What's the worst dog myth or advice you've seen on here?

I just read a question not long ago that said that a dog brain keeps growing after the skull does and it causes the dog to go crazy.


I also seen an answer to a question about a dog in labor and the person said to squeeze it to induce labor


What's scary is I found that answer while googling a question on dogs.What's the worst dog myth or advice you've seen on here?
For potty training, ';Rub his nose in it'; ( I'm sure that was what their parents did to potty train their kids?';)





I think the most dangerous is:


That a ';little'; chocolate is OK ( generally followed by, '; I feed my dog a little chocolate all the time)





Fact: Some dogs can't tolerate ANY theobromine ( in chocolate) A few M%26amp;Ms killed my pug..Who would risk feeding ANY amount of poison?What's the worst dog myth or advice you've seen on here?
That having your dog neutered it will basically ';cure'; any training or behavioral problems. Ugh.


No. Wrong.


While it can provide some aid in dealing with certain issues (like marking inside the house) it's not going to stop it all together *poof* like magic.





I feel like so many people are looking for hands off easy fixes instead of putting the work into training %26amp; disciplining their dogs.








Add: Another one I've seen that drives me crazy is this lovely gem: stopping dominance issues by pinning your dog in his back, climbing ontop of him %26amp; staring him in the eye. Good luck with that one. haha.
';Mutts are healthier than purebred dogs, so buy from people who advertise on craigslist or the newspaper.';





Not exact wording, but this is the 'advice' from a very dangerous person here. Not to give them power, but it's terrible to say something dangerously incorrect like that.





Purebred dogs have developed defects BECAUSE bad breeders aren't screening for them and trying to breed them out. Good breeders - those that work/show their dogs and are members of their breed club - are TRYING diligently to get rid of congenital disease in their breed.





People who create mutts are only perpetuating the problem.





Also incorrect and dangerous training tips, myths about raw diets, myths about pit bull breeds - it's craziness, and immature.
you have to remember there are some pretty sick people on here that think it's funny to scare people that are already worried about there pet. I just answered a question about heartworm where some idiot just told the lady if her dog has heartworms it dead, he didn't even know there was a cure matter of fact to quote him theres no cure your dogs dead! Remeber folks if you don't know so so or just don't bother answering so you can rack up points. be helpful not stupid.
Lets see...I can't choose just one, these are the best ones:





Show breeders breed sick dogs





Mutts are automatically healthier simply because they aren't purebred





Forcibly putting a dog on it's back and holding it will tell it who's boss





A dog that growls at you can learn to be nicer if you give the dog treats





All dogs with any kind of issue can be rehabbed with love and training
prong collars are cruel,


shock collars are cruel,


love and kisses will cure any medical condition.


dogs do things because they LOVE you.


dogs know naturally when to protect you.


Spay / neuter at 8 weeks has no ill side- effects for large / medium sized dogs.


Dogs need to have 1 litter for health reasons


dog barking means its protecting you


Mutts are healthier than pure bred


inbreeding is always bad


dogs should be allowed to breed cause they want to have children 2, just like humans


the list can go on and on
hmm I can not recall too many right now but I have seen a few on here.


One of the funniest/scary thing I had someone tell me, was well the liquid was easy to give but I just couldn't get powder out, this was someone who was vaccinating there own dogs, and then it turns out the guy left it in his truck all day when it was over 100 degrees and still thought the vaccine was good.


Anther one that I hear is how bag bomb is a cure all, it just lanion ointment.
Pretty much anything that was said above.


Especially the ';dogs will naturally protect you';. And when people think the dog barking and growling is protection.





The brain swelling thing is hilarious.





I still see people suggesting you swat your dog with a newspaper. I saw that in an answer for an aggressive dog. Good luck with that.





Playing tug with your dog will cause it to be aggressive and/or think it is the alpha. Or at least you have to win. Please. Our Police K9 is trained with a tug toy. His reward for obedience or a track is a game of tug with his handler (not me). He is an 86 lb GSD trained to bite and hold, good luck getting that thing out of his mouth to ';win';.





Pretty much any of the do this or else the dog will think it is alpha crap is bad. I am in charge, whether i walk out the door first or the dogs do. I am in charge of food, exercise, toys, etc. I train, I am the boss. I dont need to walk out the door first to ensure my status.





I am sure there are more.





ADD-


Oh yes, there was a question about a very shy/fearful dog where someone said just love the dog and it will get better...
Oh the growing brain myth...that would be towards my dog, the Doberman.





