All boys should have a dog. It probably teaches them more about life than any parent or mentor.
It teaches how to care, how to love, and how to help in times of crisis. It also, sadly, teaches them how to grieve when the inevitable happens.
This, below, is my grandson Finn in Oz with one of his two dogs 'Missy'. I would rather see a photo of him like this than one with his nose pressed against a Latin primer.
A boy who has a dog has enforced exercise. He is more likely to be 'sporty' than one whose only exercise is twiddling thumbs on a mobile phone. He is also more inclined to be aware of the world around him, and his fellow man. And most importantly he will be conscious of the fact that another living, breathing, sentient, creature relies on him for just about everything.
Of course not everyone can house a dog, but most can. Don't believe all the hype about them costing a fortune to feed, etc; they don't.
Let the boy choose his own dog (hopefully a rescue dog), and make sure he knows what his responsibilities will be. He will be a better, and more rounded person as a result.
I'm not sure if all this applies to young girls, but possibly so. Generally girls are instinctively more nurturing anyway.
Having been one, I can only speak for boys.
They might not cost a fortune to feed but vet bills can be huge!
ReplyDeleteAll our dogs have been ill at some time or other, and they have received treatments. OK, it was reasonably expensive but not extortionate. All in all I don't think keeping a dog is too expensive.
DeleteI agree with you. Animals are very important for children and are the only ones who will listen without comment. Dogs, particularly, are wonderful companions. Girls tend to try and dress them up, which they will allow. Boys enjoy the rough and tumble and the closeness they might not otherwise wish to exhibit in public with their human relations.
ReplyDeleteI know it's a generalisation, but I think girls prefer ponies/horses to dogs. But as you say, they probably like to dress dogs as if they were dolls.
DeletePs: veterinary insurance certainly takes the sting out of vets bills.
ReplyDeleteIn this day and age, "every boy" is a sexist remark Cro - what's wrong with a girl having a dog?
ReplyDeleteYes, I know you are merely drawing on your own experiences and it's a good excuse to show us the nice photo of your grandson and dog, but not every dog - has such pleasant experiences. Does your grandson actually care for the dog - see to his every needs?
Having read about the cruelty young children can inflict on an animal, and seen it at first hand, I wouldn't bet that caring for an animal will make a child any of the things you quote.
You're lucky that you obviously haven't been confronted with the eye watering vet's bills that many people have, some so high that the owners have had no alternative but to hand their dogs over to a rescue.
Caring for a dog and having a dog are two different things. In all the years I've had dogs, I've rarely seen children walking the family pet, and often when I did, it was done grudgingly.
I speak from experience, as we re-homed a dog who had been tormented by children. He never re-gained his trust around any child.
Sorry to "do an Ursula" on your blog!
I give up with this one. I've had two hypothetical buckets of water thrown at me simply for writing about the advantage of dog ownership. Why are people so ANGRY?
ReplyDeleteI am not angry. Not even at the fact that once again you felt compelled to delete a perfectly reasonable comment of mine.
DeleteLet me ask you a question: Why can't you let other people's perceptions stand?
Coppa's Girl, thanks for making me laugh. You did "an Ursula". I take that as a compliment. Mind you, being of a questioning mind will get you discarded. So far you've had a lucky escape.
U
If it had been 'reasonable' I wouldn't have deleted; as you can see by my allowing this one to remain.
DeleteYou have been too polite cro
DeleteDitto all the good points (but not the cost)for Ponies mostly but not exclusively for girls
ReplyDeleteI'm now wondering if 'One Man and his Dog' wasn't stopped by some silly Woke Campaign. These people get worse and worse.
ReplyDeleteOne man and his dog carries on....it just doesn't go on all through the year. Just at competition time
ReplyDeleteIn this idiotic world we now live in, I suppose it'll soon be renamed 'One Person and his Dog'.
Delete