Its Only A Dog

Hi I saw a tail end of a programme yesterday,not sure wether it was the USA or Australia,but this young man,was reported for hitting his dog,he was given a warning and told that he could appear in court,his answer was its only a dog,he did something wrong I punished him.
That phrase kept going around in my head,Yes I agree its a dog,but isnt it a shame that there are a small number of people,that cannot see the woods for the trees,a dog to me is beautiful inside and out,yes sometimes they drive you mad,but I feel honoured to be allowed to be part of its life,to share its love,a dog to me is someone I share all my fears and I know he wont judge me,each dog has its own personality,you could for instance have 24 Labradors/Retrievers,they look the same but they are all individuals,and capable of fulfilling many roles for us humans,being eyes for us,support dogs and pat dogs for the elderly,yet to a small selection of people dogs are to be used and abused because in there limited vision Its only a dog,and unfortunately in this throw away society,they are replacable,people talk about educating but you cant teach feelings or looking at a dog with empathy.
My question is how do you see your dog,and why.I am not saying that if you have a dog to fulfill a particular role,that you love it less or just see a dog as a tool,I have seen policeman cry when there dog has been injured,so they may see it on one level as a fellow colleague but also have real feelings for their dog.Gemini54

I don't have kids so my dogs are like my children. I love them, look after them and nurture them like the precious girls they are.
In return they give me cuddles, kisses and rely on me to be there for them.
I love them to bits.

I am currently dog sitting my sisters dog while she is away on holiday. She took him in as a rescue last year. He apparently had a bit of a rough life before that and as a consequence is a bit of a Jekyll and Hyde dog. I hate his aggressive moods but I love him in spite of them he is such a little sweetheart otherwise. The first part of the week while he was getting used to me and Amber my dog was a bit iffy but now this second week he has settled and is so much better you have to give a dog some leeway, show him love and he will love you back. Amber took her lead from me and never retaliated when he had a go at her she just backed off and so we have won him round at last. But a dog is never just a dog, never! A dog is everything! hence my signature.

I don't think i'd be here is it wasnt for my old dog 'Blue'. i went through a very bad time a while ago and it was only the thought that i couldnt abandon him, that stopped me froming taking an overdose, when he died i got another dog (different breed) so i had somebody (dog) to look after and care for. My Fred is completly different but i love him loads as well as the mini pin that i got left with x so my dogs are my lifeline

I find it a very difficult thing to analyze. I have always been besotted by dogs (not allowed to have one until I was 14) and can't imagine not having one.

Your question is how do you see your dog and why?

For me and at the risk of sounding corny,my Lacey is my best friend Its me and her together 24/7...she trusts me and loves me no matter what.Generally don't see one without the other,"joined at the hip" some would say.She has never been just a dog,to me

To me my dog is 'a dog' but then I LOVE DOGS! So she doesn't have to be mentally transformed into something other than (or that sounds better than) a dawg!