionate - that is probably dog specific, some will be, others wont, like most breeds.
- shed loads so constant battle to keep house clean - People probably don't care if they love the dog.
- need intensive exercise or can become destructive - Like alot of other dogs, Staffies, Bulldogs, Terriers.
- escape artists - Again, similar to other dogs, my old German Shepherd once removed the letterbox from the front door, and then removed the bottom half of the UPVC front door to get out.
- can’t be trusted off lead as high prey drive and don’t listen to owners so can’t really do off lead walks - Need to be careful with every dog off the lead, not all dogs are good off the lead.
- aggressive with other dogs, especially same sex so difficulty mixing with other dogs - generally only work as single pets - Many other breeds can be like that, I have a westie that hates big dogs, and black dogs.
- not great with children (at least young ones who don’t understand how to treat them) - Children shouldnt be left alone with any pet, again, it wouldnt take long for a chihuahua to cause some serious damage to a child.
My comments above about Malamutes not really being suitable as pets applies to lots of other breeds too.
Esceptico said:
Evanivitch said:
How many people buy dogs purely on aesthetics? Too many.
I get the visual appeal of Malamutes and Huskies but the downsides seem huge compared with other dogs. Off lead walks and cuddles are probably the two things I like most about owning a dog - particularly the latter. Having an aloof dog as a pet seems a waste of time and money. Esceptico said:
You are joking about the Chihuahua I hope. I’m sure they can give you a nasty nip but when you see stories in the news about people killed by dogs (except perhaps babies) it is almost always big, aggressive dogs.
My comments above about Malamutes not really being suitable as pets applies to lots of other breeds too.
Any dog can be aggressive, the biggest issue is irresponsible owners, and the majority of your points, apply to children as well.My comments above about Malamutes not really being suitable as pets applies to lots of other breeds too.
There is no logic to to why people have dogs, however, the majority of responsible dog owners, are happy to adjust their lives to accommodate having the dog.
The question you have posed, can be put to a number of things, Cars, children, houses.
2019 and the youngest victim was just 3 weeks old.
It's sickening that they allow someone with children to own a vicious animal.
https://www.dogsbite.org/dog-bite-statistics-fatal...
It's sickening that they allow someone with children to own a vicious animal.
https://www.dogsbite.org/dog-bite-statistics-fatal...
ChocolateFrog said:
Do you walk him(or her) off the lead because I never see them off when I'm out and about?
Yes, I walk her off the lead when in a large quiet area. She is pretty good really with recall.When near other dogs, I always put her back on the lead, but I assure you, its always the other dog that's making all the noise, pulling hard to have a slice of her, especially the smaller ones. She hoofs and puffs a bit that's all.
In fact I've never known such a gentle affectionate dog, beautiful soul she is.
Esceptico said:
Is that an American Akita?
You've got the Akita
And then the Akita Inu.
http://www.friendsofakitas.co.uk/site.php?action=a...
The comments about walking a dog off the lead seem a little bizarre to me. I've grown up.with dogs all my life, I'm 40 now, and lost count of the amount of dogs I've dealt with including extended family pets.
My experience is mainly Greyhounds and German Shepherds, including a couple of mixtures of the two!
Take greyhounds as an example. All mine have been ex racer rescue dogs, they make amazing pets and are brilliant with kids but I would never have one off a lead in a public place. They are sight hounds and if they see a small animal they will go and good luck recalling one. It doesn't mean they are bad dogs or pets, far from it but they must be kept on a lead.
The worst dog I ever came across was a West Highland White, it was very aggressive and had a nasty bite. It was a neighbours dog many years ago and had a bite bad enough to take a lump out of a greyhounds rear thigh, so magine what it could have done to a child.
Also knew a Lasa Apso which had a nasty bite, was my now wife's family dog when I first met her and they let it rule the house basically, it hated me as I treated it like a dog and not a child.
I do believe no dogs are born bad, it's owners who don't know how to handle the dog and many do treat them like children rather than a dog.
My experience is mainly Greyhounds and German Shepherds, including a couple of mixtures of the two!
Take greyhounds as an example. All mine have been ex racer rescue dogs, they make amazing pets and are brilliant with kids but I would never have one off a lead in a public place. They are sight hounds and if they see a small animal they will go and good luck recalling one. It doesn't mean they are bad dogs or pets, far from it but they must be kept on a lead.
The worst dog I ever came across was a West Highland White, it was very aggressive and had a nasty bite. It was a neighbours dog many years ago and had a bite bad enough to take a lump out of a greyhounds rear thigh, so magine what it could have done to a child.
Also knew a Lasa Apso which had a nasty bite, was my now wife's family dog when I first met her and they let it rule the house basically, it hated me as I treated it like a dog and not a child.
I do believe no dogs are born bad, it's owners who don't know how to handle the dog and many do treat them like children rather than a dog.
Lincsls1 said:
There's no such thing apparently.
You've got the Akita
And then the Akita Inu.
http://www.friendsofakitas.co.uk/site.php?action=a...
My understanding is that when Akitas were taken back to the US from Japan they were bred with other dogs such as German Shepherds / Malamutes/ Huskies so that they are not pure bred like the Japanese dogs. Hence non Japanese Akitas look different and generally bigger. I don’t know about Akitas in the U.K. though ie do they originate from Japan and are pure breeds or from the US so mixed. You've got the Akita
And then the Akita Inu.
http://www.friendsofakitas.co.uk/site.php?action=a...
Lincsls1 said:
Yep, I agree!
Ours is same. She’s the softest most gentle dog you could hope to meet and is everyone’s friend, especially if you have treats. We don’t let her off the lead if there’s other dogs around as many dogs, especially little ones, seem to be aggressive towards her. 
Edited by 4Q on Sunday 28th February 22:00
Edited by 4Q on Sunday 28th February 22:01
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