There's been tons of talk in the dog world about the. Some bad, some good, some meh.
My thoughts?
I don't care what a handler wears, so long as it's not hindering the handling or presentation of the dog.
If anything, she was probably more relatable to the general public watching the show than those who were dressed up. And the fancy kinda needs more of that.
I get that it's a big, prestigious, and hell, even glamorous show. And I'm not saying the fancy should do away with that. But at the same time.....maybe there should be a little thought put into how being so fancy as a fancy may make it seem that the sport is only for the well-off who have money to spare for sparkly outfits? Even though we know it's not true. At least for a short bit?
Because the fancy is in trouble, from both people and issues within and outside of it.
Thursday, February 19, 2015
Wednesday, February 11, 2015
If You Really Love The Breed You Own....
In the same theme as yesterday's post, people suggesting people get a particular breed because they own one.
I get it. You love your chosen breed. You've had great experiences with them, they're a good match for you. However....
Not everyone is.
Just as not everyone is suitable to take on a random rescue dog, not everyone will be a good match for your breed. But I see it time and time again. People, the general public, suggesting people get their own breed because....
They're wonderful.
They're great with kids.
They're fun.
They're mellow.
They're sweet.
They're loyal.
They're smart.
And so on.....
And they do truly believe their breeds are that. Their own dogs have probably been that to them. I'm NOT denying that.
What I am denying is that any given breed is suitable for any given person. It's simply not true. EVERY breed has their pros and cons. EVERY SINGLE BREED. That is NOT a bad thing. If anything, it makes dogs in all their different breeds, that much more interesting in their diversity.
You should absolutely take pride in the differences, the challenges, the quirks, the traits that make your breed that breed. And if you REALLY care about your breed, you'll stop trying to shove them down everyone's throat.
Yes, they're great. They're particularly great for you! That's awesome!
However, not everyone can deal with a Lab's energy, especially when they're young. Most Labradors get dumped within the first 2 years because they are slow to mature and can be more than just a handful. That's one of their downsides, it takes a few years for them to mellow out. Let me ask you, if you are a Lab person.....
Do you LIKE the fact that so many Labradors get dumped?
The answer, if you really care about Labrador Retrievers, should be "No". You should not want to see this breed in shelters or rescues at all. So why do you recommend them to anyone and everyone? Because you want to share your awesome breed? Then share them with the right people. Be honest. If you see someone who isn't very active, don't encourage them to get a Lab. Tell them the downsides to the breed, why the breed probably is probably a bad fit. Encourage them to make an educated and informed choice, encourage research into other breeds that are more suitable for their lifestyle.
The same goes for any breed.
And please, please, please, do not try to push a breed that is totally opposite of what a person is looking for onto them.
Furthermore, I also feel that with the general public's suggestions with breeds, is out of hand. You see the same common breeds being suggested over and over and over. I don't hate popular breeds, but I do hate popularity for what it does to a breed. Encouraging that popularity of already popular breeds to continue to grow is BAD for those breeds. Willy nilly interest is bad for any breed.
If you're going to be one of those people who gives recommendations, please.....research and learn breeds yourself. You don't need to know all the ins and outs of all of the breeds, but having a good general idea of breeds they may want to check into, especially outside of the common breeds, DOES make an impact of "Wow, I've never heard of that breed before" and sometimes encourages further research. And who knows, their perfect match might just be a breed that needs a little bit of a boost.
It's no secret that I love rare breeds and want to see them stick around long after I'm gone. I also want to encourage people to look at the dog world as a whole, see it as vast and amazing as I do, and encourage people to research instead of just diving into the first breed they get told they should get. I want to see a world where most people research breeds they're interested in more so than they do appliances, cars, and computers. I want to see a world where impulse buying of pets is not the main thing that happens (because there will always be odd things that happen, the oops litters, shelter dogs-yes I consider that buying, experienced people looking for a dog suddenly and a breeder may have had a buyer or 3 back out, etc).
I get it. You love your chosen breed. You've had great experiences with them, they're a good match for you. However....
Not everyone is.
