The American Spectator

: /p> p>In spirit, I appreciate Michael Fumento’s (howl of?) protest against anti-obesity drugs for dogs. May I suggest, however, that he exaggerates the ease of refusing man’s best friend? For instance, I have no difficulty restraining my appetite. But it would take a stonier soul than mine to look into the pleading eyes of a sweet-tempered Shetland sheepdog and just say, “No.” It seems to me that all would-be dog owners fancy themselves to be dictators of discipline — firm and irrevocable is our doom — only to find that, in the end, they are maddeningly captive to canine charms. Factoring in that man is to a great extent responsible for breeding dogs to correspond with those features we find most endearing, the fault is doubly ours. All of which is to say that I agree wholeheartedly with Mr. Fumento’s message of self-discipline. Now, if you’ll excuse me, there’s a certain someone that demands gustatory satisfaction. br> — Jacob Laksin /p>

One of my pet peeves is why people who work all day would buy a large dog in the first place, leaving it cooped up all day either in a crate or small living quarters. Even worse is cruelly leaving the dog chained up outdoors, defenseless against predators that invade the yard. These dogs easily become “fear biters.”

p>All dogs need exercise. Small dogs can get adequate exercise by running around the house/apartment, if the home is not too small. But large dogs can’t. Unless you live in wide-open barn-sized quarters, large dogs get no exercise indoors. So why would anyone buy a large dog only to confine him inside all day long? It’s not only unhealthy for the dog — physically as well as emotionally — it’s contrary to the dog’s nature. Dogs used to be bred for specific purposes, not to accessorize one’s life. br> — Kitty Myers br> Painted Post, New York /p> p> KRUGMAN TIME br> Re: David Hogberg’s