Doggy things you've changed your mind over?

Just wondering - anything dog related that you've changed your minds over over the years?

Shock collars?
Choke chains?
Tapping dogs on noses!?
Dog clothes
Breeds?
??????

Breeds maybe because I used to breed Griffons and always said that I could never have another breed.

But then I got my Little One




And then Da Booga




And somehow things like breed did not matter any more.

I've never liked choke chains but I knew nothing of shock collars until I joined Dogsey so that was a wake up call!
I have changed my mind on breeds too, now that I know more about them. I used to be afraid of bull breeds and GSDs but not anymore, mainly because I have learned more about them and there are some on here that I feel I know

Yes, tapping dogs on noses, I was guilty of that many years ago Somebody should give ME a slap for doing that

I am always changing my mind as each dog teaches me something different, what suits one doesn't suit another so the more flexible my mind is the better for my dogs. The more I learn the more I realise I have more to learn than I have already learnt.

Bitch pants Having multiple bitches in season together and an entire male in the house they have stopped any mess and the constant licking and sniffing. Obviously I still need to have my wits about me and would never rely on them and leave the dogs alone unattended but they have been a god send this week.

Lol @ Bitch Pants ^^

I think for me it's been breeding. I started off thinking it was ok to breed (to earn a living from doing something you enjoy) to going becoming quite anti-breeding.

Now on a happy medium - that although we need stricter laws, I am glad there are people still keeping our breeds alive, because I would miss many of them if they became extinct.

We just need to try harder, to make sure there is enough genetic diversity in our breeds and that we are not making the dogs suffer when there's not.

When I was younger, the only thing that helped me hold onto my dog Brownie was a stangle collar. Granted he still pulled like hell and ended up with a blue tongue and a rasping breath, but when he finally stopped to gasp for air, I got a reprieve.

My parents didn't do anything to help me and I really didn't know what else to do. Eventually I became aware of training. He still wore the choke chain, but it was only for ornament... I never hooked another leash to it. It was two sizes too big and one day while he was running around, it fell off somewhere. Didn't care and will never own another one in my life.

Also, I've learned a lot about dogs and houses. I was raised with many outdoor dogs. You flung food and water out to them... cleaned out their kennels, and mostly left them alone. They weren't family, they were dogs. Mutts, house alarms, objects.

My parents only let Brownie stay in the house with me growing up and I came to care very little about any other dogs. Because I spent all my time with him and he never left my side.

Now I would never put any mean collar on any dog and I'd never leave any dog outside all the time. Never did I think it was okay to strike or kick dogs, though my parents (and many other adults I saw growing up) did it sometimes.

I had a chow mix named Chip (I was very young, about 5 years old) and he snapped at me one day when I was outside playing with him.

My father kicked him so hard in the face that he yelled and then he placed me on Chip's back daring him to even turn his head. I saw so much of this type of cruelty growing up


I'm so glad to be a part of this site and the group of people that cares about dogs. There isn't a reason to treat them badly, they are dogs... and they are not to blame for their actions. Behind every "bad" dog is a bad owner.