Blog

 Closer to Home (5)

Concluding Thoughts

Are you a part of our Fading Heritage?

I had a hard time evaluating what might have been the best title to give to that previous article that I posted on ‘pet dogs.’ I am aware that we are still on the same series of ‘closer to home,’ but giving an account of what psyche my reader might be carrying regarding their thoughts about dogs, the prevalent arguments that surround it, and how to decode them, would indicate that I am wrapping up all that I have said about my training principles and how this is primarily tied up to the dog owner’s psychological criterion, or how those issues being circulated is affecting them. However, since that last article ‘pet dog’ scarcely allowed you to uncover what sentiment you carry when it comes to hunting, I hence humored in designating another series of ‘closer to home’ under a subtitle called ‘concluding thoughts.’ This is now seeking to make you evaluate your thoughts on some hindsight issues currently dominating the world of dogs, contradicting disputes on the science behind them, account of moral values and concepts, its tail sayings, and how this will affect a dog’s utility and the corresponding responsibility of its owner.

Speaking about the second highly contested issue after ‘pet dog’ is our hunting heritage, and the first thing up is its abuse. How many have consequently endangered our wild species that help destroy our woodland are exploiting this, is somehow not the issue here? For this relates to the voices of men and women behaving as pioneers to wildlife habitat conservation in transforming public spaces for hunting accessible to people to preserve our hunting heritage. These are active groups that help promote ground conservation and scientific studies to improve, manage and expand our landscape habitat. However, the drawback of this work is the rage and anger that is dominating social media these days on a contested misfortune of the slain or the hunted. This of course does not include the perpetrated cruelty against animals. But this has nonetheless something to do with the basic irony behind these sentiments where the continuous slaughtering of animals day in and out for food, does not bother us at all. Why is this? The unmistakable discrepancy is again no less than the psychological influence of the person towards our popular culture that portrays some animals talking to one another, protecting their entitlements, coddling future dreams, or falling in love just like we humans do. When men’s ethical practice toward animals get wrong, or to carry the false impression that the very reason for this is because the animals themselves have a moral claim to deserve it, this somehow would only radiate the balance towards the moral issues of men instead of simply an issue of men’s decency or civility toward animals. Hence, deformed are those supposed moral arguments that detractors claim which are haled by many to the point where we are somehow losing our hunting heritage and largely utilizing our dog mistakenly. For our hunting heritage and the utilitarian use of a dog are undoubtedly tied to each other.

Consequently, the most sustainable way to bolster critical habitats and our dogs’ declining usefulness from this massive deterioration is no doubt to bring back our lost heritage. For the idea of hunting without a dog is inconceivable, their essential help makes hunting benign since they greatly aid us to find the prey and manage to retrieve the trophy, the bond between the hunter and the dog is magnificently stimulating and inspiring for both men and women, young and old. Yes, this enchanting stimulus carried by our forebears is a legendary heritage that we must not leave behind or let our next generation forsake. Besides, this somehow is also the epitome of all types of sporting activity relating dogs that we have today.