50 Photos That Prove Dogs Make Our Lives Better (New Pics)

One of the moderators running ‘Rare Puppers,’ who has been in their role since 2017, told us that the subreddit was originally created by an Australian named TPK (The Pupper King). Though the founder is “more inactive now,” he is the person “most responsible” for creating ‘Rare Puppers.’

“He worked pretty actively across the years to build the community. The sub was created as a wholesome, meme-y place to share pictures of animals with silly titles in ‘pupperspeak,’ or what some call ‘doggolingo,' a sort of pastiche that's a bit like if a dog or cat themselves were trying to type,” the moderator shared with Bored Panda.

“The first few years, the pupperspeak was fantastic and a major part of almost every post. Despite our best efforts, though, especially the past 3–5 years, it has somewhat diluted into being more general titles. We're always hoping to re-engender that title creativity with the community, though. We also really prefer OC [original content] personal pet photos to ones found online.”

Meanwhile, the moderator said that another unique part of their community is that they completely ban swearwords, sad stories, and politics. “In fact, there's probably a good chance we're the largest public community on the internet that disallows all swearing. It's definitely part of the meme and the sub's identity. As well, I think it has a major part in shaping the community we've cultivated.”

According to the mod, people who find that not being able to use swearwords is a dealbreaker are also often the type of individuals who wouldn’t fit in with the vibe of the subreddit.

“I've always liked to imagine the sub as a kind of ‘time out zone,’ where, regardless of what's going on in your life, you can load it up and know you won't have to deal with anything that will make you feel worse, if only for a little bit. It's like anti-doomscrolling, which I think there needs to be WAY more of in the world,” the moderator shared with Bored Panda.

This, from their perspective, is what probably keeps the community going all these years. “It's nice to have a space in your life where you can take a break from the entire world seeming to be on fire. And of course, the memery is very fun too. I'd also want to mention that we've gotten really lucky with our moderation team. We've found and kept some really great long-term people who have kept things really tidy over the years, and whenever things started slacking, someone else picked up their game.”

The moderator said the entire team is “really proud of our community, and look forward to bringing more smiles to people!”

Meanwhile, the mod had some advice to share for anyone who is thinking about getting a dog as a pet. We were curious about how someone can tell if they’re ready to be a pet owner.

“My biggest advice would be to first EXPLORE THE GAP between ‘not having a dog’ and ‘having a permanent new thing dependent on you forever!’” they said.

“If you live near any dog shelters, more often than not, they're absolutely clamoring for volunteers willing to foster dogs for a few days or weeks, or even just to come by and take one out for the day,” the moderator suggested.

“Fostering is a particularly great way to get a dog. It's a great way to ‘dog trial’ yourself, since if it doesn't work out, giving the dog back was always the plan anyway. But the other awesome thing about this is that if you decide after some time that the dog really clicks with you, you can ‘foster fail’ and adopt that dog permanently! It's a win-win!”

In the meantime, the mod strongly advised that new dog owners avoid any kind of “dominance or fear-based training. These are essentially disproven at this point,” they said.

“Modern professionals now largely encourage standards like FearFree certification instead. The 'dominance’/'alpha' idea with canines stems from a guy named David Mech, who has himself since come out against his own idea and will tell you it was misconceived.”

Deciding to become a pet parent is one of the most significant choices that you’ll ever make in life. If that decision scares you a little bit, it really should. You are choosing to let another living, thinking, feeling, breathing being into your life, promising to take care of it for many years to come.

Having a lifelong companion is a big step. And it’s a very rewarding one. However, you have to be realistic if you can provide your future pet with all that it needs, so it can thrive, not just survive.

There are many things to consider before you commit to getting a pet. What’s your financial situation like? Can you take care of your pet’s food, shelter, entertainment, and medical needs? Do you have enough space at home for your animal? And perhaps even more importantly, with your current lifestyle, do you have enough time and energy to give your new pet the attention that it deserves, so it feels loved?

On a more practical level, who is going to walk the dog? It would be awful to get a dog breed that requires an athletic, incredibly social owner who loves to spend time outdoors, only for you to keep it indoors.

Then, there are also the dynamics inside your home to consider, too. If you already have pets, will the new animal get along with them? Meanwhile, are any of your family members allergic to animals?

Getting or rescuing a dog just because it “looks cute” and you “want a pet” might not be the best idea if you can’t commit to it for years and years. Think about your future and if you can realistically see yourself consistently spending time with your pet years down the line, once the initial fascination has worn off.

If you’re unsure, you could try fostering an animal in need for a few weeks or months to see how good of a pet parent you can be, and what challenges you’d face.

Alternatively, if you find that you don’t have the right lifestyle or financial situation to make your potential pet happy, but you care about animals, you can find other ways to help.

For example, you could focus on aiding the rescue shelters in your neighborhood or city. You can volunteer your time, money, or resources to give your local animals in need the life they deserve, until they find their new forever homes.

According to the American Kennel Club, other factors that you should think about include whether you can be a responsible dog owner, and how you’ll actually train your dog.

“A responsible dog owner is someone who proactively plans for the needs of their dogs and ensures to the best of their ability that those needs are being met. It doesn’t mean having luxury items for your dog, but it does require being capable of providing your dog with everything they need. Dogs are dependent on their owners for everything from food to providing time and space to go to the bathroom and get enough stimulation and exercise,” AKC explains.

Meanwhile, as an owner, you’re responsible for your dog behaving itself both at home and in public. That means providing it with regular training through positive reinforcement.

“Training is a lifelong process for dogs and their owners, and while you don’t have to get to a competition level, all dogs should have basic training. At a minimum, dogs should be potty trained and learn basic manners, and regular training also can reduce conflict and frustration over caring for a dog,” AKC stresses.