Do you ever wish you didnt know as much as you did?

[4dogs3cats]

I love my knowledge about dogs, and dog food, and dog health, and dog care. I really do.

But sometimes I wish I didn't know what I know.

Like for instance, when I go to the dog park, and I meet an adorable dog, and people say things like, "Yeah she was only $300.00 bucks on craigslist," I immediately write those people off. And I shouldnt. IIII was one of those people. Twice.

But the other day I ran out of dog food. And costco was closed. I asked my mom if she was still feeding kirkland. She said no. I asked her what she switched to...

BENEFUL.

I read her the ingredients and showed her there is NO meat in that food. I just dont get it. She switched because my aunt feeds her golden beneful and "they love it."

DUH

We love ice cream and potato chips.

UGH. I sometimes wish I was a naive dog owner who thought all BYB's were fine and all dog foods were the same and over vaccinated every year.

Life would be so much easier.

 

[babymomma]

sometimes, I do too..

But most times, Im thankful I DO know these things...

 

[~Jessie~]

Yep, all the time.

I have a hard time accepting people into my life who don't care about dogs the same way as I do.

Like, we had friends in the past who fed their dog Beneful, and wouldn't listen at ALL about switching foods. I looked down on them everytime after that, because they would spend a TON of money on other things, but didn't care about what they fed their dog

 

[4dogs3cats]

sometimes, I do too..

But most times, Im thankful I DO know these things...

I agree. Im glad I know this all for MY dogs.

Yep, all the time.

I have a hard time accepting people into my life who don't care about dogs the same way as I do.

Like, we had friends in the past who fed their dog Beneful, and wouldn't listen at ALL about switching foods. I looked down on them everytime after that, because they would spend a TON of money on other things, but didn't care about what they fed their dog

It just hurts. I have done research. They call me the dog whisperer (which I hate lol,) They KNOW how much I know about dogs, yet they listen to my aunt who this isher first dog and her first food was royal canin because they have "cute shaped pieces and a golden retriever on the bag."

It makes me feel like they don't value my opinion.

 

[Labyrinth]

Yeah.. Life was much cheaper having 7 pets when we were more ignorant. My animals are all well taken care of now, but I can't go out and shop for myself the way I used to. It's okay though I don't regret the money we spend on them, but as our current pets pass we will definitely not be getting more. 7 is just too many to take care of properly for us.

 

[4dogs3cats]

Yeah.. Life was much cheaper having 7 pets when we were more ignorant. My animals are all well taken care of now, but I can't go out and shop for myself the way I used to. It's okay though I don't regret the money we spend on them, but as our current pets pass we will definitely not be getting more. 7 is just too many to take care of properly for us.

I just hate looking down on people because they aren't providing the same life I am for my dogs.

truth be told- my sister in laws dogs are JUST as happy on kibbles and bits as mine are.

So why do I feel like I am on such a high horse when I tell her she's feeding her dog CRAP?

 

[Cheetah]

Every day. I'd probably be less stressed lol.

 

[Bailey08]

Yes!

I have a friend who just got a bulldog puppy. I haven't quizzed her about it. Maybe she did everything right in finding the breeder. Maybe she knows allllll of the health complications that arise in the breed. But I don't ask because I don't want to know, honestly.

Oooh, also, my bro has a dog who I absolutely adore. She's 10 and she gets a crappy food (she's actually really healthy and seems much younger, but is of course a senior now). I want to steal her and take her to a holistic vet and put her on raw and senior supplements and try to get another 10 years out of her. She doesn't like Bailey much, though, and she adores my niece -- she's better where she is, so I haven't stolen her...yet.

 

[Tankstar]

Yup.

Just today at the dog park. i brought my best friend and her Chi. with Blaze and I.

There was so much chi talk from other people. one person kept saying, oh yeah the breeder I got my dog from does this as a hobby, has both parents, doesnt give paper work becuase its a waste of time. They dont make much like a high end breeder. i wanted to vomit. Lucky it wasnt my best friend who said it, becuase she knows me, and knows I would have swayed her different. It actually stresses me out when there, its pathetic, hearing people talk about how beneful/pedigree/science diet is great becuase their vet said so, or how doodles are a great breed. nothing against doodles, But they ARE NOT a breed!!!


gahhh, here I go working myself up lol

 

[Crowsfeet]

Yeah, it's difficult... I try not to write folks off because they raise/nurture/value their dogs differently than I value my own. I imagine it's quite a bit similar to people and children- unless you see something seriously concerning, I feel as though often times it's best not to ask. However, I do enjoy a good conversation with people about methods and whatnot when the opportunity arises.. It's nice to inform people who are actually interested.


Just as well, I think it's important to remember that there are likely things, with dogs, and in life in general, that we either don't understand right now or are potentially going unnoticed, however involuntarily.. you can try your best(and should), but you will never know it all.

 

[Southpaw]

All the time!

My mom bought these dog treats yesterday that I'm not really thrilled about but I don't want to waste them... so I give them to the dogs in small pieces and kind of cringe while doing it. As if that one small treat once a day is going to kill them. A couple years ago I would have loved indulging them in that kind of stuff.

