Replies to '03/30 Is This Normal?'

I don't think anyone is saying the child should be removed and you know what.... unsupervised children pull dog ears and tails I know kids that have bitten the dog.  Every situation has a different story! The Dad is not self-centered he loves his dog!!  That is not a crime.  

When a young child does something wrong, do we have it killed or give it to another family or abandon it?  No.  We accept that we made some mistakes in rearing that child, and seek assistance in helping the child correct its behaviour. 

Same with dogs.  Even more so, because we can't explain to a dog why it is suddenly away from the only pack it has known, and a stranger is going to have little reason to put a lot of time and effort into re-training someone else's problem dog.  Killing poorly-behaved dogs is an easy out for incompetent dog owners. 

This couple should be paying a professional to help them re-train this dog, since they've already demonstrated their own incompetence.  Only by requiring dog owners to be responsible for their animals will we ever hope to reduce the number of negligently-reared dogs among us. 

Here are the dog ownership guidelines I developed, and have been adopted by countless communities and organizations around the world: 

Section 1 – Standard of Care: Ownership 

1. A dog is for life.  The answer to the question, “When is it acceptable to surrender a dog?” is “Never.”  Before making the decision to acquire a dog, one should plan for the following situations:
   1. Job loss
   2. Incapacity or death
   3. Relocation
   4. Addition of children
   5. Marriage/divorce
   6. Illness (owner or dog)
   7. Unforeseen expense
   8. Allergies
   9. Behaviour issues that require hiring a professional trainer
   10. Travel / vacation

2. Dog owners will obey all local by-laws pertaining to the ownership of dogs, at all times, without excuse.
3. Owners will accept responsibility for any inconvenience, injury, or damage caused by their dogs.
4. Mixed breed dogs, and those that are unregistered, unshown or "pet quality" purebred dogs should all be sterilized.

Section 2 – Standard of Care: The Dog 

1. Living conditions:
   1. Dogs should be fed the best quality, locally available food the owner can afford.  Food should be fresh, veterinary approved, and meet the nutritional requirements of the dog.  Dishes should be cleansed each day.
   2. Fresh, clean water should be available at all times, unless otherwise instructed by a veterinarian.
   3. Dogs should have a soft place to sleep available to them.
   4. Dogs must be exercised daily.
   5. Dogs should not be left unsupervised outside the home in a manner in which the dog could be in contact with another person or animal without the owner’s knowledge or consent.  Dogs left unsupervised outside the home can be the victims of theft, escape, abuse, torment, heat, cold, loneliness, thirst, unnoticed injuries, community disruption, or false accusations.
   6. It is unacceptable to leave such a social animal alone for extended periods of time.  Loneliness and boredom often cause behaviour problems that annoy neighbours or lead to surrender.
   7. Dogs should be groomed according to their coat and activity requirements.  Their teeth, ears, and eyes should be cleaned regularly.
   8. Dogs should have at least one veterinary check up per year.

2. Training:
   1. Dog owners accept that it is their responsibility to adequately train and socialize their dogs to live in human society.
   2. Dog owners will make every effort to ensure their dogs in no way inconvenience or disturb their neighbours' enjoyment of their own properties and communities.
   3. Dog owners will not employ any disciplinary action that is likely to cause the dog to become fearful, no matter how temporarily.  Dogs learn best through positive reinforcement.

Section 3 – Standard of Care:  The Community 

1. Dogs may not soil private property without the expressed consent of the property owner.
2. All excrement will be removed by the dog’s owner, whether on his own property, as a matter of public health, or on public or private lands, in accordance with public health requirements and municipal 'stoop and scoop' by-laws.
3. Excessive noise is an offense in most communities, including dogs who bark incessantly.  Noise ordinances can usually be enforced under the jurisdiction of the local police.
4. No dog may be allowed to roam freely.  Off-leash exercise must be supervised, and restricted to the owner’s property, private property with the permission of the landowner, or public areas designated as leash-free.
5. Dogs must be trained and socialized well enough that they pose no reasonable threat to members of the community, or their pets or property.