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Originally Posted by [SIZE="1" OwnedByJezebel;3277661]Let me preface this by saying that this isn't a response to anyone in particular or to a specific post. It is a response to posts that I see come up over and over again, in LOTS of threads, when a pup has been put in a predicament.
I'll never understand what is wrong with being "judgmental." To get through life, you have to constantly make judgments. Turn right or left? Is this or that good or bad? Is that the sort of person I should hang around, are they good for me or are they trouble? Can I afford a dog? Should my dog be spayed/neutered? Good judgments steer us in the right direction, bad judgments get us in trouble or complicate our lives.
Furthermore, the very act of calling someone "judgmental" is, in fact, also making a judgment!
These little dogs are helpless and defenseless, they depend on us for everything and for their well-being. They can't make decisions on reproduction, they are just doing what dogs do. When someone comes here asking for advise, the advise should be given based on what is best for the dog. The owner is a distant second. This discussion board is about Yorkies and their issues .... not Yorkie owners where the dog is an accessory to the owner. If you think it is all about you and you are the primary focus, are you ready to own a dog? It isn't a place to prop up the self-esteem of owners and make us all feel good ... it is about the dogs themselves.
You KNOW a female will go into heat if she is not spayed. Simple fact. Any intact male -- whether in your home or down the block, will crawl over broken glass and try to chew through razor wire to try and get to her. They become single minded, won't eat or sleep. Do not underestimate them! And if you have an intact male, do you really want to put them through this grief (and yourself to boot), whether it is your female that is in heat or the one that lives down the block, they can smell a female in heat from a very long distance. Many of the dogs that get hit by cars are males that have escaped in an attempt to get to the female who's scent they've detected.
Get them fixed (I've never understood that term, I thing it is more correctly stated as "get them broken,", but, hey, whatever) and you'll simply never have any of these issues. Simple fact. Save not only for the dog, but save for all the first year of vet visits and vaccinations, as well as spay/neuter.
Yes, I'm being judgmental, and I don't give a flyin' flip. Call me judgmental all you want. I've made that judgment, and I get my dogs spayed or neutered as soon as it is feasible[/SIZE]. |
Well said! OwnedbyJezebel -- you rock and I want to count you as a friend of mine! This particular situation is
partially remedied now so I too, will speak in generalities and not to one person. If this is a place to come for advice, then some of that advice may be that a person is
not doing things right now. It can't all be -- "ah, poor thing, that can happen to anyone." Because MANY read the responses, advice needs to be logical, ethical and in the best interests of the Yorkies.
I know the economy sucks and many are in dire straights. But our pets rely on us just as our children do. We need to make provisions for their care! If you cannot put a couple of thousand dollars aside for emergency medical then you need to have pet insurance or a standby credit card with no balance. That way if something comes up, you already have a plan to take care of the financial obligation. There really is no excuse for letting a pet go without needed medical care, including spay and neutering. I waited a very long time to have yorkies. Always wanted them, but waited until I was in a position to take care of any need they might have.
I started out saying this thread's situation is
partially remedied -- at least the crucial spaying as been accomplished. But now there is still a matter of an intact male. There is also the subject of finances should another medical emergency arise. I hope the owner will look into insurance, a Pet Credit Card, or start a savings account immediately to be used only for their care. All of us should periodically review our fiances, especialy if changes like some mentioned are happening. I recently had a major financial change, and had to review. Thankfully, all was good, but we have to make sure we are prepared to meet ALL of our obligations. Our pet care cannot be shoved to the end of the line.
Breeding needs to be another decision made ONLY after a great deal of preparation, studying, mentoring, and again financial responsibility. Not just any puppy should be bred. Even if the dog is an excellent breed example, you need the HISTORY! What was the health and temperment of past generations? Before a vet says a puppy should be bred, he should know the line history, breeder reputation, and see what the puppy is going to do as an adult! Many genetic faults do not show up until later. There is a breeder here that claims her puppies are breeders. It makes me see red every time! If something goes wrong, a pregnancy can cost thousands of dollars of vet care for mother and puppies. There is also the very real risk of losing your girl. Be prepared and be very sure before you even think about it.
I haven't been on here in ages and these two topics have a lot to do with it. I have been going through a rough personal time and just did not have the fight in me to address these subjects and I care too much to let it pass all the time. As long as people are respectful and address the actions as wrong and not berate the person's intelligence or heart, then I think we have an obligation to speak out on behalf of our beloved companions! We need to remain civil, but trying to avoid the facts to protect the feelings of someone making major mistakes with pets is giving them tacit approval!! That can't be right! I wish there was a testing requirement for pet ownership! We have all made mistakes of some kind or another, but we need to learn a lesson and make changes. That way we all win -- most of all the pets who depend on us.