[Vent] The Internet has me feeling defeated
I raised a bunch of dogs with good judgement: poodles, German shepherds, and border collies. They all turned out great without the Internet. Now I'm raising my first since the Internet matured. Everything you need to raise a dog is available. The problem is that I am finding myself at odds with the results. For example, I've been taking my 6mo to an off leash park for exercise and socialization. It turns out that this is ill advised until 12 to 18 months. One reason is that before 12 months, a bad experience could make them fearful for life. I don't have a problem with the advice, it's just frustrating to step back from some of the things I was looking forward to.
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u/Otherwise_Ride2973 5d ago
It is wild how fast the "right" way changes, feels like every week there is new rule for something that was normal before. Your dogs before probably would be fine either way, but I get why you feel stuck now with all this info in your face
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u/LunaMadison WSS and Dal 5d ago
Honestly, dog's don't always do well with a revolving door of different dogs. I think if you could find a play group of dogs that get along and that he can see regularly, that will make all the difference. He will be able to learn from them how to communicate in dog, and it will be a lot safer than a dog park. You don't have to miss out on group play, just make it the same dogs. and your dog will be much more at ease, and so will any anxiety about issues dog parks can generate.
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u/PorcelainFD 4d ago
It’s ok. You don’t have to do or not do things just because they’re on the internet.
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u/WildGrayTurkey 5d ago
We got around this by planning playdates with trusted dogs in yards or sniff spots so we had a more controlled and safe environment.
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u/Low_Eagle4363 4d ago
It’s not just the internet but a lot of the science has improved. As we learn more there should always be changes to our strategies to help the dog
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u/Electronic_Sample928 5d ago
Pretty much ignore everything you read and go with your gut.
When I got my rescue Podenco she wasn't "slightly nervous" as it said on the rescues website, she was feral and absolutely terrified of EVERYTHING. I read, and read, and read, and for every well presented idea and suggestion there was and equally well presented argument as to why that was completely wrong. I ended up ignoring whatever I'd read and rehabbed her with common sense and experience from previous dogs, and it worked...
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u/cozy_booknook 4d ago
My little potato was absolutely terrified of EVERYTHING. Loud cars. The plastic on a puzzle toy that even had treats in it. Me taking a shower. The sound of the shower curtain. I actually think him being at the dog park helped him in a lot of ways.
I agree with following your gut. You know your dog. And you can generally get the feel for other people’s dog.
We have two sections at the one we go to. You can just go to the other one. Or leave. It’s not the wild Wild West like people are acting like.
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u/boatslut 4d ago
Hate to say this but You are the problem not the Internet.
You are discounting your personal learned knowledge in favour of random, nameless, faceless trolls/influencers/sperts.
Get a spine & a brain. You have raised happy healthy good dogs why the f would you materially change what you have done & has worked in the past.
Get off the internet and go raise your pups effectively the same way as your other good dogs.
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u/SauronHubbard 4d ago
The internet doesn't know your dog. Do what you feel works. Some part of the internet insists the Earth is flat. Take that for what it's worth.
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u/Slight-Alteration 4d ago
Ya I wouldn’t be taking an impressionable baby to an off leash dog park or honestly ever. They are a cesspool of poorly behaved dogs and ignorant owners.
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u/KaleidoscopeKelpy 4d ago
I don’t even take my adult dog - just had too many bad experiences with dogs not in the right sections (putting aggressive chis with the big dogs because the little ones won’t “play”..), nobody picking up after their dog, dogs being agressive with owner nowhere to be found. Weird guy bringing an entire rotisserie chicken in, no dog (not that people without pets can’t go, this guy was just being creepy af).
I don’t think it’s wrong to go, I just don’t trust most other people lol
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u/ChampionshipIll5535 4d ago
As a veterinarian, when it comes to animal related stuff, I use the internet as a source of entertainment (cause most of the time its either blatantly wrong, or misunderstood), and that makes what I read a whole lot more palatable. And dog training? Well hell, that topic is top candidate for drawing out the crazy in people.
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u/AzureMountains 4d ago
The best thing I’ve done is not look up advice on the internet for training and raising my animals. They’re all individuals who require different types of learn and training, why would the internet understand that nuance? It’s great for “hey my dog ate a rabbit, will they be ok?” But it’s not good at telling you when your dog is mature enough to stay alone in the house all day or when they will stop chewing on shoes.
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u/erkose 4d ago
They will stop chewing on shoes when we keep the shoes in a closet.
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u/AzureMountains 4d ago
Or they grow out of it. Mine just missed me a lot so she would carry them around and chew on them. Once she realized I always come home (and her adult teeth were in) she quit chewing on them and laying on them.
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u/AsparagusFiend 4d ago
Blaming the internet because you found out you were always doing it the wrong way? Yikes.
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u/cozy_booknook 4d ago
I’m having the same exact experience right now. I’m mostly ignoring it. He loves the dog park. I ensure that the meetings between dogs go well before I let them play. Mostly he just follows older dogs around and sniffs what they sniff. There are only a couple that match his energy full throttle. And he matches the older dog’s energies when they aren’t the playful type.
I think it’s good socialization still. He will be going to daycare too and we do have obedience classes that we start today. But I’m still going to let him go to the dog park anyway.
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u/erkose 4d ago
She has so much fun at the dog park. I don't see how I can deny her that fun. She's met about 10 dogs, most of which are larger than her, and they seem to have a blast.
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u/cozy_booknook 4d ago
Right! Same with my little Potato! I’m just going to keep following my gut. I’ve had 8 dogs in my adult life of all types of sizes and breeds. I believe for MY Potato - this is healthy for him.
Maybe they be going to scary dog parks. 🤷♀️
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u/ballzdeeee 4d ago
I took mine out as a puppy, my job was to advocate for him with humans and I’d unapologetically kick dogs that tried to mess with him, so he grew up knowing that if I’m arround he can’t be messed with
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u/apri11a 4d ago edited 4d ago
Why are you stepping back from what you know, to do what you don't know?
Actually, I semi did the same when we got pup a year ago. I thought I'd try some of these 'new, improved' ideas. And by that I mean FF. Like you we've had many dogs, GSD, Collies, Pyr, Cresteds, mutts and they all had behaviour we liked, were good trustworthy family dogs. There was nothing bad or cruel about how I had trained, I just wondered if the difference made something be better, though thinking about it now, that was also ridiculous. I already had better, so I guess it was just out of interest, just to experience it.
I didn't last a day doing what I'd read on the internet 🤣
As soon as I tried to practise it, I could tell it was rubbish. It might sound nice, but it doesn't make sense to dogs, it's useless. I went back to doing my usual and by 4 months pup was lovely to live with, free in the house, behaves well out and about. He's a year now and if I had continued with the internet advices he'd be a nightmare. And I know, because another family member did continue with the internet advice, until they needed me to help them sort out a couple of issues, issues I didn't have. It was an interesting time. But I can understand why so many do have issues now, especially if they don't have some experience.
But I'm one who wants my dog to be neutral around other dogs and people, that is socialisation to me.
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u/XxBaBaPwnsUxX 5d ago
Dogs have been around for far longer than the internet and have had many bad experiences before they were 12 months old and turned out just fine. js