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First of all I don’t like to bad mouth people directly (unless you really deserve it). So I’m not going to be posting links to specific articles and asking you to go leave mean comments, boycott or burn down any headquarters. I just need to vent.
Second of all I’d love to not see these, but I like doing my roundups. And part of my ‘research’ (in quotation marks because seriously it’s just reading dog stories all morning) is looking through the articles published the previous day. So I see these, and I see them a lot.
And because I have some weird fascination with looking into things I don’t like I am compelled to read them. I can’t resist. Sometimes it’s to see how bad they really are, and other times it’s to look at the comments in hopes that someone else is as pissed as I am.
Here’s the 5 types of dog articles I’m tired of seeing.
1. Dogs That Have Been Stung By Bees
I don’t get it. Why is this such a popular trend? Look, it’s another 18 photos of dogs with horribly swollen faces. These posts get a hell of a lot of shares, which helps explain why every “viral” type site out there has multiple versions of these posts.
I don’t find them funny, and that’s fine. To each their own.
But what’s even more offensive to me is that they don’t mention how dangerous allergic reactions can be. The dogs in these photos are having severe reactions that should be seen by a veterinarian. There’s never a mention of “oh by the way, just like us our dogs can have allergic reactions to stings & go into anaphlyactic shock.”
Just some good old “lols” at pets with horribly swollen faces & limbs. Almost all of the comments on these posts are “I feel so bad for laughing so hard,” but at least some are encouraging:
Hey second guy: you got all these photos from reddit, you really expect us to believe you know the backstory to all of them?
2. The Best ___ For Your ____ Dog
I’m not talking about breed specific blogs or pages here. I’m talking about sites dedicated to dogs in general, yet they claim to know the best items for every breed under the sun.
You know the 5 best dry dog foods for my Whippet, really? You don’t even own a Whippet, and you’re just linking to the top rated amazon products. Your about me page says you’ve got some “experts” on the job so I guess that makes you qualified.
These sites are just targeting keywords, and while it may be a decent way to make money it’s something I’m not comfortable with. I have no problem promoting affiliate products, but it does bring up some ethical questions when you’re promoting stuff you don’t even use.
A few of the gems I found on alltop this week.
3. 50 Amazing Things Your Puppy Needs Right Now!
It’s not the list part that bothers me, trust me I love me a good list post. It’s the blatant 50 links to affiliate products followed by the insinuation that it’s urgent.
My puppy really needs a fancy new bed? Right now? Even though she’s a puppy and will probably chew it up the moment she’s left alone?
I’ve got an article called “Why You Shouldn’t Buy Your Puppy an Expensive Bed Just Yet” that I haven’t finished. In my opinion (and from having 4 dog beds destroyed over the years) it’s just not a good idea to invest in an expensive bed for a teething (or adolescent) puppy.
Now I don’t see these all that often, usually they’re e-mailed to me from someone I’ve never spoken to with the question “can you put this in your roundup?” Needless to say I haven’t included one yet.
Two things about list posts;
- I don’t like it when every item is link to a product
- They should provide value in words & information, not just photos + affiliate links
4. The Top 10 Breeds For _______
I know, I know. I’ve been over this before when asking “Is There a Best Breed For First Time Dog Owners?” But these things don’t stop.
Every day it’s another “top 10 best breeds for people who live in a cabin” or the “top 10 breeds for people who are learning calligraphy.”
Everyone’s an expert when it comes to telling you what dog to get, especially when it comes to picking a great family dog. Rather than telling someone which breeds are best for kids I’d like to see the following questions raised for parents:
- Is this a dog you want?
- Does everyone in the family want this dog?
- Can you see yourself taking care of this dog for 10-15 years?
Kids will make all sorts of promises when it comes to getting a dog. I know I did. But things change, and your 13 year old child is going to be an adult in 5 years. So whose left taking care of the dog? You are.
These top 10 breed articles are just so general. They don’t usually address the important questions you should be asking yourself before getting a dog. Instead it’s just “Easy to groom, medium exercise, good with kids.” OK, sold.
Oh, just a few articles to sift through…
5. People Still Sharing That Guy Walking His Shepherds Off Leash
This is the guy I don’t mind mentioning by name, because to me he’ll always be a first class douche, and people are still sharing his videos.
He’s a “trainer” whose video of him walking 6 Shepherds off leash went viral a few years back. And the video is always accompanied with something along the lines of “watch this guy walk his Shepherds like a boss.”
Well there’s more than just that video out there that I’ve had the displeasure of seeing.
Turns out he also withholds water from dogs to get them under control, sells puppies from the same parents over & over that haven’t been health checked, and hits dogs trapped in cages to promote aggression.
His videos are a prime example of why I don’t just “share” things willy nilly, and why some weeks I don’t find many great dog videos for the roundup. There’s usually a lot more to the story, and dog videos are certainly no exception.
What Dog Articles Piss You Off?
I see a lot of these articles every day, but on the bright side I see a lot more good than bad.
What sorts of dog articles are you sick of seeing? Do you often see popular dog posts and wonder ‘why in hell is anyone sharing this?’
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