mineral oil primitive patting himself on the back

[franksolich]

http://www.democraticunderground.com/10022763286

Oh my.

I dunno if anybody else gets this impression, but when reading this, I see the eminence grise of Skins's island patting himself on the back for being such a good person.

It's not really about the dog; it's about what a good person he is.

MineralMan (53,083 posts)    Sat Apr 27, 2013, 11:09 AM

This winter, my wife and I got a shelter dog.

We've been exercising him through snow and sleet and gloom of day, trying to keep him from getting out of shape during the winter. Now that the sun is shining again and it's warming up, there will be more time to do that. However, we can't afford to fence the back yard yet this year. So, I headed to my local farm supply store and bought a heavy-duty swiveling stake and a 30' tether for him. We won't leave him outside unattended, but this will give him some room to roam when we can't get to the leash-free dog park.
 
I hate the idea of a tether, since it restricts his freedom, but then I realize that we're all on some sort of tether. We're all tied to something or more than one thing that restricts our freedom. Dude, the dog, will be restricted some, but will be able to explore the entire backyard, meet the neighbor's dogs, say hi to the next door neighbor's kids, and use the yard until we get it fenced.
 
Sometimes, being on a tether is better than being locked up inside a house, I think. I think, actually, that I need to take a look at my own tether, and see if there's a way to make it longer.

MineralMan (53,083 posts)    Sat Apr 27, 2013, 11:26 AM

8. Yes. I hate to see large predators confined in zoos.

OTOH, the Como Park Zoo in St. Paul has just opened its new gorilla habitat. It's the largest mesh-enclosed habitat in the US for gorillas, and they're adding two new ones. The gorillas there seem to be content enough, and often interact with humans who visit there.
 
They have no elephants or lions. It's a very nice small zoo, and it's free to visit which is a real treat for residents of this city who can't afford admission fees. Donations are always accepted, of course, and my wife and I always make a generous one every time we go there, which is frequently.

MineralMan (53,083 posts)    Sat Apr 27, 2013, 01:18 PM

23. Yup. That's what I figure, too.

My wife and I often have "Happy Hour" sitting outdoors, too, so he can enjoy that time, too, in the fresh air.

MineralMan (53,083 posts)    Sat Apr 27, 2013, 01:26 PM

25. That makes a lot of sense. I know that some people tether dogs that way, and I think it's cruelty. I won't be doing that, I guarantee. It's just a way to let him move around on his own initiative. I prefer our large leash-free dog parks, but taking him there takes a lot of time. When he's at either of the two parks near us, he just takes off and runs, sniffs trees, and chases squirrels. When he tires himself out, he comes back and we go home. In the meantime, we can chat with other people who are doing the same thing. One even has a small pond. We'll be interested to see if he's a natural water dog, once the ice is gone. I suspect he'll make directly for the pond and have a swim.
 
He likes it in the house, too, but we want to give him some other opportunities to be just a dog.

[BattleHymn]

Most of the DUmp can't afford to adopt a black baby from the Congo, so getting an animal from the shelter is the next best thing when it comes to bragging rights.

[Big Dog]

He named his dog after Husb2Sparkly?

[GOBUCKS]

OTOH, the Como Park Zoo in St. Paul has just opened its new gorilla habitat. It's the largest mesh-enclosed habitat in the US for gorillas, and they're adding two new ones.

This DUmpmonkey influence has largely ruined zoos. Now you find a five-acre tiger "habitat", and if you're lucky you may see a bit of a striped tail flicking somewhere back in the bushes. It's the same with nearly all the animals.

When I go to a zoo, I want to see animals, up close, the whole critter.

I used to love the zoo when all the animals were in small cages, pacing back and forth. You could see them in detail, get a feel for their size, actually be in the presence of the animal.

Zoos today pretty much suck. They're so sweet and sensitive to the animals' feelings. Like the animal cares.