Unfortunately, according to stories that we see online, videos and maybe just experiences that we have seen in real life, people tend to forget that dogs are not toys and they require a lot of attention and time. However, one thing that is often not taken into the account is a specific breed’s characteristics and if they’re really going to match with your lifestyle, or if that kind of dog is just aesthetically appealing to you.
Recently, a woman came online pointing out that not everybody should be allowed to have whatever kind of dog they want. The viral video received a lot of support and created quite a discussion online.
More info: TikTok
Owning a dog brings a lot of responsibilities, thus it’s important to consider how much time you can actually spend on dog training
Image credits: Blue Bird (not the actual photo)
“I'm gonna say something about dogs that's potentially going to piss a lot of people off but I'm spitting nothing but facts here”
Image credits: ingridbisu
“Factor number one - some dogs are high prey drive, some dogs are working dogs”
“If you cannot give them the kind of life that they were born and bred to live, then you should not have that dog.
And I'll give you an example - border collie. Border collies are working dogs. They are not meant to live in a one-bedroom apartment and be taken out to go potty once a day or twice a day. They need a lot of work and mental stimulation to thrive.
Another example would be a Belgian Malinois - high prey dog, not meant to sit on the couch every day, and then you wonder why they destroy your apartment, cause DUH!”
Image credits: ingridbisu
“The second factor to this is a potentially big and powerful dog that could become dangerous in the wrong hands”
“I love big dogs. I've always wanted a big dog. I love German shepherds, I love Rottweilers, I love Dobermans. Dobermans are some of my favorite dogs in the whole wide world. The reason why we don't have them is because my husband is severely allergic and they shed a lot. But a dog like that requires a lot of training, it requires a lot of socialization.
I'll give you an example. We have a small poodle right now and she's gone through some behavioral changes, and she had a moment of aggression. If she was not a poodle, if she was a bigger dog, we would be in serious trouble right now.”
Image credits: ingridbisu
"I do not believe that it is the dog's fault when they attack somebody and you see a lot of dog attacks on the news"
"It is 1,000% the owners fault. And what does that tell you? It tells you that where we need to regulate this issue is when it comes to ownership of that specific dog.
Make sure that you can entrust a dog like that with somebody that's actually going to take good care of it and train it and socialize it so that attacks like that do not happen.
Unfortunately, none of this is regulated and everybody can do whatever they want and the attacks are going to continue and the issues are going to continue and more and more dogs are going to end up in the shelter because that's just how things are.”
Image credits: ingridbisu
You can find the full video here
The creator of this video is Ingrid Bisu, known on the TikTok platform under the nickname @indgridbisu. Her videos mainly consist of rants about various topics and situations, luxury things, dogs and just sharing thoughts that many of us can relate to. Her video emphasizing that not everyone can own any dog they want went viral and got over 1.2M views.
In her viral video, Ingrid added a few hashtags, including #dogtrainer, #dogs, and #training, implying that this was a message for people who are looking into dogs and their training.. The video received almost 200k likes and over 8K comments where people online shared their thoughts, personal situations and whether they agreed with the creator on her statement.
“I absolutely agree. People buy dogs based off aesthetic instead of getting one that fits their lifestyle,” one user wrote. “110%! I have a previously abused and reactive German shepherd/Australian cattle dog mix - he's A LOT of work,” another added. “I’m lazy so I got a shih tzu. One/two walks a day and he’s my cuddle buddy for the rest of the day.”
Image credits: RDNE Stock project (not the actual photo)
“It's important to remember that all dogs are individuals with their own unique personalities and traits, but also that the original working purpose of their breed can have an impact on their behavior,” shared Alex Sessa, Peach on a Leash owner and head trainer, with Bored Panda.
She added a few examples, explaining that a herding breed dog like a border collie or shepherd may engage in chasing and nipping behaviors, as their breeds were selectively bred for those behaviors. “It makes them excellent at herding sheep, but can be challenging in a companion home environment when those natural drives aren't being appropriately channeled,” she emphasized.
Alex pointed out that when doing your research and selecting a breed that's right for you and your family, really dive into the breed history and determine the original working purpose of that breed to determine if you're comfortable with the needs they may have in your home.
Additionally, speaking about effective strategies for meeting the needs of high-energy or working dogs in different living environments, Alex noted that it involves a combination of physical exercise, mental enrichment and - believe it or not - rest! “A flirt pole is an excellent toy for channeling a dog's natural drive to chase and stalk. The idea is to run it along the ground in long lines, allowing your dog to chase the ‘critter’ on the end and ultimately catch it.”
She also shared that dog sports like agility, flyball, or scent work are excellent sources of physical enrichment and mental enrichment, and can help strengthen the bond with you and your dog. “You can even try a basic enrichment activity at home - just take some extra delivery boxes and place food inside one of them, letting your dog find the box with the food inside.”
Alex noted that you can also make it more challenging by hiding the boxes or making them harder to open. “Keep in mind that with any working breed, the answer is not to punish or suppress natural drives or behavior - they have to go somewhere! So provide your pup with safe and doable activities but also include ample time in the day to settle and rest - it's a critical skill for all dogs to learn.”
Image credits: Anton Kudryashov (not the actual photo)
Finally, we asked Alex what are some common misconceptions about dog behavior, including aggression and she shared that it is that dogs displaying unwanted behaviors are being “bad” or “disobedient” dogs.
“I encourage all dog guardians to ask themselves an important question - ‘how is this behavior serving my dog?’ Dogs do what works. They jump on us because it gets them attention, they pull on the leash because they want to get where they're going (and likely haven't been taught not to!) and quite often, dogs bite to make things go away, and/or because their warning signs have been ignored or punished,” she explained.
Alex also encouraged anyone with a dog or who co-exists around dogs to learn about body language and the subtle signs our dogs give us when they're uncomfortable. “The more you can observe and spot low-level signals of discomfort, the more you can protect yourself from dog bites and prevent your dog from escalating to a more aggressive response.”
Don’t forget to check out Peach on a Leash, which is a full-service dog training company, and their Instagram page for more dog training and behavioral tips!
And coming back to the video, what are your thoughts about that? Do you agree or disagree? Share your thoughts in the comments!
People online agreed with the creator on her thoughts
