What do you think about the way some people pamper their pets?

Nothing wrong with it at all, if you can afford to why not. There are worse things that can be done or not done in this world. I pamper my pet very much.

It's like spoiling a child.

I don't see the point of having a pet if you're not going to pamper it. Rather defeats the object of the exercise.

pet verb ( petted , petting ) [ trans.] -stroke or pat (an animal) affectionately -treat (someone) with affection or favoritism; pamper

Having said that, I don't think pushing dogs around in buggies or carrying them around in handbags, feeding them inappropriately so that they get fat or turning them into canine barbie dolls with their own little canine wardrobes and accessories is pampering. Animals need exercise, they need mental stimulation, they need a good balanced diet, they need their natural dignity. Denying them these things is abuse, not pampering.

Pampering is good.

That's true, Cleo, but the question is "What do you think of the way SOME PEOPLE pamper their pets?" I assumed it meant the pampering to death that a lot of Japanese seem to do, like the examples you've given.

there is a direct correlation betwenn the falling birthrate and the increase in small canines. plenty of idiots willing to spend 60,000 on a Vuitton collar or Burberry hat for their toy poodle.

Schoolboyerror -

I gave my opinion on the way 'some people' 'pamper' their pets. Lack of exercise, inappropriate diet and smothering of natural dignity is nothing less than abuse.

How much a person spends on a dog's collar or solid-gold food bowl is no one's concern but the person doing the spending. If they can afford it, let them. Every little helps the economy.

Every little helps the economy.

having kids would help more

Live and let live. Their life their choice.

What do you think about the way some people pamper their pets?

Terrible, the way pets are always looking for a hand out.

telecasterplayer - Har!

Pampering your pet to the point that it is detrimental to the pet's mental and physical health is wrong. Over feeding, inappropriate diet, lack of exercise, socialization are all serious issues. Then again, the other extreme (lack of interaction, lack of mental stimulus, cruelty, abuse, etc.) is just as bad.

Unfortunately, many people buy their pets for the here and now. "He's cute!", "He's small!", etc. They don't realise that having a pet is a longterm commitment. It really is "to death do us part." I think this is one of the serious issues in many industrialized countries. Pets are not simple products to be purchased, rather they represent a serious lifestyle choice. If you are going to have a pet, you have to accept the lifestyle limitations and benefits that go with it.

It's a dog's life. My cat would have none of the dress-up in clothes or wear a hat. It's nice that people feed the local street cats so they look pretty healthy. No roving packs of feral dogs that I see. Well, more on topic, it is part of the daily laugh fest here to see how people use their small dogs for accessories...but I do have my doubts when I see people talking poochie for a "walk" by holding the dog in their arms. It chowchow crippled perhaps? One can only wonder 'cause it would be rude to ask! Any enlightening comments from nihonjin here?

Every little helps the economy.

having kids would help more

Done that.

(Hint: it doesn't have to be either/or. In fact it's better when it's both/and. Kids and animals complement each other.)

If you are going to have a pet, you have to accept the lifestyle limitations and benefits that go with it.

As I've said before, a dog isn't a pet, it's a lifestyle choice.

It's a dog's life--getting dressed up and carried around by a fashion-conscious ninny who doesn't actually care about you. Sad, but what is worse is that this is how many people treat their kids.

I have two kids (elementary and junior high school) and two dogs (medium and massive), all of whom interact well with each other. Having dogs in the house is great for the kids because it teaches them responsibility, trust and leadership. Having kids in the house is great for the dogs, as well, because the kids can offer something to the dogs that adults cannot - an endless supply of energy.

I must admit, however, that our dogs are not that pampered in terms of receiving tangible rewards (food, clothing, etc.). However, they do receive an over abundance of love, respect, and attention.

I'm much more disturbed by the contrast of SOME people who treat their pets so poorly. Dogs tied up with no walks, or reasonable cover from the elements. Both cats and dogs not neutered producing little ones tossed out the door. Or general failure to take responsibility, "oh, those aren't my cats - I just feed them."

japancatnet -

Absolutely. Priorities. Perspective.

The mongrel shivering on the end of a 1m chain and the boxes of puppies left in the park bother me a lot more than the tubby chihuauha dressed to the nines being carried around in its own little carrier.

Beer massaging cows maketh them tender in the bubble years, so pampered dog yaki should be a big hit now, eh?

Cleo - You have forgotten the Tosa kept in a small cage for months on end who then "unexpectedly" bites somebody.

Good one 3 - A form of gastronic downsizing.

timorborder -

The poor Tosa comes under the general category of 'shivering on the end of a 1m chain', I suppose.... though dog fighting is in a league of its own when it comes to animal cruelty and abuse. But yes, compared to that poor dog and its cage-mates, the pampered chihuauhas have it cushty.

The way they do it in my neighborhood (in Tokyo mind you, not Saitama), is they let the dog bark its head off all day long, percipitated by the fact that they never take the animal for a walk. At wits end, since I live a mere 3 meters from barking canine, I confronted them 7 times in a 2 year period, went to see a lawyer, and it wasn't till I called the Ward office and had someone go visit the house to voice the complaint for me that some action was taken. It worked for 3 months, then gradually returned to a lesser degree, even now 7 years later.

If they can afford it,who cares.

