Where Do Dog Lovers Come From?

[Laurie, Fudge, and Vern]

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.

[Allyson, Peri & Taquito]

My entire family loves dogs.  I had one period of maybe 6 months growing up without a dog.  Otis the Irish Setter died when I was 5, but we had Ivan the golden until I was in 4th grade. Then Amos the cairn terrier came along in 5th grade. He was hit by a car, but we got another one the same week. Mr. Jake was taken by cancer just a few years ago.  So I didn't know life without a dog!!!!!!  My husband is a dog person - probably wouldn't have married him if not :)  I was born that way I guess - but my whole family loves them so I guess it's innate?

[Sheila & Finnley]

Well Laurie another thought provoking blog. I believe that I come from a long and happy line of dog lovers, on both sides of my family. My great Uncle was a veterinarian, and he also raised Airedales. My dad's parent's raised Boston Terrier's. It was strange that I didn't have a dog of my own, until I coaxed a stray puppy to come home with me when I was about 8. We kept her after an extensive search for her owners. After that, our house was never without a dog. My mother was always inviting the neighbors dogs, or what ever dog showed up in our yard in for a "snack"! That was back before leash laws were around. We often played host to an Akita named Simba, a Newfoundland named Bear, and a Husky, named Bandit. We welcomed them in each and every time they came to play with Heidi our Schnauzer.

Now as for this shopping problem, I have to say I'm not a shopper either. Hate it, don't want to be bothered with it, boo for the mall !

Have a nice day!

[Sheila & Finnley]

Oh Camilla, I'm glad that you are a rebel. If you weren't then we wouldn't know you or Darwin, and that would be our loss !

[Jane, Guinness and Murphy]

Great blog, Laurie!  I was definitely born an animal lover, and I was lucky because we always had a dog growing up and since I've been "on my own" we've always had dogs too....two or three at a time.  DH and I took one brief hiatus so we could travel when the kids were older, but that was "short lived".....I decided I liked dogs better than traveling.  Actually I like dogs better than almost anything. My Vet's Dad told me an interesting story about her that supports the theory that it's "nature more than nurture".  They did not own a dog or any animals  when she was growing up, but she loved all animals.  She would bring the sick or injured ones home and they set up a little "hospital" in the garage.  Mostly he said she worked on bunnies or squirrels or birds....but she loved them and did what she could to try to save them.  I loved this story and can almost see her as a little girl doing this. 

Camilla, I LOVE your "story".

[Jen W]

Not me.  I wasn't even a dog lover a year ago.  I still say I don't love dogs, I only love my dog, but that is slowly changing now that Dory is opening my eyes.

I remember thinking dog people were kind of crazy, but having a dog has helped me to understand that the things we think are crazy are really just things we don't yet understand.

[Janie, Jackson and Jilly]

I am one of those born that way and I too always wanted a dog. My parents finally agreed and we had a beautiful Samoyed growing up. I'm not sure if they were dog lovers, but he won them over. To this day, they still take of his antics and there were many! I am thankful to have that animal loving part, it has made life that much richer.

On to shopping, where and when?! LOL! I am so happy that my daughter is a teacher and is now off for the summer. We are already plotting!

[J and Riley (and Luna)]

I have always LOVED animals... of any kind (even the creepy crawly ones to some extent).  I wiled away many childhood hours chasing bugs in the back yard, watching birds and petting any dog I came across.  When I was 5, I asked my mom for a cat.  She said "when you're 10 you can have one", fully expecting me to forget.  I didn't say anything after that about it... until I turned 9.  I then asked "Can I have a dog instead of a cat?".  Our family picked up our first dog when I was 9.5 and since then I don't think I could live without a dog in the house!

[Jane, Rooney & Stuart]

Oh the shame - I was NOT born a dog lover!  Sure my Dad was and we always had a dog during the early days of my childhood - but I don't think I really cared too much either way.  We lived in the country and animals or pets were just expected, we had a Collie and a German Shepard but I couldn't tell you their names.  We did have a pet raccoon for a time but then the neighbors ate it - in their defense they did have 14 or 15 kids to feed.  We had a pony named Silky who was mean and would bite.  The first dog I ever actually loved was when I was around 30 - a yellow Lab named Crosbey - I adored that dog, even through the puppy stage where he ate his own poop!  Sadly he didn't live past the age of 5 but I'll never forget him.  At the time Crosbey passed we had already gotten another Lab - a black named Bogart - and while I liked Bo - I never could quite bond - I was just heart broken over Crosbey.  Then we got Rooney and Stuart and the rest is history!  My father is the best example of an animal lover - he takes in every sick, unwanted dog or cat and makes them a part of his family.  He has Sam a dog with mega esophagus and Pugsley, a one eyed pug.  Laurie this blog WAS brilliant!!  I do agree - dog lovers are born - BUT there are a few of us that are converted, late-bloomers. 

[Nicky, Riley & Boris]

Great blog and lots of food for thought. I was born a dog lover, actually an animal lover. I took after my Dad, my Mom just facilitated our Zoo. I have never been without at least one dog and I married a dog lover so all my girls are dog lovers too. My partner is also a dog lover and I don't think I could have a relationship with a man who wasn't. I hate shopping BTW and work in a business that has me surrounded by them! I do have one daughter who makes up for my lack in that department. She is on holiday in France at the moment and is calling me every night to tell me about all the terrific bargains she has bought and all I'm thinking is the cost of her overweight suitcase on the way home...

[Charlotte and Bo]

I was also born a dog lover.  Luckily so were my parents so there were always dogs around while I was growing up.  The only times I was without a dog was when I was in college and when I had an apartment for a short time. Even then I could always head home to get my dog fix.    As soon as I got my house with a yard I got myself a dog.  They  do teach us many things.  Patience, responsibility, and loyalty to name a few.  They also teach us some of harder lessons in life since their life span cannot compare with ours. 

 

Now the shopping thing could be a tough one.  Maybe your daughter just prefers the solo approach and is secretly shopping when your not looking:-)