bullsh1t! Myths you heard...

I had housemates who refused to let me spay my kitten before she had a litter because she would get depressed. I also heard that male dogs lose their luster after the job is done. I heard that budgies only lay eggs at the full moon, and rabbits need to be kept in a south facing run.

I also heard that lutino budgies carried a virus (they totally don't). That pitbulls have lockjaw (partially true).

Superstition and old wives tales are rife, what have you guys heard?

PS the thing about my cat needing to have a litter before I got her spayed almost did lead to unwanted kittens. I told my then housemates to find me 7 homes that would take a kitten. I wanted 7. They couldn't even give me one. Then I asked them not to let her out just in case... Every time my back was turned they threw her out. They wanted kittens. Seeing that 16 months later I'm the one caring for the cat itself... she never had kittens. She was fixed!

topmanamillion

Geese are a sign of bad weather.
The field across the road from my home house is flooded, with about 20 acres under water. Yet my mother is very fond of saying "do you hear those geese? sign of bad weather".
1. It's winter time in Ireland it's not going to be shirts and shades.
2. It seems logical that water fowl would be attracted to a place with plentiful water,regardless of the weather.

toadfly

Deleted User wrote: »

That pitbulls have lockjaw (partially true).

Completely untrue actually!

Knine

Not entirely a myth about male dogs losing their lustre after neutering. My neutered dogs certainly don't have the same drive as the entire dogs.

Nody

• Cats need to have at least one litter of kittens before neutering to live as a real cat (seriously don't you think they would miss it going forward then if it was true and it would be better to neuter them before they have it?!)
• Neutered male cats can't defend themselves (no, they just don't get into as many fights but they can fight of another cat just fine)
• Declawing a cat is ok, it does not hurt them (not only does it hurt them, it would be the same as cutting of human fingers at the first joint, just do not do this to your cat, there are other ways to deal with scratching)
• <insert Royal Canin kibble for specific breed> is a must for breed X (it's the same **** only advertised better and costing more)
• Cats/dogs pee intentionally to annoy you (no, they don't have the capacity to do that; they are not humans so find out the real root cause)
• Physical punishment (pat on the nose to pushing faces down into their pee/poo) works (no, for the same reason we don't beat up children anymore if they misbehave)
• Pack theories being applied in training (Alpha dog, leader of the pack, pecking order in the pack, dominate the dog etc.)
• Cats can't eat any milk products because they are lactose intolerant (not all cats are and plain Greek yogurt is very unlikely to upset any tummy inc. kittens and can work great as a treat if served in small amounts over the
  chemically pumped up superstore treats)
• Cats love milk (most do but don't serve it due to high lactose and risk they get the runs from it, serve plan yogurt and only plain as the sugar content in flavored will ruin their teeths)
• Cats/dogs will survive if dumped outside; they are hunters after all (no they will die a slow painful death)

corsav6

Dogs can't look up!!

borderlinemeath

That dogs get a "taste for blood" if they've nipped another dog/child/adult when feeling threatened so should be immediately put down, not rehomed or even given a veterinary health check.

That a dog who may have bitten another dog/animal has to be put down because "what if it was a child?"

That raw fed dogs are vicious, as they have the "taste for blood"

It's disgusting and unhygenic to have a dog in the house. They should be outside "where they belong"

It's ok to take puppies from their mother at 6 weeks, she won't let them feed any more, they're ready to go.

Latatian

"Let them off lead, they will sort it out." Sure, some dogs have leash aggression, off-lead they are much better. Others will become more insecure and more aggressive- or you can have dogs who are just bullies, who will bully if they are let off. Found this out the hard way as a kid, had a vet bill to show for it when the other (adult) owner assured me it would be fine.
And there's no guarantee that dogs won't kill or injure each other, they're not little teddy bears, they're animals. If your dogs are racing towards me snarling and out of control, or circling us and growling as we walk and preventing us from walking, letting mine off-lead will very likely just help start the fight. If you know your dog is aggressive towards on-leash dogs, put them on a lead in the on-leash area where you know it will encounter them.

Cupping a dog's testicles is a cure for aggression.

Teach a dog to be afraid of cars so they won't go on the road. Or, and I've seen it happen to someone who allowed this fear to develop for this reason, they might actually decide that they should attack what they are afraid of and thus end up becoming car-chasers. Then you have to spend ages teaching them not to be afraid again.

corsav6

corsav6 wrote: »

Dogs can't look up!!

I genuinely just roared laughing at this. Thank you!

Latatian

Oh, forgot this one. Dousing a dog in motor-oil to cure mange.

topmanamillion

Latatian wrote: »

Oh, forgot this one. Dousing a dog in motor-oil to cure mange.

Well i suppose if he goes near an open flame it'll cure the mange.

seamus

Latatian wrote: »

Oh, forgot this one. Dousing a dog in motor-oil to cure mange.

It probably does work, completely searing the skin will probably kill the infection. In the same way that burning down your house will fix your flea infestation.

Quite common with travellers, I'm not sure why specifically.

tayto lover

A pig can see the wind.
A dog can see ghosts.

Dirty Dingus McGee

When a dog starts eating grass it means it's going to rain.

topmanamillion

Dirty Dingus McGee wrote: »

When a dog starts eating grass it means it's going to rain.

Does everything an animal does mean it's going to rain?

Birdnuts

topmanamillion wrote: »

Does everything an animal does mean it's going to rain?

At the moment yes;)