Big Paws Only Dog Forums

I got this comment off of another list:
... abandonment is the worst form of punishment for a dog - it's what they use for seriously aggressive dogs in the ABOTC anti-aggression program and even they only consider abandoning for 20 minutes max. Making a dog sleep by itself without a human or canine companion, is a recipe for psychosis. It's no different than making a child live in a closet or the garage. Dogs are pack animals and that is just another word for "affectionate" or family.

Who agrees with this and who thinks it's an overstatement?

A dog's diary:


 7 am - Oh boy! A walk! My favorite!

 8 am - Oh boy! Dog food! My favorite!

 9 am - Oh boy! The kids! My favorite!

 Noon - Oh boy! The yard! My favorite!

 2 pm - Oh boy! A car ride! My favorite!

 3 pm - Oh boy! The kids! My favorite!

 4 pm - Oh boy! Playing ball! My favorite!

 6 pm - Oh boy! Welcome home Mom! My favorite!

 7 pm - Oh boy! Welcome home Dad! My favorite!

 8 pm - Oh boy! Dog food! My favorite!

 9 pm - Oh boy! Tummy rubs on the couch! My favorite!

 

 11 pm - Oh boy! Sleeping in my people's bed! My favorite!

 

 A cat's diary:


Day 183 of my captivity. My captors continued to taunt me with bizarre little dangling objects. They dine lavishly on fresh meat, while I am forced ! to eat dry cereal. The only thing that keeps me going is the  hope of escape, and the mild satisfaction I get from clawing the  furniture. Tomorrow I may eat another house plant.  Today my attempt to kill my captors by weaving around their feet while they were walking almost succeeded - must try this at the top of the stairs. In an attempt to disgust and repulse these vile oppressors, I once again induced myself to vomit on their favorite chair - must try this on their bed. Decapitated a mouse and brought them the headless body in an attempt to make them aware of what I am capable of, and to try to strike fear in their hearts. They only cooed and condescended about what a good little cat I was. Hmmm, not working according to plan.  There was some sort of gathering of their accomplices. I was placed in

solitary throughout the event. However, I could hear the noise and smell the food. More important, I overheard that my confinement was due to my powers of inducing "allergies." Must learn what this is and how to use it to my advantage.

 

I am convinced the other captives are flunkies and maybe snitches. The dog is routinely released and seems more than happy to return. He is obviously a half-wit. The bird, on the other hand, has got to be an informant and speaks with them regularly. I am certain he reports my every move. Due to his current placement in the metal room, his safety is assured.  But I can wait; it is only a matter of time.

 --

Mind Games Dogs Play With Humans   

1. After your humans give you a bath, DON'T LET THEM TOWEL   
DRY YOU! Instead, run to their bed, jump up and dry your-   
self off on the sheets. This is especially good if it's   
right before your human's bedtime.   

2. Act like a convicted criminal. When the humans come home,   
put your ears back, tail between your legs, chin down and   
act as if you have done something really bad. Then, watch   
as the humans frantically search the house for the damage   
they think you have caused.(Note: This only works when you   
have done absolutely nothing wrong.)   

3. Let the humans teach you a brand new trick. Learn it   
perfectly. Then the humans try to demonstrate it to someone   
else, stare blankly back at the humans. Pretend you have no   
idea what they're talking about.   
   
4. Make your humans be patient. When you go outside to go   
'pee', sniff around the entire yard as your humans wait. Act   
as if the spot you choose to go pee will ultimately decide   
the fate of the earth.   

5. Draw attention to the human. When out for a walk always   
pick the busiest, most visible spot to go 'poo'. Take your   
time and make sure everyone watches. This works particularly   
well if your humans have forgotten to bring a plastic bag.   

6. When out for a walk, alternate between choking and cough-   
ing every time a strange human walks by.   

7. Make your own rules. Don't always bring back the stick   
when playing fetch with the humans. Make them go and chase   
it once in a while.   

8. Hide from your humans. When your humans come home, don't   
greet them at the door. Instead, hide from them, and make   
them think something terrible has happened to you. (Don't   
reappear until one of your humans is panic-stricken and   
close to tears).   

9. When your human calls you to come back in, always take   
your time. Walk as slowly as possible back to the door.   

10. Wake up twenty minutes before the alarm clock is set   
to go off and make the humans take you out for your morn-   
ing business. As soon as you get back inside, fall asleep.   
(Humans can rarely fall back asleep after going outside,   
this will drive them nuts!)   
   

Happy elevenmonthold day Pip!

CARNATION, Wash. - A barn fire killed six purebred sheep and destroyed a couple's irreplaceable guitars and family scrapbooks and three vehicles, but it could have been worse.

Diane Pagel and her husband, Jeff Freeman, thought they had lost as many as 20 prized sheep when their barn about three miles north of town burned down because of an electrical short-circuit early Thursday morning.

Then they discovered all but six sheep had been herded to safety by Kodiak, their Great Pyrenees guard dog.

"Sheep will go to where it is safe, and for them that was the barn," Pagel said, "but apparently Kodiak got them out. He was the last one out of the barn because hair has been burned on his back legs and back."

Her biggest loss was Granny, a 14-year-old toothless ewe who required special food.

"She was the Eve of my herd," said Pagel, a
Federal Aviation Administration aerospace engineer.

The fire was reported shortly before 5 a.m PST and the barn was filled with smoke and flames when firefighters arrived, Eastside Fire and Rescue Chief Lee A. Soptich said. Fire crews had to go more than a mile for water and struggled to cool a 500-gallon propane tank outside the barn and keep it from exploding, Soptich said.

"If the tank had caught on fire, it would have acted like a bomb," Freeman said.

Losses include all the original words and music of his two bands; his four guitars, a 1957 Telecaster and three custom-made instruments; a Nissan pickup, Subaru Legacy station wagon and Mazda Navajo; several bicycles, and equipment for Freeman's work as a painting contractor.

"I lost my childhood," Freeman said. "That's where I kept all my personal scrapbooks and pictures. They can't be replaced."

10. He's distracted by cats chasing his mouse.

9. SIT and STAY were hard enough; CUT and PASTE are out of the question.

8. Saliva-coated floppy disks refuse to work.

7. Three words: carpal paw syndrome.

6. Involuntary tail wagging is a dead give-away that he's browsing www.purina.com instead of working.

5. The fire hydrant icon is simply too frustrating.

4. He can't help attacking the screen when he hears "You've Got Mail."

3. It's too messy to "mark" every Web site he visits.

2. The FETCH command isn't available on all platforms.

1. He can't stick his head out of Windows XP.

...

 Poor guy is going to go crazy with boredom!

Let me rephrase that, his boredom is going to drive me crazy!