Reasons, Why I hate dogs!

Hate is such a strong word. But people use it as often as they can – “I hate cabbage!” “I hate to exercise!” “I hate when my Mom re arranges my stuff!” The reason why people use the word ‘hate’ so much is because they use the word ‘love’ more than it should be. In fact, from what I felt, the word ‘like’ would have been extinct if not for Facebook.

So when people often say “I hate dogs!” What does that actually mean?  You have to be in their shoes to answer that question. So, let’s say “I hate dogs!” “Why?”

They bark, they bite, they chase your automobile at night, they litter in your residential areas and they … they … they are just worst creatures on earth!! That’s it.

In India, they hate dogs because they howl. Because if a dog howls, a person nearby dies. Wow doggies! Some real superpower you got there in your throat. Well, howling (misunderstood as crying) is a like a doggy cell phone or radio. It is a medium of long range communication for them. Wolves do it too! They do it either to warn their pack about some stranger, they do it to call their pack for hunting, they can also howl if they get separated by their pack or owners. They express this separation anxiety through howling.

Died due to dog howling!

Place where there are stray dogs, it is healthy for us to keep them there. They work as scavengers (better than municipality actually) and eat up garbage, which can cause serious health issues if they get rotten. They also keep the rat population under control. If you remove strays from such areas and not clean the place efficiently, rat population increases. Behind rats come snakes. Now do you prefer to have stray snakes? Or stray dogs? Your choice.

Since the beginning of the time, i.e. when your ancestors ruled the place, they kept dogs as companions or for security from wild animals. Dogs are used to be around human beings since the beginning of time. And for some reasons they love company of humans more than their own kind. In return they provide you with safety and eliminate a lot of diseases with their scavenging. So if a dog bites you, keep in mind it is protecting something/itself. Or you were doing something you weren’t supposed to be doing. Like walking like a drunkard. Making more than enough sound with the sole of your shoes, or maybe he just didn’t like your stupid face (in that case it is OK to hate him, because he hates you too).

There are few things to keep in mind when you are approaching or going through an unknown dog’s territory.

For more information watch this amazing video I made for VSPCA and ABC India.

•  Do not look the dog in the eye. Its like challenge to fight for them.
•  If the dog is lying/resting don’t walk with loud shoes or do not try to jump over him or do not try to throw stones at him. Remember when your mom wakes you up in the morning, how grumpy you are? Yea, so don’t do that.
• If you know there is a pregnant or mother dog nearby. Do not go through that area. I know puppies are cute and irresistible but do not go try to cuddle with them.  Dog mommies are very overprotective. Also warn the children not to do so.
• Throwing stones at dogs is easy. Just till you find a dog who is ‘having his day’. I don’t even want to describe your condition after the dog will be done with u. Just remember dog’s head is aligned straight to your crotch and buttocks.
• Like you are very protective about your underwear, a dog is protective of its tail. So don’t pull or touch it.
• Do not drive past dogs with speed or they will chase you. Remember? When that guy cut through your motorbike on the highway with full speed, almost startled you. I am sure your mouth didn’t shower flower after he did that. And if you do, and the dog chases your bike/car, don’t hate the dog.

Now, play with me!

Now, I explained these to my neighbor and his reply was “Why should I take so much pain, I would rather use a stick instead.” The reason why most dogs bite are not because of aggression but due to fear, or to protect themselves. It means they surely don’t trust you and have developed a gene inside which fears you when you approach them in wrong manner or with wrong body language. Dog lovers get bitten too. Dogs aren’t racists. So your act of hitting dog is passed on to biting someone else. Easiest way to befriend a dog is to feed him. No don’t pamper him if you don’t want to. Just drop a few bread crumbs near your house and let the dog see that you dropped them. Repeat this process for a few days. Viola! The dog trusts you and will never harm you.

I went to attend a very strange complaint but very legitimate one. An extreme playful dog was jumping on people (to play with them) but in process was scaring shit out of the strangers. So they ‘hated’ the dog for being too friendly. So if you’re feeding a dog, keep distance. Jumping or putting his paws on you might be cute for you but not for others. And the dog automatically assumes, what he can do to you, he can do to others too.

“Why do you feed dogs? I hate when you feed them near our house, they come every day and litter here and there. They are so dirty and nasty creatures. If you want them, keep them in your house.” Your neighbor must have complained. In such cases, give him a big smile and tell him:

• First of all it is illegal to threaten, abuse or harass dog feeders/care takers under Section 506 Indian penal court act. The court has termed feeding of animals as social service and any person obstructing this shall be prosecuted and the police shall be deemed to protect such social activists.
• Under Section 428/429 Indian penal court act it is illegal to harm, hurt, poison, hit, harass or kill any animal.
• It is illegal to relocate dogs from their original territory under AWBI dog rules 2001.
• One pair of rat can multiply up to 35,000. Remember the 1994 plague in Surat (Gujarat)? The main cause was due to rats! Rats dying and rotting in gutter.
• Most and foremost reason why the dogs must stay there is because not you, but they and their ancestors have been living and guarding these lands. Just because they have agreed to share their land with you shouldn’t make you such a butthole.

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