# Have you taught your dog to be useful?



## hypochondriac (Jul 27, 2019)

Like fetching your drink from the fridge?
no i havent. i taught him to bring me the plastic yoghurt container to me when hes finished licking it. thats about all of use.


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## Rosemarie (Jul 27, 2019)

Did your dog ask if he could come and live with you, or was the choice yours?  Did you want a slave or a companion? He has the right to expect adequate food, water and shelter. You have no right to expect anything from him.


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## hypochondriac (Jul 27, 2019)

Rosemarie said:


> Did your dog ask if he could come and live with you, or was the choice yours?  Did you want a slave or a companion? He has the right to expect adequate food, water and shelter. You have no right to expect anything from him.


i hesitate to enter the fray here..
ive got a working dog though. they are bred to be useful and I guess partly slave.
I dont quite get where you are coming from. I think it harmless to train dogs to be useful. in fact i get the sense that my dog would be thrilled to learn sonething new.
and if you are suggesting that i would mistreat or abuse my pet i will actually take offence. Because if anyone loves and respects their dog it is me.
sorry i had to get on the soapbox there.
we will now all resume normal transmission


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## Rosemarie (Jul 27, 2019)

I was being facetious. This is the problem with posting on the internet...you don't get the 'feel' behind what someone writes. I wasn't being offensive.


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## JustBonee (Jul 27, 2019)

Rosemarie said:


> I was being facetious. This is the problem with posting on the internet...you don't get the 'feel' behind what someone writes. I wasn't being offensive.



Need to give a sign .....   <sarcasm>


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## MeAgain (Jul 27, 2019)

We slaves do expect something in return from our dog masters. 
Our dogs are trained and have manners. Like my daughter in law once said, your cats and dogs mind better than our kids.
I had to agree.


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## Rosemarie (Jul 27, 2019)

I think actually, most people are slaves to their pets. We go out in the pouring rain for 'walkies'...search the supermarkets for their favourite brand of food...go without so that they can have the best of everything. Those, like me, who don't have grandchildren, find a substitute in animals.


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## SeaBreeze (Jul 27, 2019)

Two of my dogs in the past have happily fetched the morning newspaper from the driveway, sun, rain or snow.  This was my last old dog who died several years ago.


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## jujube (Jul 27, 2019)

"Working" breeds get frustrated if they have no job to do. That's why they misbehave.  Their instinct says "HERD! DIG! PURSUE! CATCH SMALL ANIMALS!" And their owners are yelling "NO! BAD DOG! STOP THAT!" Wouldn't you be frustrated if you were just trying to do your job and your boss kept saying that to you?


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## Rosemarie (Jul 27, 2019)

jujube said:


> "Working" breeds get frustrated if they have no job to do. That's why they misbehave.  Their instinct says "HERD! DIG! PURSUE! CATCH SMALL ANIMALS!" And their owners are yelling "NO! BAD DOG! STOP THAT!" Wouldn't you be frustrated if you were just trying to do your job and your boss kept saying that to you?


Yes, that's true. All dogs have been bred for a specific purpose. It's their nature to be active and useful. Even so-called 'lapdogs' were bred to keep people's feet warm on long journeys. Really, some people would be better off with a mechanical K9, they don't understand the minds of dogs.


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## hypochondriac (Jul 27, 2019)

Rosemarie said:


> I was being facetious. This is the problem with posting on the internet...you don't get the 'feel' behind what someone writes. I wasn't being offensive.


I usually pick up signs of sarcasm. But that is one rare version of it. If I were you I would have used more hyperbole, over the top language to add some spice.


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## Keesha (Jul 27, 2019)

jujube said:


> "Working" breeds get frustrated if they have no job to do. That's why they misbehave.  Their instinct says "HERD! DIG! PURSUE! CATCH SMALL ANIMALS!" And their owners are yelling "NO! BAD DOG! STOP THAT!" Wouldn't you be frustrated if you were just trying to do your job and your boss kept saying that to you?


That’s right. That’s why they are called working breeds. In fact dogs need a purpose in life just like humans. 

Looking into the breed histories is fascinating. 
For instance the Yorkshire Terrier, now considered a spoiled lap dog was actually bred for underground hunting of small rodents. They are so small with tiny faces but have a sharp bark which they use so they could be found underground.

Our Yorkie is an incredibly good hunter. She had the added bonus of being trained by an inside/ outside cat


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## hypochondriac (Jul 27, 2019)

SeaBreeze said:


> Two of my dogs in the past have happily fetched the morning newspaper from the driveway, sun, rain or snow.  This was my last old dog who died several years ago.


thats a cool photo and a really cool vibe over all. And i bet the dog enjoyed doing it as well. In Australia labradors are trained to assist the blind and other disabled. Beautiful to watch how they do chores. They look like natural born carers.


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## hypochondriac (Jul 27, 2019)

jujube said:


> "Working" breeds get frustrated if they have no job to do. That's why they misbehave.  Their instinct says "HERD! DIG! PURSUE! CATCH SMALL ANIMALS!" And their owners are yelling "NO! BAD DOG! STOP THAT!" Wouldn't you be frustrated if you were just trying to do your job and your boss kept saying that to you?


i try to keep my working dog exercised and busy at least. At 11 now he is easier to manage than before. we used to do two walks a day.He likes mental challenge too. i mean he could get a better deal with a more knowledgeable and skilled owner but he could do worse as well .


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## Ruth n Jersey (Jul 27, 2019)

Years back when we had our beloved Lab he decided one day to help me with my gardening. While I was gathering my tools to work in the garden he picked up the shovel by the handle and dragged it out to the garden as he walked beside me. I praised him for all his help and after that he did it every time I gardened. I think he was proud to help and I was proud that he was my dog.


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## RadishRose (Jul 27, 2019)

hypochondriac said:


> i hesitate to enter the fray here..
> ive got a working dog though. they are bred to be useful and I guess partly slave.
> I dont quite get where you are coming from. I think it harmless to train dogs to be useful. in fact i get the sense that my dog would be thrilled to learn sonething new.
> and if you are suggesting that i would mistreat or abuse my pet i will actually take offence. Because if anyone loves and respects their dog it is me.
> ...


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## RadishRose (Jul 27, 2019)

My dog will give me her paw only if I'm holding a treat.


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## RadishRose (Jul 27, 2019)

Rosemarie said:


> I was being facetious. *This is the problem with posting on the internet*...you don't get the 'feel' behind what someone writes. I wasn't being offensive.


Maybe you should consider giving it up then, or learn how to handle it.


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## AZ Jim (Jul 27, 2019)

A dog is not an employee.  He is a companion. He brings joy just by being there.


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## RadishRose (Jul 27, 2019)

AZ Jim said:


> A dog is not an employee.  He is a companion. He brings joy just by being there.


Dogs are employees many times. As watch dogs, herding and protecting live stock, finding missing persons, hospital visits to cheer the sick, seeing eye dogs, fetching for para or quadriplegic people, police work, drug-sniffing in airports and autos. They are proud of themselves when praised for these achievements. They know.

These dogs are well paid in the love, care and respect from their owners. They are not treated as slaves. A dog wants challenge in it's life or it gets bored, even if it's just play.

And yes, "He is a companion. He brings joy just by being there.", also.


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## Butterfly (Jul 28, 2019)

Dogs are VERY useful to me by bringing love, joy and companionship (also sloppy kisses).


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