Are You A Dog Bore?
Lets be clear – a dog bore is someone who takes more than a passing interest in every move their dog makes. In fact, most dog bores are utterly captivated by their dog. More to the point, they want everyone else to experience the never ending charm of their four-legged fur baby. Are you a dog bore? Read our Holidays4Dogs article to find out!…
The growth of the ‘fur baby’.
The volume of love people have for their dogs is huge – and it’s probably grown in recent decades. Without doubt pets become bona fide family members, providing support and comfort – in a sometimes volatile world.
But still, it can be easy to fall into the trap of becoming a dog bore and irritate the pants off friends and family 🙂
There are similarities to ‘parent bores’ too. However, while both tend to monopolise conversations – there are differences that can make dog bores much less credible. Particularly if this involves comparing dogs to children. That can be a pretty big No, No.
The yawn factor.
While discussions about dogs can be enjoyable for fellow canine enthusiasts, it can become repetitive for people who don’t share the passion. Indeed, constant dog talk may even alienate friends, colleagues and family. Some may even implore the dog bore to stop banging on about it altogether!
When it gets to this point, many dog owners might start to feel judged. If the dog is badly behaved – they’re not training their dog. If they are training the dog – then they’re not letting the dog be a dog.
Moreover – if they talk too much about the dog – they are tediously boring. This is probably the point at which many doting owners turn to their pooch for comfort.
More than just a dog.
For many people – a dog is just a dog – even for dog owners themselves. Others take their dog owning duties seriously. After all, dogs are a big commitment. Dogs take up a great deal of anyone’s time – (including the poor soul getting their ear bent about it all).
But, it doesn’t change the fact – dogs don’t just blunder into being good family pets. They need structure and direction and training – and it all takes time.
A lot of time. It’s also a crucial element of dog owning if you don’t want to really annoy other members of society. Nobody could really blame the dog owner who expresses this in conversation in general company – a million times over. Dogs are most certainly profound and unique creatures. They develop personalities – and arguable intellect, to match any two year old child. According to canine behaviour researcher Stanley Coren, dogs have similar mental abilities as two year old children.
Pet parents.
However, while science suggests this is true, it can provoke indignation if the pet parent compares their much-loved mutt to a walking, talking, toddler. Try telling your friends with kids that your dog has comparable skills in cooperative communication and gets upset when you’re not around. See how far you get!
Ultimately, dog owners need not feel apologetic for bringing up the love they feel for their companions in conversation. But, perhaps its best to only raise the subject in mixed company and when it’s relevant. Commenting how engaging and funny your dog is, isn’t the same as giving everyone a detailed run down on how you’re tackling the issue of Fido raiding the kitchen bins. Or, showing them thousands of phone pictures of your dog from every angle.
On the same score – if you have dog owning friends who clearly want to talk about their wonderful, faithful companions – maybe cut them a bit of slack? We know we’re doing it. 🙂