In my opinion, if people want pet dogs or cats, they should be tested on their sense of responsibility. And if they pass that test, they should be taken to the nearest dog/cat shelter. There's just no place in a civilized world for pet shops.

Ha! Did you know it is illegal to keep pets in apartment buildings in Japan? Obviously, the entire population of dog and cat owners don't know either, nor do they care or is the law enforced. It's just the same as every other law in Japan. It's only a guideline, unless you are a foreigner, of course. I know a person that has three Border Collies living in a 2ldk apartment and, guess what? The dogs are insane and should be put down. What a surprise that is! Not! - I know another couple that has ten small dogs living in an apartment. I'm not sure if the dogs are insane, but I'm pretty sure the owners are!

Did you know it is illegal to keep pets in apartment buildings in Japan?

No it isn't. It used to be that virtually every residents' committee (kanri kumiai) banned the keeping of cats and dogs and other animals that might be deemed a nuisance (like loud squawking parrots) but I have never heard of a residents' committee that banned all pets; small animals - hamsters, guinea pigs, budgies, fish etc., have always been allowed.

In recent years market demand has led to more blocks of flats not only allowing cats and dogs but actually advertising themselves as being cat- and dog-friendly. Some have restrictions on size and number but if there was a law against keeping animals in flats I'm sure we would have heard about it by now.

three Border Collies living in a 2ldk apartment and, guess what? The dogs are insane and should be put down

No they shouldn't. They should be found proper homes with new owners who aren't stupid enough to try to keep three highly active and intelligent working dogs in a tiny space. If anyone should be put down it's the person that had the bright idea of putting them in the 2ldk in the first place.

Cleo, A dog can be a pet.

"If anyone should be put down it's the person that had the bright idea of putting them in the 2ldk in the first place."

No they shouldn't. They should be found proper homes with new owners who aren't stupid. Killing people in this manner is state sponsored murder.

No they shouldn't. They should be found proper homes with new owners who aren't stupid enough to try to keep three highly active and intelligent working dogs in a tiny space.

Wow! You conclude this without even knowing anything about the situation? Amazing! The dogs are six or seven years old and far beyond rehabilitation. They will bite anything that is within range of their mouths. They are kept muzzled inside and out of the home. The muzzles are only removed for the dog's one meal a day. The owner has been attacked several times, but still loves the mongrels. My daughter is sh*t scared of the bloody things and if I was in Oz they would have had a lead aspirin long ago!

Following on from my comment on pet shops, I'm glad to hear that Obama will be getting a dog for his children from the dog shelter.

I am more concerned about these men that ride a bicycle and walk the dog at the same time. I think it is the national craze here. One day the dog or the owner is going to have an accident. Putting clothing on a dog is not natural. The clothing can give a dog a rash.

I think you see both extremes. Pets treated terribly and then pets treated like princesses. I am not a pet owner so I don't understand when people spend thousands on a pet rather than have a child. On the other hand, I hate seeing an animal mistreated. Like a lot of things in Japan, you see extremes.

Yes all of the above and more. I think people here don't deserve to "have" dogs or cats as pets. They should be required to a) pass some kind of test to guarantee responsibility be taken to walk the dogs minimum 20-30 minutes twice a day, or b) hire someone that will. Wouldn't that give work to the people who walk around stuffing absolutely useless paper advertising in our mailboxes day after day? As with many issues, these people are absolutely deaf when complained against. So why not make it like it is in Britain, the law! A 5,000 yen fine per day can be imposed if someone proves the dog wasn't walked that day. Neighbors would be watching (according to the amount of necessary noisy barking they endure), and everyone could profit from the newly established peace and quiet and better health for the pets. Harmony has a price! The comments about the border collies is beyond pathetic. One time on a rainy night I came back to my apt. and saw 3 tanuki, badger dogs, mother father and baby waddling along out of sight of my 50 cc bike lights near my apt. Do you think someone is keep them as pets? I wouldn't doubt it with the strange stories of the poisonous snakes keeper in Shibuya, and again, I live in Tokyo not Saitama or Fukushima Prefecture. Where does this side of sanity begin?

A dog can be a pet.

I suppose so, but it strikes me as a whopping waste. A bit like maintaining a chauffeur-driven Rolls Royce but only ever using it to go to the corner shop.

Wow! You conclude this without even knowing anything about the situation? Amazing!

Mmm, no, I conclude this from your description of the situation - which I see you've changed. Are they Border Collies, or mongrels? How do you know that they are 'far beyond rehabilitation'? Are you a professional dog behaviourist/psychologist/trainer? Keeping a dog permanently muzzled and confined is abuse. If I were permanently muzzled I'm pretty sure I'd want to bite someone the moment the muzzle was removed - preferably the twerp who put the muzzle on in the first place, especially if said twerp kept me locked up in a tiny space with no mental stimulation and no chance to exercise my amazing doggy brain. (Border Collies rank as the world's most intelligent dog.http://petrix.com/dogint/1-10.html)

You could solve world hunger with the money people spend on pets. But that's not for me to decide, I guess. What would Obama do?

I am all for pampering a pet. Nothing wrong with that. People could use a bit of pampering too.

i'm not a dog fan, but it interests me that in most countries dogs are family pets whereas in japan they are family substitutes