I found this article very
interesting as a dog owner myself. As I
shared in class I used to show my dog in 4-H and have seen some of these things
in the way that people spoil their dogs and treat them more as children then as
animals. I understand completely the
want to make your pet happy and treat them well. This emotional appeal is what keeps the pet
industry booming and people creating these absurd products such as “neuticles”
that serve no purpose for the dog and only satisfy how the owner wants the dog
to look while having the benefits of having the dog neutered. Also, trying to give your dog human grade
food to try and extend their life will not do much, especially for purebred
dogs. Many conditions that end dogs life
are genetic or they just happen as the dogs age. Paying for food that costs $4 a pound is
simply ridiculous at least in my experiences.
There are certain products that do
serve a purpose even though on the surface seem ridiculous. While showing my dog I met a girl who now
owns and runs her own company that does a variety of services that relate to
dogs. She owns a doggy treadmill because
she owns border collies and Australian Shepherds that are high energy dogs and without
regular exercise become destructive. She
sprained her ankle and was physically unable to take the dogs out. The dogs needed something to do otherwise her
furniture was going to turn to shreds over the next six weeks while she wasn’t
allowed to put pressure on the ankle.
There are
definitely two sides to every issue.
While some of these luxury items are somewhat necessary, the people who
sell these items use emotions against their customers to convince them that
their dog will be happier if they buy these things. In reality if your dog is fed the right
amount, given the correct amount of exercise, and you spend lots of time with
it, it will be happy and healthy.
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