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Originally Posted by GuinnessStout  My point... I am considered by some an abuser because my dog has a blue mohawk... but yet I know for a fact my dog is treated better than a lot of children!! Yea I am lucky my husband makes rather good money and since I can not have children my dog is my child, is that kind of sick in way hmm yes but still he gets the best food, he gets spa treatments every other month he has more clothes and toys than any dog could need... does that hurt him?? no it just makes him a spoiled little brat with blue fur is all  |
LOL. I doubt anybody would look at Guinney's 'hawk and think his mommy abused him in taking a while to dab some blue on his hair! To me it's those OT owners that groom standard poodles etc. like elephants or ocelots or lions that you know had to sit or lie for hours while getting groomed that worry you. You worry if the dog was barked at, jerked a lot, fussed at a lot if he moved wrong, made to stand for so long periods with a taut loop over his neck while he was endlessly groomed that is concerning. On the other hand, some dogs that can be groomed lying down go off to sleep or feel the tug of their fur as kind of a massage and their eyes slit, tongues loll out like they are enjoying it. I've seen poodles doze through grooming sessions at times.
But if the dog is getting lots of attention and
enjoying the process, he's what matters. If he's miserable the whole time and made to do things he just hates for an owner's own reasons, that seems very wrong to subject one to that. I imagine its those fine lines between what some call abuse and some call fun the owner wants to have with the dog that will always be discussed as long as dogs are pets.
Some think jumping out of an airplane with a dog strapped on for the jump is abuse or having them in bicycle baskets or motorcycle seats during bicycle or motorcycling - anything that can subject them to serious injury - is abusive. But the dogs seem to be having so much fun in things like that, I think they are enjoying it.
Healthy dogs mostly seem like adrenaline junkies and don't you think most still would be and undertake possibly injurious activities even if they knew and could properly evaluate their own risk!