Other myths that annoy me are the lockjaw myths about pits...when are people going to learn?


Worst advice is anyone that gives an answer on some stupid home remedy for a sick dog when the dog should clearly be going to the vet since no one can diagnose a dog over a computer.
Yes, a really stupid one last week, a guy posted an answer for retraining an aggressive dog,





He said if you bite a dog on the ear, it will submit to you and will no longer be aggressive.





Tell the truth, this guy has seen the Movie, Snow Dongs one too many times. I LOL till I almost fell out of my chair.
';Red wine gets rid of worms';.





Somebody tried it and then asked why their dogs had not moved for 7 hours and was vomiting... the dog was DRUNK!!!!





';Raw meat will make a dog attack you';





Then why is it that many people feed their dogs entirely on raw meat and never have the slightest bit of trouble with aggression?
i have seen a lot..too many to give a list, but the one that bothers me the most is the constant typed myth of lockjaw in Pit Bulls. Or Pits will turn on you one day no matter how you treat them. Or Pits are people aggressive. Or It is in a Pits nature to attack. sheesh i could go on forever
well, i have seen a lot of ridiculous advices and tips on here...but can't recall at this moment.





btw, i have asked a similar question as your before and i got reported =( cos they thought it insulted members who asked questions or answers like these ones...





sigh...........
Someone on here once said to cure worms, spit chewing tobacco in a dog's mouth! EWWWW!





There's all the Dobie's brain swelling/Pit Bull's locking jaws etc. too, but that one really got me.





Oh... and 'hybrid vigor'. Gimme a break. No such thing. Mutts aren't hybrids, and combining two breeds together... well, all it does if up the chances of the breed related genetic weaknesses of both breeds.
I know there's a lot on here but one of the most common ones is that pit bull's jaws lock. And the one you are referring to is usually in reference to Dobies and it's absolutely ridiculous.
That Dobermanns are *neurotic,unstable, capricious* dogs, that is when they are not being *naturally protective* likely to take a random chunk of the nearest rear end because their *brain grows too big for their skull*!!!





Shakes head %26amp; sighs....
That dogs think they can be above humans in a 'pack' and that they need to be physically punished to solve it.
There have been a lot that really scare me. I think each question has to be answered on what is asked and with good strong advice behind it. Solve the problem and try to educate is my motto. But I have to say, I have seen a stupid question and a really stupid answer recently (not together). The question was would viagra cure heart worms in dogs. I have not yet learned how to link here, but you guys that can find it read the answers...some are hilarious... Greek man's in particular...but I wanted to tell him that this person was not the brightest and might actually run out and try what he said. But the response he gave is framed and on my desk for a smile.


I saw the question you are referring to about the dog in labor and I hyperventilated on that answer.


And the biting the dog's ear thing got the best of me.


Also there was one answer to someone wanting to know if there dog was having a seizure ... I believe that was the question... that spurred the response: ';No he has rabies.'; What happened to saying...';Look, take that dog to a vet now.'; It actually sounded like the dog had gotten into some poison, but who can say on the board? It really bothers me when people can see their pet is looking like it is really sick and they come here and say What's Wrong? as if we can see or would know if we did see. And it is even scarier that these people actually get their questions definitively answered. I know help can be a double-edged sword, but common sense has to come in somewhere.


I also think those who do honestly care and are trying to give good advice and be responsible sometimes get very frustrated and answer too quickly as in the case of ';Dave'; If anyone has not seen him on here I star a lot of his questions. He pulled a puppy from a dumpster and came here for help before he could get to the vet and is not very good at explaining himself when he asks a question sometimes. Someone saw the four-week old puppy and without checking answered: ';You better have a good reason for having that pup.'; And that was it. I am not going into his story as you guys can find him on here I am sure. He needs a lot of help and is not one to explain a lot.


I have had a response pulled on here once as someone else here said, because I said what I believed to be true. But being from another panel, I know what to do and did it. My answer was restored. And I did contact the PTB and explained the response I had given, along with copies of my credentials, which I will do any time that happens. That is just petty BS. I received the standard two email telling me my answer had been restored along with a third very personal email that did make me feel better. That email explained to me the way things work here and now I understand better.


I do think ';scary answers'; should be removed. And I think someone should monitor for really bad advice.


Sorry for being so wordy, but I do love questions like these on occasion that allow us to express ourselves and may actually make people think.