In my perfect world… Dog ownership fantasies
We have to live in reality. But we can daydream, too! And we can work together to move the real world closer to our ideal visions.
Here are some fantasies I escape into when I’m feeling down about the state of the dog world (or, let’s be honest, sometimes just down about the state of the dog-centric corners of the internet).
In my perfect world, all dogs would be biologically fulfilled.
They’d have opportunities to perform natural behaviors and act on innate instincts. They’d be honored as complex social creatures. We wouldn’t expect them to fit into our modern human society without meeting their canine needs.
In my perfect world, we’d have far more off-leash legal spaces
where the cultural norm was for unfamiliar dogs to briefly sniff before moving on (or simply not greet at all).
These areas would be large enough to facilitate natural social interactions—no cramped half-acre dog park fences—and full of interesting terrain to keep people and pets exploring.
In my perfect world, leash laws would actually be followed.
If a park’s signage said dogs must be tethered? Visitors would respect the rules! People who were afraid of dogs could then enjoy these areas without worry—and dogs who were reactive, fearful, injured, elderly, or otherwise in training could too.
This goes hand in hand with the above fantasy. If there were more accessible designated spots to “let dogs be dogs” the way many owners enjoy, it would be easier to block off other areas as truly on leash.
In my perfect world, we’d have widespread education about how our pets can impact wildlife.
Owners would balance meeting their dogs’ needs with preserving the natural habitats around them. We’d work alongside each other—handlers, trainers, park rangers, biologists, additional experts—to come up with alternatives where instinctual behavior (like chasing endangered species or roaming over cryptobiotic soil) wasn’t a safe option.
In my perfect world, no one would expect domestic dogs to be indiscriminately social.
Strangers would always ask before reaching towards a pet they didn’t know. Kids would be taught from a young age not to grab dogs without permission.
In my perfect world, that respect would go both ways.
Owners would prevent their dogs from approaching anyone new—person, dog, cat, livestock, whoever—if they weren’t clearly invited to say hello.
In my perfect world, everyone would know basic canine body language.
Our dogs’ stress signals and signs of discomfort would become common knowledge. And when we noticed them, we’d care enough to try to figure out their cause—to improve our companions’ comfort and confidence and sense of security in the long run.
In my perfect world, dog bites wouldn’t just be preventable… they’d be successfully prevented.
No one would expect their dog to act like a small human. We’d better understand prey drive, natural territorial inclinations, and the ways our species communicate in fundamentally different ways to reduce conflict.
In my perfect world, ethical breeders and rescues would band together
to reduce the homeless pet problem. There would be more curiosity and thoughtful conversation about how intentional breeding impacts our modern world. There would be more understanding that rescue dogs aren’t inherently damaged or “less than”! There would be more foster initiatives designed to keep pets in their current homes rather than simply find them new ones.
In my perfect world, unethical breeders wouldn’t exist.
Everyone who bred dogs would be doing it with a well-understood purpose—and only after health testing and temperament screening. Breeders would take full responsibility for their dogs, throughout their entire lives, so that they’d never end up in shelters.
In my perfect world, rescues and shelters would have adoption criteria free from discrimination.
Approval would be less about surface-level details like having a yard—and more about understanding the commitment, and wanting to experience the true joy, of an inter-species bond.
In my perfect world, everyone who was able to and excited about sharing their life with a canine would get the chance to. We would support each other instead of judging.
In my perfect world, dog training goals would be tailored to individual teams
based on lifestyle factors like immediate environment, personal preferences, and long-term plans. Not on arbitrary lists of what makes a “good dog” across the board.
In my perfect world, owners and trainers would spend more time focusing on shared core values than arguing over messy semantics or internet controversies.
In my perfect world, we’d live in harmony with our dogs.
And our dogs would live in harmony with us.
In my perfect world, this wouldn’t be some magical utopia that simply sprang into being. It would come to fruition because we worked for it. Because we opened our minds (and hearts). Because we learned about our canine companions. Because we learned, too, about ourselves.
Tell me what your perfect world would look like!
In my perfect world, everyone would be as thoughtful, educated, and intentional as you are and this post is. Perhaps that's my pick because my dog and I got scream-howled at by a reactive intact male pit bull today, and the owner yelled that his dog was just super friendly and would calm down if my dog came over and said hi. So yes, thoughtful, educated, and intentional would be great!
How do I agree with you on every point hahhaha!!! Excellent writing & such a goldmine of articles that I can’t wait to read!
No unethical breeding is a big one for me too- backyard breeding is so common in NZ and the expense of desexing is a barrier too - let alone a rising debate I’ve noticed on whether desexing is healthy or unhealthy for dogs….. it’s all so overwhelming. It seems to me that education on ethical breeding, responsible dog ownership and animal welfare is the first necessary step, I’m just not sure where that begins - schools? Public campaigns? Media articles? At rescues and with breeders themselves? I’d love to know your thoughts 💗💗💗