Just as not everyone is suitable to take on a random rescue dog, not everyone will be a good match for your breed. But I see it time and time again. People, the general public, suggesting people get their own breed because....
They're wonderful.
They're great with kids.
They're fun.
They're mellow.
They're sweet.
They're loyal.
They're smart.
And so on.....
And they do truly believe their breeds are that. Their own dogs have probably been that to them. I'm NOT denying that.
What I am denying is that any given breed is suitable for any given person. It's simply not true. EVERY breed has their pros and cons. EVERY SINGLE BREED. That is NOT a bad thing. If anything, it makes dogs in all their different breeds, that much more interesting in their diversity.
You should absolutely take pride in the differences, the challenges, the quirks, the traits that make your breed that breed. And if you REALLY care about your breed, you'll stop trying to shove them down everyone's throat.
Yes, they're great. They're particularly great for you! That's awesome!
However, not everyone can deal with a Lab's energy, especially when they're young. Most Labradors get dumped within the first 2 years because they are slow to mature and can be more than just a handful. That's one of their downsides, it takes a few years for them to mellow out. Let me ask you, if you are a Lab person.....
Do you LIKE the fact that so many Labradors get dumped?
The answer, if you really care about Labrador Retrievers, should be "No". You should not want to see this breed in shelters or rescues at all. So why do you recommend them to anyone and everyone? Because you want to share your awesome breed? Then share them with the right people. Be honest. If you see someone who isn't very active, don't encourage them to get a Lab. Tell them the downsides to the breed, why the breed probably is probably a bad fit. Encourage them to make an educated and informed choice, encourage research into other breeds that are more suitable for their lifestyle.
The same goes for any breed.
And please, please, please, do not try to push a breed that is totally opposite of what a person is looking for onto them.
Furthermore, I also feel that with the general public's suggestions with breeds, is out of hand. You see the same common breeds being suggested over and over and over. I don't hate popular breeds, but I do hate popularity for what it does to a breed. Encouraging that popularity of already popular breeds to continue to grow is BAD for those breeds. Willy nilly interest is bad for any breed.
If you're going to be one of those people who gives recommendations, please.....research and learn breeds yourself. You don't need to know all the ins and outs of all of the breeds, but having a good general idea of breeds they may want to check into, especially outside of the common breeds, DOES make an impact of "Wow, I've never heard of that breed before" and sometimes encourages further research. And who knows, their perfect match might just be a breed that needs a little bit of a boost.
It's no secret that I love rare breeds and want to see them stick around long after I'm gone. I also want to encourage people to look at the dog world as a whole, see it as vast and amazing as I do, and encourage people to research instead of just diving into the first breed they get told they should get. I want to see a world where most people research breeds they're interested in more so than they do appliances, cars, and computers. I want to see a world where impulse buying of pets is not the main thing that happens (because there will always be odd things that happen, the oops litters, shelter dogs-yes I consider that buying, experienced people looking for a dog suddenly and a breeder may have had a buyer or 3 back out, etc).
Tuesday, February 10, 2015
It Is NOT "Cool" To Pressure Or Guilt-People Who Ignore Other's Reasons, Wants, And Needs
Over the years, I have seen an increasing number of people suggesting people adopt. Go to a shelter, go to a rescue, save a life! A noble cause, truly.
But there is a point where it becomes pressuring, guilt-tripping, and in some cases, down right bullying.
"I want a dog that is good with kids."
"Go to the shelter, take your kids, adopt!"
"I want a dog that is good with cats."
"Go to a rescue, adopt!"
"I want a dog that I can do agility with."
"Shelter, rescue, adopt!"
"I want a dog that is mellow."
"Adopt!"
"I want a dog that won't eat my chickens."
"Adopt!"
Because you know, shelters test dogs regularly for compatibility with livestock. -.-
Because you know, shelters aren't high-stress environments.
Because you know, no one ever returns a dog they've adopted because behaviors have emerged that no one had a clue about.
Fact is, rescues dogs aren't always a guaranteed option.
