does owning a pet seem sinful?

[kloth]

i see people who live in the heart of the city. where the dog lives in a small apartment with their master, and the only time the dog gets outside is to use the restroom for when the master wants to take them for a walk.
where they have to take a dump or urinate in front of everyone, other animals. eat dog food made by humans. forced to do tricks, where dog clothing. etc.
does this seem self serving for the masters needs? is there any mention of this sort of thing in the bible? even if the dog (or whatever animal it is) is still loyal, does it seem kind of sinful to do this because humans tend to be obsessed with animals. dogs especially i notice.

 

[Riverwolf]

No, and it's a bit late for many breeds, anyway, who can't survive without human help.

Dogs have a pack mentality, and so if they don't have masters themselves, they will regard themselves as masters.

 

[psychoslice]

I think most of these dogs have a great life, probably better than many humans, if there is such thing as an after life, I hope to come back as one of those animals.

 

[Levite]

i see people who live in the heart of the city. where the dog lives in a small apartment with their master, and the only time the dog gets outside is to use the restroom for when the master wants to take them for a walk.
where they have to take a dump or urinate in front of everyone, other animals. eat dog food made by humans. forced to do tricks, where dog clothing. etc.
does this seem self serving for the masters needs? is there any mention of this sort of thing in the bible? even if the dog (or whatever animal it is) is still loyal, does it seem kind of sinful to do this because humans tend to be obsessed with animals. dogs especially i notice.

Dogs don't care who they relieve themselves in front of. They don't seem to dislike dog food-- it's easier than hunting, anyway. And not bad if it's high quality. I don't really approve of making dogs do tricks or wear stupid clothes, but some dogs don't seem to mind tricks, and the ones that do won't do them. Plus, if decently treated, dogs love their people.

I really don't see how it could be sinful to care for one of God's creatures.

 

[Curious George]

Dogs don't care who they relieve themselves in front of. They don't seem to dislike dog food-- it's easier than hunting, anyway. And not bad if it's high quality. I don't really approve of making dogs do tricks or wear stupid clothes, but some dogs don't seem to mind tricks, and the ones that do won't do them. Plus, if decently treated, dogs love their people.

I really don't see how it could be sinful to care for one of God's creatures.

You know- I used to be part of the "dogs don't need clothes" camp too. Then not one but two veterinarians at different vets told me that some dogs do actually benefit from the extra protection of clothes as breeding practices and peoples choice of local have both taken the dog away from where they are naturally suited.

 

[Me Myself]

Its sinful to be cruel to them or to let them suffer unnecessarily or to the service of their wellbeing or greater happiness.

There is nothing wrong IMHO on teaching tricks to a dog but I do think you want to know that many of em you are teaching him for you not for himself (some are necessary though, like come here and stay, they may save both human and canine lifes)

We give em food, we give them love (which they can recieve and understand and enjoy well enough) they love us in return. I think if you keep well your side of the deal, it is a beautiful relationship

 

[Sand Dancer]

Dogs are pack animals, so they are used to being in a hierarchy. As a master, they would be submissive to the "pack leader." They also like to please, so learning tricks or just being obedient shouldn't be cruel. As long as pet food has actually meat in it, I don't think they have to have caught, raw meat.

 

[captainbryce]

Its sinful to be cruel to them or to let them suffer unnecessarily or to the service of their wellbeing or greater happiness.

There is nothing wrong IMHO on teaching tricks to a dog but I do think you want to know that many of em you are teaching him for you not for himself (some are necessary though, like come here and stay, they may save both human and canine lifes)

We give em food, we give them love (which they can recieve and understand and enjoy well enough) they love us in return. I think if you keep well your side of the deal, it is a beautiful relationship

Agreed! The bible would also technically permit human slavery if it was done in accordance with all of the above mentioned criteria (loving them, providing for them, teaching them, etc) and not done with "cruelty". The problem with human societies is that they have proven that humans are incapable of treating slaves humanely and with dignity. Societies has proven that slavery inevitably leads to cruelty and suffering. The same holds true for some people who own animals. Fortunately, most modern animal cruelty laws prevent abuse and neglect (at least in the United States).

 

[kloth]

No, and it's a bit late for many breeds, anyway, who can't survive without human help.

Dogs have a pack mentality, and so if they don't have masters themselves, they will regard themselves as masters.

wild dogs survive without humans help, and other animals. dogs can learn tricks, so they can learn to survive on their own, if started out as birth that way.

