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Have you ever asked yourself if dog lovers are born that way or are taught to love dogs by the people surrounding them?  I really don’t know the answer, but I suspect you are born a dog lover.  My mom was actually afraid of dogs and I never remember my dad mentioning a dog one way or another, but my earliest memories are of me wanting a dog. My two sisters weren’t dippy over dogs and my one sister has never owned a dog, yet I am sure we had the same parents. We had a neighbor who kept his dog in a kennel with a big shed like doghouse that he cooled in the summer and heated in the winter, but I still felt sorry for that dog.  Even at a young age, I felt it was wrong to have a dog and keep it separate from the household.  I never liked that neighbor and I have no real memory of him other than I didn’t like how he treated his dog.  I was warned to stay away from the dog, but like most things my mother told me not to do, it just made it that much more enticing.  I would sneak over and talk to the dog and always hoped it would run away to find a better home. 

 

When I started having kids I was too busy for a dog and really didn’t want to add one more thing to the household that I had to take care of and nurture.  I never said to my kids I wanted a dog. Yet, my oldest daughter came out of the womb wanting a dog and although I made no baby books or kept any notes about when she did what, I am sure her first word was probably dog, followed closely by I want.  She didn’t stop saying it until she got her dog at age ten, although she did add, “I don’t want to walk the dog anymore, I don’t want to pick up the dog’s poop again, and I don’t want to get up early and let the dog out,” shortly after Hershey came home. I do have to say for every hypothesis there has to be a slight margin for error, which may explain why my youngest was terrified of dogs, but became a diehard dog lover after we got Hershey.  Before that, if she saw a dog approaching, even the lovable Lab that lived in our neighborhood, she would call forth the most horrible ear splitting screams that could stop traffic.  She was another reason I balked at getting a dog for the oldest because I just couldn’t see myself living with a puppy and a child who had conniption fits every time the puppy took a step in her direction. With my luck I would end up with a puppy with a nervous tic that thought “Knock it off, Hayley,” was her name.

 

Genetics is a funny thing.  I know people who are not dog lovers, but gave birth to dog lovers. How can you explain it, other than to say someone was born a dog lover?  How can it be a nurture thing when no one is nurturing a love of dogs?  There are just so many things unexplained in the world of parents and children and I, myself, a certified shopper extraordinaire gave birth to a child who hates to shop.  I would also like to add I did my best to turn this child into a shopper and did everything short of dropping twenty-dollar bills on the way into the store to give her a little incentive to get with the program.  Nothing worked.  She does two things upon entering a store.  Either she gloms onto to me like a suction cup to impair my ability to move quickly in and out of the aisles or she asks, “Can we go get something to eat?” I can point to the clearance rack and tell her to take a look for something new and all she does is turn her face up in disdain like she just smelled something foul and says, “I don’t see anything I like, but I would like to go to lunch now.” Meanwhile, my other daughter and I have already mapped out the store, divvied up our shopping list for the best possible outcome, scouted out the sales, promised to alert each other to anything good, set up a future meet up place to go over our loot, and high fived for good luck, all in the time it takes the non-shopper to realize lunch will be delayed. 

 

I think Lady Gaga has it right in her song where she sings, “I was born this way,” although, there is hope for some people not born dog lovers.  My son-in-law was one of them, but luckily for him, he married the right gal who picked out the right dog that worked his doggie magic and the rest as they say, “is history.”  I think we dog lovers can turn some of these people around and I think the right dog, if given half a chance, could turn some others.  I also think dogs have so much to teach us and help us live better lives and I feel very lucky to have known that my entire life.  Now, if I could just turn that non-shopper around, life would be good.

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Comment by Nancy, Ned, Clancy, and Charlie on June 30, 2013 at 6:36pm

Donna, we DON'T call it afraid of some dogs, we call it  "respectful of dogs you don't know" and it makes perfect sense - at least that is my story and I am sticking to it!  

Comment by Jay, Lola and Colonel Esau on June 29, 2013 at 10:42pm

Oops, grain of SALT I mean.  Don't take anything with a grain of sand.

Comment by DJ & Chance on June 29, 2013 at 10:35pm

Jay, nice synopsis of the article.  I particularly like point #4!

Comment by Jay, Lola and Colonel Esau on June 29, 2013 at 9:47pm

DJ - thanks.  That is fascinating.  As I read the article, the relevant points are: (1) genetics are definitely important, but by no means the only factor, (2) growing up with dogs may not be much of a factor at all, (3) much of it is completely random (or at least not understood by these researchers) and (4) all of this is by no means conclusive and to be taken with a grain of sand.  All of which seems consistent with the range of experiences reported below.

Comment by Stella on June 29, 2013 at 7:52pm
I think dog people are born. My Dads family are all animal people. My Mums family are not! I was born with asthma and allergies. I was unable to go into houses that had pets with fur or feathers for my whole childhood. But, I loved animals - dogs and horses the most. I always wanted to have a pet, I loved every dog I saw on the street. I loved going to my dads parents house, even though I got so sick every time I went there. I am most definitely a dog person!! Now I have two LDs and a small canine rehab business where I get to go to people's houses and meet dogs of all breeds. I still sneeze and wheeze around furry animals, but I wouldn't have it any other way.
Comment by Jennifer,Chloe & Myla on June 29, 2013 at 6:09pm

I was always a cat person-my parents divorced when I was young, my dad always had dogs. I was with my mom and had my first cat (actually my sister's) I still have a cat that is 16 (Spunky) Then one day I went shopping for paper towels and Chloe came into my life. I am SUCH a dog lover now, people think it's just doodles but it's not. Seeing any dog hanging his face out the car window or peeing on someone else's lawn makes me smile. I was on DK at lunch one day and a coworker said...is that all you do is look at dogs all day? I felt a little silly and said no I READ ABOU THEM:)) I was not BORN THIS WAY but glad I am this way!!

Comment by Christine & Camus on June 29, 2013 at 9:11am

@ Deanna - I was okay with all of my son's critters until Bob came along.  Since Bob was a Houdini and got out of his cage a lot, he and I had several unpleasant encounters. He was eventually adopted by a Girl :)

Comment by Deanna & Desi & Cori on June 29, 2013 at 8:38am

@ Christine - your story makes me SO GLAD I only had a daughter, one that loved cats and dogs, but hated rats, snakes, and bugs!!!  

Comment by F, Calla & Luca on June 29, 2013 at 8:30am

DJ, doesn't it make you wonder about the brain that compares these percentages?

Comment by F, Calla & Luca on June 29, 2013 at 8:28am

Donna, terrific picture of your folks and Quincy!

 

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