We have always had blowups for the same reason. When someone states that
something being done is horrible, it causes extreme reactions. Nothing
will get people riled up faster than to accuse them of doing things to
hurt their dogs, or hurting Berners or dogs in general, for example:
Crating is cruel.
Kibble is poison, it's made up of dead pets with drugs in them.
BARF is full of e-coli and salmonella.
Buying dogs at auction is wrong.
We've seen these in the past, and we'll see it again. If you disagree
with someone, find a positive way to disagree. For example:
Instead of crating, I sleep alongside my dog and let it out
whenever it moves.
I've researched kibble extensively, and here is a list of
articles that explain the contents and the source of the different
foods.
Have there been any studies done on the risk of e-coli and
salmonella to dogs from eating raw foods? I'd very much like to learn
more about that aspect of BARF.
My efforts in reducing the exploitation of Berners has been to
attend dog shows and spend time making newbies feel welcome and
answering any questions they have.
There are endless ways to have a discussion with a positive spin. No one
will ever change anyone's mind by inflammatory statements that accuse
them of ill-treating dogs. It puts them on the defensive, and gets
people upset rather than getting them to think. It will also get you
booted off the Berner-L faster than almost anything else. I hate to do
that, but I have done it in the past and suspect that I will do it in
the future.
This List is a pleasant place. We have discussions, we don't accuse each
other of vile things. We are sweet, and considerate. We are respectful
of other people even if we don't agree with something they've said. I
know that's hard. Trust me, I know that's hard.
If someone sends you a private post that you find offensive, please
forward it to me and I will try to find the appropriate action to be
taken. Please do not forward it to the List.
For those of you who are new, we have these spats every now and then,
I'm afraid we've been long overdue. We have many people from all over
the world. Different cultures view aspects of dog ownership very
differently. Finding ways to share those different aspects without being
aggressive, well, that's the challenge. And I know it's not always easy.
Thank you to everyone who makes the effort to do so. I know that I do
appreciate learning how different people handle aspects of dog
ownership, breeding, rescue, training, feeding, etc. And I'm sure many
others do as well.
Pat Long,
Berner-L Co-Owner
Berwyn PA