I think most of these dogs have a great life, probably better than many humans, if there is such thing as an after life, I hope to come back as one of those animals.

well that's easy for you to say, but unfortunately don't can't say the same thing if they wanted to.

Dogs don't care who they relieve themselves in front of. They don't seem to dislike dog food-- it's easier than hunting, anyway. And not bad if it's high quality. I don't really approve of making dogs do tricks or wear stupid clothes, but some dogs don't seem to mind tricks, and the ones that do won't do them. Plus, if decently treated, dogs love their people.

I really don't see how it could be sinful to care for one of God's creatures.

if all you have is dog food then you will eat it, make the best of it, especially if hungry.
dogs love their people? or do they have to? but even if they do, does that entitle people to take away their freedom?

Its sinful to be cruel to them or to let them suffer unnecessarily or to the service of their wellbeing or greater happiness.

There is nothing wrong IMHO on teaching tricks to a dog but I do think you want to know that many of em you are teaching him for you not for himself (some are necessary though, like come here and stay, they may save both human and canine lifes)

We give em food, we give them love (which they can recieve and understand and enjoy well enough) they love us in return. I think if you keep well your side of the deal, it is a beautiful relationship

the same thing could be said about old people put in retirement centers by their families, and their family might say the say things you just did about that, but do the old people being put there say that?
the problem with dogs is they can't talk, so their masters often speak for them. and how many are going to admit to being wrong about how they deal with their pets?

Dogs are pack animals, so they are used to being in a hierarchy. As a master, they would be submissive to the "pack leader." They also like to please, so learning tricks or just being obedient shouldn't be cruel. As long as pet food has actually meat in it, I don't think they have to have caught, raw meat.

they like to please? or they have to please? people in prison will smile when forced to live a certain way as well.
but let's say the dog does like to please. should anyone take advantage of the good will of a friend?

 

[Shadow Wolf]

It depends on individual circumstances, but we have breed dogs specifically to be a part of our species culture. Some people will treat their animals great, and some terribly, but dogs especially we have been such a strong and significant part of each others existence that it would probably be more "sinful" just to let them all go.

 

[michel]

It depends on individual circumstances, but we have breed dogs specifically to be a part of our species culture. Some people will treat their animals great, and some terribly, but dogs especially we have been such a strong and significant part of each others existence that it would probably be more "sinful" just to let them all go.

True, where I think a "sin" may have been committed is when humans have bred certain what they consider to be aesthetically pleasing (to them, rather than the dog) traits.

So many highly in-bred dogs suffer from health problems just because the breed has been "fine tuned" by breeders for the sake of personal wishes..

 

[Riverwolf]

wild dogs survive without humans help, and other animals.

Wild dogs don't consist of the types of breeds that humans often wish for.

dogs can learn tricks, so they can learn to survive on their own, if started out as birth that way.

Some breeds can. Others can only learn basic tricks(sit, stay, etc), but would get eaten up by the harshness of nature because no amount of learning can make up for a weak body that can't compete with the bigger animals.

 

[Shadow Wolf]

wild dogs survive without humans help, and other animals. dogs can learn tricks, so they can learn to survive on their own, if started out as birth that way.


well that's easy for you to say, but unfortunately don't can't say the same thing if they wanted to.


if all you have is dog food then you will eat it, make the best of it, especially if hungry.
dogs love their people? or do they have to? but even if they do, does that entitle people to take away their freedom?


the same thing could be said about old people put in retirement centers by their families, and their family might say the say things you just did about that, but do the old people being put there say that?
the problem with dogs is they can't talk, so their masters often speak for them. and how many are going to admit to being wrong about how they deal with their pets?


they like to please? or they have to please? people in prison will smile when forced to live a certain way as well.
but let's say the dog does like to please. should anyone take advantage of the good will of a friend?

The transition from wolf to domestic dog occured probably because groups of wolves were following humans for easy meals, and eventually got closer and closer, until eventually they got close enough that we could domesticate them, raise them for our own, and breed them to be a companion of our species. There is much in your statements to refute. Such as, although dogs cannot "talk" as we do due to a lack of vocal chords, they do indeed communicate with us and each other with different barks, whines, growls, and so on. And indeed we can understand them. And if you wonder if a dog does love their human or if they have to, I wonder if you have ever had a dog? Even the social ones you can tell who they belong to.
As for taking their freedoms, my dog has it pretty good. She can go to her grandparents home whenever she wants, she comes back home when she is ready to, she plays with the other dogs around, and mostly does what she wants to.

 

[payak]

You feed the dog,wash it,groom it,pamper it,even pick up its crap.