I sit there and read labels on any sort of food item I'm considering buying and if I have to bite my tongue when other people talk about the food they give their dogs. Like when I was taking Juno off Taste of the Wild, I went to the pet store and loaded up on samples of other food... and my friend told me she'd give me some of the Science Diet she feeds her dog if I wanted to try that. Errr, no thanks! But I was ready to lecture her about SD.

It does get a wee bit annoying. It would be nice if I could hear how other people do things without thinking "they could do better".

 

[tessa_s212]

I am pretty okay at not writing people off immediately, so long as I noticed a deep love for their animals. Of course, when I hear certain things, I cringe and want to pile all sorts of information on them..

I think the hardest thing about being so knowledgable is when it comes to health issues. I have friends that will come to me asking for advice about their dog that has a mass/growth, etc. I recently had a friend that said her older golden retriever has an extremelyl large and involved mass on her upper arcade of teeth. She doesn't go to a vet that is worth a dime, so no real diagnosis as far as the cancer... but I can't bear to tell her that it is likely malignant and already spreading. Of coures I'm not a vet and just in case I'm wrong I'm keep my mouth shut.. but all too often I'm right. I guessed it with Spook long before the vet said it. sometimes ignorance is bliss... Everyone else stayed more optimistic about Pooki for much longer than I did. The had hope,while I was already mourning his soon to come death. And again with another friend's pomeranian that had heart problems. She had a few good days after a big episode to the emergency vet, but then she just dropped dead. They thought she was fine, I knew otherwise.

It also just really sucks to not have a lot of people to identify with - to hold an intelligent conversation with regarding dogs. Almost 99% of the time I talk to people in RL about dogs, I'm educating them, NOT leisurely talking to them.

 

[babymomma]

ZOMG Tankstar.. Somebody comented on a vid of mine on yotube asking if keely was a yorkiepoo.. My reply `Went somthing like, No she is NOT a yorkie poo, Biut there is alot of yorkie poo in my back yard , Then i rambeled on about how they are nOT a breed and about how people speand so much money on them while theres hundreds dying in shelters while i type this.. lol..

 

[bubbatd]

Commonsense is the way to go ...

 

[CaliTerp07]

"Ignorance is bliss" is definitely a true statement.

It goes beyond dogs. I really struggle with going on vacations or out to dinner when I know people are starving all over the world. I sometimes wish I could tune out the rest of the world and live in my little Karen-bubble where I pretend like the bad stuff in the world doesn't happen...but it does.

 

[4dogs3cats]

yeah. it gets overwhelming sometimes. Knowing that theres a small group of us doing what we can to help, but so many people it just goes in one ear out the other.

 

[Maxy24]

Yes and no. I do frequently think that if I did not know what I did I would not be upset so often. Seeing my uncle feed Pedigree and smack the dogs, watching my friend walk her dog around on a choke chain in fact seeing anyone walk their dog on a choke chain, knowing someone whose dog has puppies or they plan on having them have puppies, hearing someone talk about the dog whisperer in a good way, etc. all make me feel sick.

BUT knowing what I know I would never, ever wish to go back and be ignorant or ever wish I didn't learn what I did. I could never ever do that to my future dogs. I also plan to go into the animal field, maybe a vet or trainer, and I know I CAN influence people with the knowledge I have gained. Someday people will listen to me (some of them at least) and that will make it feel better. But the big thing is that I am doing what is best for dogs even if it bugs me sometimes.

 

[elegy]

you mean like today when the guy with the 95 pound 8 month old bernese mt dog x told me how he Severely Punished his dog for growling at his three year old because the kid was climbing on top of the dog? the dog has to learn to submit to the children!

that dog already has one bite against him. i hope that the next one doesn't earn him his death.

 

[Zhucca]

Some times.

I'm just the "dog and cat nazi", though.

I have family who has a new puppy and although I keep telling them they need to socialize her more, how you can fix your housebreaking woes (etc).. they listen and nod but don't actually do it. I lent my Ian Dunbar puppy book to them and I think they got through a quarter of it. I'm just twiddling my thumbs for when that puppy does become fearful and unmanageable. Both of their dogs are fearful already. I hate to think for the worst but I know whats coming.

I work in a place where dog food is our game (holistic pet store) and its hard to convince them because how could their vet lie to them? Sometimes having some ignorance would help me mesh with the common dog owner... but then I'll just think how my (future) dogs' lives will be better because of my knowledge.

 

[AGonzalez]

Sometimes it bothers me, but there's other times where I can sit back and smile...

For instance, I have a friend with a blue pitbull female he got from the shelter. She's gorgeous! We got into talking about dog food and he said he was feeding her IAMS...I cringed a bit but he kept insisting she had the most beautiful soft coat (which she does!!!) then I flipped it to...ya know, if you fed a premium food she'd be even softer and would just shine...about 6 months later (he's deployed right now) he messaged me on Yahoo to tell me he switched foods like I suggested and she's even softer and smoother and I HAVE to come see her!!! So, I guess sometimes it does work to tell them about better foods and stuff, she's now on Flint River Ranch (or something like that)