Is there more pressure to have 'the perfect dog' now?

Just wondered if anyone thought there was more pressure to have 'the perfect dog' now than ever before?

BSL, e-collars etc Seems everyone wants (or expects everyone elses) dog to walk next to them like a robot 'overnight'?

(maybe I'm just reading the wrong threads )

So, what do you think?

I do think dogs are viewed more as accessories today by some people, than they ever were before.

Also there's just more choice in general - I remember when I was growing up with our Rough Collie, we got him a leather collar, a leather lead, that was it.

Now with the internet, the sheer amount of choice and options is staggering. I can begin to understand why *some* people end up with dogs dressed in coats and pastel-coloured harnesses etc etc.

It's all become more about how the dog looks.

I think there is some pressure, mine one would say walk like robots in public, ignore other dogs BS etc but they aren't yanked & jerked CM style into being shut down. But on the other hand I do let them be how they are, Izze doesn't like other people touching her or pestering her. Jo is very friendly on the other hand & loves everyone, that's cool too because that's her, I would never push her to be aloof like Izze because its not her nature.

I think we're expected to have the perfect dogs as in behaving perfectly at all times and taking whatever anyone wants to throw at them (entering their space, thrusting children upon them, etc) and they're not supposed to have bad days, down days or slip ups in their behaviour.

Lots and lots of anti-dog feeling around, and the systems in place to back up and feed this - either when warranted, or when not. I live in fear of a false allegation putting the dog at risk, so yeah, I make sure he's whiter than white (metaphorically - he's normally up to his eyeballs in mud!) to protect HIM.

When I was a kid, if we bothered a dog that didn't want to be bothered and got growled and shown teeth at in response we'd have been told it was our own dumb fault... these days the dog would be labelled aggressive and the uproar to put it to sleep would start.

Is it sad I was actually surprised yesterday when two girls came and asked very politely if they could say hello to the dog!? That's soooo rare!

I don't have expect my dogs to be perfect, but other people expect your dogs to be perfect.
Theres many more people on the Internet now that come back with stories about horrible dogs owners and dogs that aren't well behaved which makes other people who read it who don't have perfect dogs feel bad and useless and don't want to get slated on a forum or yelled at in public, so will try anything to stop their dogs being 'bad'.

I find the people I come across on walks, to be far more tolerant of dogs misbehaving, than some of the people on here are.

I'm not perfect, I don't expect perfection from my dogs, or anyone elses.

When they behave its great, but when they don't, I'm afraid thats just life. I don't always do what I'm told, why would I think or expect my dogs would be different.

Hmmm I find it interesting that according to some having well behaved dogs that walk by your side without lunging, standing on their hind legs, barking, peeing up somebody's fence = having robots?

Hmmmm. Interesting.

I think the Media Hype (surrounding certain breeds0, the anti dog feeling and the DDA have meant thatmost of us do work very hard with our dogs to ensure that they do not endanger themselves or others

hmmm, I didn't say that at all - not sure who did?

Other than my own dog who is trained to do that I certainly havent seen that one before. Even he dosnt do that of his own accord.

Think most people got my point.