Who really owns who.

 

[kloth]

It depends on individual circumstances, but we have breed dogs specifically to be a part of our species culture. Some people will treat their animals great, and some terribly, but dogs especially we have been such a strong and significant part of each others existence that it would probably be more "sinful" just to let them all go.

we don't have to keep breeding certain dogs to please our wants, because we don't need them. what's so sinful about a specific breed going instinct? i'm not saying to kill them, but we don't need to breed them.

You feed the dog,wash it,groom it,pamper it,even pick up its crap.

Who really owns who.

i don't know about you, but i don't need anyone doing all that stuff for me, nor would i want it. a dog doesn't either. i see people forcing their dogs to be groomed while the dogs hating it. and what for? so stangers on the street can go crazy happy to see this dog, like they never seen a dog in their entire life? with unsolicited petting? asking what breed it is or it's name like it matters?

 

[payak]

we don't have to keep breeding certain dogs to please our wants, because we don't need them. what's so sinful about a specific breed going instinct? i'm not saying to kill them, but we don't need to breed them.

i don't know about you, but i don't need anyone doing all that stuff for me, nor would i want it. a dog doesn't either. i see people forcing their dogs to be groomed while the dogs hating it. and what for? so stangers on the street can go crazy happy to see this dog, like they never seen a dog in their entire life? with unsolicited petting? asking what breed it is or it's name like it matters?

I'm not a fan of owning dogs,did you think I was.

 

[Riverwolf]

we don't have to keep breeding certain dogs to please our wants, because we don't need them.

Some people do. Ever hear of therapy pets?

i don't know about you, but i don't need anyone doing all that stuff for me

Because you're a human, and humans are tool-users. Dogs aren't.

 

[Infinitum]

I'm not much of a dog person, perhaps partly because their domestication has went so far I feel kind of bad for some of them. However I've lived with cats my whole life. They've been free to come and go outside as they've liked. Sometimes they were gone for weeks, but they've always came back. That does sound like free choice, doesn't it?

One of our cats is completely convinced she owns us. She's picked up a habit of mewing commands especially at my husband, who then feeds her and amuses her when she likes. When she doesn't, there's no chance whatsoever of getting her to do what you like. She mews at me as well, but I seem to be more the boring mother figure than her personal slave. We also jokingly call her my brother's girlfriend because of the way she automatically assumes all of his attention belongs to her. I don't really even think of cats as pets in that sense. I respect them as the individuals they are and do my best to work with them on their own terms and they've always responded to that with the same. I don't know where I'd be without the emotional support I've gotten from the animals I've lived with over the years.

 

[Shadow Wolf]

we don't have to keep breeding certain dogs to please our wants, because we don't need them. what's so sinful about a specific breed going instinct? i'm not saying to kill them, but we don't need to breed them.

But our two speices have evolved side-by-side to be a significant part of each others way of life. We get a companion, a worker, and many times a loyal friend who will fiercely defend you, and the dog gets a companion, someone to take care of him/her, and many times a loyal friend who will fiercely defend them.
And because of a dog's heightened since of smell, there are many tasks, such as search and rescue, that a dog will make the perfect team member with the unique abilities they provide. And of course if you kill a police dog you kill an officer of the law, and many fallen canines are honored as fallen heroes.

i don't know about you, but i don't need anyone doing all that stuff for me, nor would i want it. a dog doesn't either. i see people forcing their dogs to be groomed while the dogs hating it. and what for? so stangers on the street can go crazy happy to see this dog, like they never seen a dog in their entire life? with unsolicited petting? asking what breed it is or it's name like it matters?

Much like people, dog's too need to be groomed. For many dogs it's nothing more than neglectful to not brush them, even if they squirm and try and get away. Better that than letting it get all tangled and matted. Or should we just not make kids take their medicine, since it is often times a "make them." And dogs get medicine as well because of people. A dog who belongs to a responsible owner will have protection against heart and digestive track worms, fleas, ticks, and all the other nasties and the diseases and infections they carry.

 

[Reverend Rick]

My dog is my best friend, he eats what I eat and goes everywhere with me. He loves the boat and goes swimming whenever he wants to. I have a golf cart and he considers it his golf cart. He would go nuts if I left without him on it.

My dog communicates with me really good. He gets along with the cat as well. He is super smart and a mixed breed. If he has to go, he tells me and if I delay he insists and starts barking.

He is well trained and socialised well. He is good with children. He goes to outside restaurants with me and gets served. The waitresses all know him by name.