Not you LS, i didn't find your posts offensive

I didn't mean for it to start a whole discussion, it was a passing comment I thought people would laugh at. Yes in an ideal world. But most people, as I was kindly reminded, don't live in my world which is dogs dogs dogs, and it's not the most important thing on their mind. But then in saying that they don't always see the horrors that I see, or if they did it wouldn't be a 'horror' to them, just another dog being 'bad'. I don't see bad dogs anywhere, just so many who shouldn't be in homes that ultimately don't understand The Dog.
It makes you not like people so much, when you see lots of suffering. Like those who work in child protection sometimes need reminding that it's not all like that...

I understand where you're coming from Jess. I was looking at senior schools yesterday (yeah I know she's only a few months old ) and my old one states:

"all pupils will mature as thoughtful, responsible, considerate idividuals" and talks about believing in the beauty of creation, etc. I guess if kids are being taught some measure of respect and tolerance they could include respect of animals in there too? Or they could have it even as part of conservation talks. Work placements to animal shelters? (I'd have loved that!)

Jess if i've pi**ed you off it wasn't intentional, I knew you were being flip but it has become a topic of discussion even if that was not your intention, I certainly don't think of you as foolish idiot quite the opposite.

.... ......

So, just to move it on a bit - how did we all learn to love and respect animals, and dogs in particular? Were we brought up with them? Did our parents teach us how to behave?

I wasn't brought up with dogs at home. I was desperate for my own dog and it was all I went on about for years and years. I would walk other people's dogs in the village where I grew up, bring home and waif and stray I found and would read all the books I could get my hands on about dogs (I adored Joyce Stranger's books).

I don't really know where my love of dogs came from - I was just born with it I think I have always had a love and respect for animals of all kinds but not quite sure whether I was *taught* respect for animals, or whether it was just in-built into me. I shall have to ask my parents!

I had a holiday every summer on my grandparents farm in rural Southern Ireland as a child and spent every waking moment playing/walking/feeding and grooming the farm collies, so that probably has a part to play too.

So, is a love of dogs a learned thing, or is it in-built into us? Why do some people hate dogs? Fear, ignorance or just a complete lack of interest?

Moobli - !!!!

wow me too...

I have often wondered if my dog experience has been taught through walking and 'training' so many different ones... if i had one family dog, I prob wouldn't have gone to all the neighbourhood (and beyond ) dogs.

It's so weird you ask, because I have always pondered over where my love for the critters has come from. I mean my parents are luke warm on the subject.. I mean they love mine to bits (I got them their own last dec. and they still haven't forgiven me - although he is SPOILED ) but they would never pull over just to jump out and talk to a complete stranger about their beautiful/rare breed/odd looking dog! (but then i really do have problems )

So where did it come from? Previous life?

I just remembered, this weekend we were laughing (yet again) about my 'dog' Duke. Not sure what he was but he was invisible. I was 4 (they tell me) and i took him everywhere. One day i tied him outside the shops and left him and I made mum go all the way down the road again so I could get him. I was weird from the start!

But then, how cruel after such a show NOT to get your kid a dog

I'm guessing by the some people comment you mean me jess as we do appear to 'lock horns' quite a lot.
I apologise if you think make 'horrid comments'...i would like to know what I've said that is 'horrid' though. Just because I don't agree with you Jess, doesn't make my comments horrid. I always try to be civil and poilte on these threads, no matter how heated debates may become.
I apologise if you feel I rip your posts to shreds...I'm not doing that intentionally at all. What I feel I am doing is debating and discussing on an internet forum and as I say I try to do it in a polite and civil manner. You obviously don't think I manage to do that, for that I apologise.
I am allowed my opinions though Jess...as are you...what's the point in debating if you can't express it?

Moobli...good way of moving it forward...
I have ALWAYS just loved animals...all of them, don't know how or where it came from, except that I think it may be genetic to be honest.
My family were farmers in Lithuania, the other side were farriers and owned big old Clydesdale horses and bred dogs...it's 'in'me ....but strangely not in my sister who hates anything furry....

As a family we always had a dog, although I was the only one who ever walked them, in fact I took them virtually everywhere with me. I think some people just have a natural affinity with dogs. As adults as soon as I had my own place, I got a dog and have had usually 2 ever since. My kids have been brought up with dogs and although they seem to like having them around they have no particular affinity with them.
I think it is something that comes naturally. You can read everything ever written on the subject and while you will learn how to feed exercise and train your dog they can't teach you how to connect.
I have no problem with people that hate dogs, each to there own, but why do some people acquire dogs and then not care for it? that really bewilders me

Me too, always loved animals, always reading animal books as a kid etc. Guess it helped that my parents are too, although we didn't get a dog until I was about 5. As a kid I could never imagine not having an animal in my life, especially a dog.