Vet Philosophy

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My philosophy: A poem by Oliver Goldsmith (1730-1774) goes like this: 

And in that town a dog was found,
As many dogs there be, 
Both mongrel, puppy, whelp,and hound, 
And curs of low degree. 
The dog, to gain some private ends, 
Went mad and bit the man. 
The man recover’d of the bite, 
The dog it was that died.

There is absolutely no question that American companion-dogs’ lives will be enhanced by more knowledgeable prospective dog owners and new owners. I know that if those folks have correct, useable, practical information available to them and if they will read and utilize what they read, both owners and pets will be happier. I believe that such information should ideally be perused prior to acquisition of a companion pet. I believe that the bane of the American canine is the impulse buyer who purchases a “cute” JRT or—other tightly-wound little dog—because the one on the TV is so darned smart. That’s like ordering corn on the cob when you have forgotten your dentures.

All dogs have the same progenitors; the same DNA as Canis lupus, the wolf—which doesn’t mean that dogs are all alike. Dogs’ genetic physical and mental characteristics are quite malleable and over many generations a dog group may dramatically change in physical appearance and mental capacity through carefully planned selective breeding and/or by accidental survival of the fittest. Man-made selection or natural selection, or a combination of both, is why all Chihuahuas aren't created equal to their siblings, or why all German Shepherds aren't as trainable as others. It is why all Border Collies aren't equal to each other in herding tasks, and some Labrador Retrievers are afraid of water. Our canine companions are as different as the people who own them.

My Articles will contain many facts about dogs in general and characteristics that dominate certain breeds more than others. I don’t intend to recommend a perfect dog for anyone, because in order to do so, I would need to know the prospective owner quite well, including his or her age, sex, lifestyle, personality, income, physical facilities available, and habits. In other words, I’d need to know as much about the prospective owner as I know about the dog being considered and its progenitor’s health and use, as well as the breeder’s talents.

I intend to write about a different breed each month—by the way, the breed for next month is open to readers’ suggestions. In future articles I will discuss size, temperament, origin, usual use, common medical complaints, genetic disorders, grooming required, and such. These articles will contain my personal opinions as well as accepted facts that are gained by research.

One other item to mention is that I believe that a dog should be treated like a dog, and not another person who happens to bark and walk on all four! Anthropomorphism is a pet peeve of mine and in my discussions, that syndrome will rear its ugly head frequently. However, my articles will stress “Dogs rights” as I document the particular breed being written about. By that I mean that humans were put on the earth to “husband” animals and human rights are altogether different from dog rights. I believe that dogs developed to share human lives, to assist humans, to provide some service in some way.

Here are some “dog rights” that I will include. The following list is off the top of my head, incomplete, and not necessarily in order of importance.