A Dog’s Life – Depressed Dogs

Doggy Depression

During a hearty moorland stroll testing out the reach of mobile broadband I read an article in the Times about dogs suffering depression.

The following thoughts accurately reflect my own and are published in the hope that my neighbours whose yard is splattered in revolting dog muck either realise they are not worthy of having doggies and hand them over or finally allow the sad little woofers to venture more than five yards from the back door:

Can Dogs become depressed?

Deny any social creature the opportunity to interact with others of its kind and with humans, leave it in isolation for hours on end and only allow it exhaust its energy when it suits you and you will inevitably end up with a create that becomes withdrawn and yes: depressed. Chew toys and doggy biscuits are not – and will never be – substitutes for responsible, conscientious and attentive owners.

If you want a pet that isn’t a drain on your valuable leisure time, that doesn’t need to be exercised on a daily basis, and doesn’t require any interaction whatsoever, then collect pebbles. If you are not willing to give up the time, the resources and the energy to care, nuture and stimulate a creature that is social and pack oriented by nature then don’t even think about subjecting one to such neglect in the first place.

Feel free to act as selfishly as you like to members of your own species but stay away from animals if you can’t see the world beyond the tainted haze of anthropocentricit

anthropocentricit – what the heck does that mean?