There is a phenomenon on the Internet called a troll. A troll is someone who posts on forums and websites purely to cause upset, and I think the DogCast Radio site has been visited by one. My post entitled The man who want to ban all dogs was a response to an article by Giles Coren, who had written about wanting to ban all dogs. A comment was added which includes the following:
"It is quite sad if people really need to rely on a dog to be happy. They are unnecessary and require people to change their lifestyles in order to live with one of these awful creatures."
Now what on earth was someone who could express such a sentiment doing on a site devoted entirely to dogs and dog lovers in the first place? I do wonder if it was Giles Coren himself - after all who but him would refer to the "brilliance" of his column? We'll probably never know who posted the comment as he or she signed off as anonymous.
A flurry of comments came in response to that comment, (you can read them at the link above where there's also a link to the original article) but I just wanted to address it myself. Normally I don't "feed" trolls, i.e. I don't reply to them, but for this one, I'll make an exception. I honestly think that the love of dogs is something fundamental in most people, and that is only natural; it's a bond that goes back thousands of years. We may love them, we may want them, but we can't escape needing them.
Don't get me wrong, I have genuine sympathy for those who have had a bad experience and are scared of dogs. I never force my dog's attentions on anyone, and both our dogs are well trained. I do passionately believe that if everyone scooped their dog's poop dogs would be welcomed into a lot more places. Further than that, I think it would be of huge benefit if all dog owners had to take their dogs through at least the Bronze level of the Kennel Club's Canine Good Citizen scheme. I also acknowledge the huge importance of choosing a carefully bred dog, and giving them a equally careful upbringing.
Necessary is a funny word, because it's a subjective one. Houses aren't necessary - we could all go back to living in caves couldn't we? Cars aren't necessary - surely we could all revert to horses and carts? And electricity, surely we could all survive without that. None of them are necessary, but how difficult would our lives be without them?
Mr Anon asserts that dogs are not necessary. Oh yes? Well tell that to the soldier whose dog sniffs out explosive devices and saves his life. Tell that to the person who's deaf whose hearing dog alerts them to doorbells and phone calls and even a baby crying they would otherwise be unaware of. Tell that to the person who's blind whose dog acts as their eyes giving them back their freedom. Tell that to the person who suffers epilepsy whose dog warns them allowing time to prepare for a seizure. Tell that to the diabetic person whose dog can detect a dip in blood sugar even before equipment can. Tell it to the wheelchair bound whose assistance dog performs tasks they are no longer able to themselves. Tell it to the family who have seen a dog make hitherto impossible connections with their autistic child. Tell it to the senior citizen who relishes the visit of a therapy dog to their old folks' home. Tell it to the widow whose dog is her reason for getting out of bed in the morning, and the child who whispers his problems into his dog's fur, and the couch potato whose dog is the only reason to get some exercise. Tell it to the thousands and thousands of people whose spare time and weekends are spent training and competing with their dog - the obedience, flyball, agility, and showing enthusiasts.
And while you're at it, try telling it to me, whose dog is always there for me whatever mood or health I'm in, whatever day it is, whatever the weather is. Never in a bad mood, always ready to accompany me on an adventure, or simply cuddle up on the couch. There's a lot of things I could give up if I had to, my beloved four by four, buying new clothes, watching my favourite soap opera, even eating chocolate - but give up Buddy? Never! Dogs aren't just necessary, they're vital.
I'll tell you something else about dogs, they're a lot more necessary than Internet trolls. Oh, and columnists.
Take care,
Julie x