Shelters and rescues ARE high-stress environments, even at the best of times. Dogs can shut down while they're there. Or! Dogs can become overly anxious and hyper due to lack of stimulation, wrong stimulation, lack of exercise, or just plain stress. They're strictly controlled, yet stressful, environments that are so vastly different from home life that you can't see the dog for what it really is. A kennel isn't going to have drywall that can be chewed through, or couches that the dog can destroy.
Even when shelter and worker volunteers go above and beyond the basics, there is still only so much they can see. Only so much that they notice. Only so much that any given dog will give to them.
It's not a bad thing-it's a complicated thing. It's the reason why I believe that a large number of rescue dogs are best off in hands that have at least some dog experience, flexibility, and the ability to resort to various resources if needed.
Dogs that are still rescues, but have been in foster homes are a step up. Still, there can be quirks that aren't seen depending on how that household runs, which could be very unlike the one the dog ends up in. Plus, the foster home may have very old, quiet cats, and the adopting one may have very active cats that set off prey drive. There may very well be incompatibility.
Where cat-testing is a thing in some shelters and rescues, not all do it. Different animals smell differently, move differently, act differently. There's no guarantee that a cat-safe dog will be fine with rabbits, ferrets, birds, etc. Hell, there's no guarantee that a 'cat'-safe dog will even be fine with kittens because kittens move and smell differently than adult cats (and this is something I've had experience with, not through a rescue dog, but a roommate's dog-fine with adults, not safe with kittens).
And if someone is looking for a dog to be around livestock at the shelter? Oh boy, that's a HUGE gamble. Even if you do find a herding or livestock guardian in the shelter, there are those who just have the wrong drive and are there because they ARE a risk to livestock and got dumped for it. You don't know.
You also don't know what a shelter dog's health is going to be like. No, mixed breeds aren't healthier, they have their own set of common problems and can pop up with uncommon ones just the same. If anything, the early-fixed pups are at a high risk of ACL tears, which makes agility a risk. Not every dog, mixed or not, will have health issues, even when they've had things stacked against them. But it is what it is, which is a question mark with a dog whose history is unknown.
I would love if we could really just magically pull all of a dog's quirks and traits and health out of the air so they could be placed perfectly. I wish we could have that guarantee, but we don't. Sometimes adoptions and trials don't work out. That's ok. Not every and any dog is for anybody who comes along, that is important to note.
So here's the deal. Here is where I have serious issues with a number of pro-adoption/rescue people...
You push. No matter what reasons the original person who was asking for help says, you push. You shove. And sometimes, when they stand firm, insults start getting thrown about. Accusations of them "killing dogs" by going to a breeder. By knowing what they want and are looking for.
Not all dogs are the same. They're dogs, then they're their breeds/mix, then they're individuals. If you expect someone who is wanting a Pug, has researched Pugs for the past year, to go to a shelter and be happy with some random Catahoula mix.....you're risking setting them and whatever dog you have guilt tripped them into getting into failing. That's not nice. It's not responsible or fair or right.
If you tell someone who is looking into a livestock guard to watch their flocks to go to a shelter and adopt whatever, you are RISKING THEIR LIVESTOCK. You! You are risking the death of animals on an unknown because they should save a life. What happens when that saved life takes other lives?
If you bully them into feeling so bad about even thinking about going to a responsible breeder they've been referred to, that they end up adopting a high energy, anxiety ridden dog who eats their walls and doors in the short time they've gone to get the mail...you should be paying for repairs and apologizing.
Because people who want predictability of a certain breed and a good match because they know they can't handle anything that gets thrown at them aren't bad people. If anything, they're more responsible and aware than the people who try to shove the adoption agenda down their throats. It's okay if their wants, needs, and reasons are different than yours.
And before you set off on the "you can find purebreds in rescues!"......Let me fix that for you. "You can find questionable quality purebreds of the COMMON breeds in rescues and shelters". Many of the rarer breeds...not even the national breed club rescues will pull many of them in a year. That's what happens when there's only double digits of a breed registered each year, or even just triple. Most breeds do NOT have the numbers behind them that Labs, Goldens, German Shepherds, or any of the other top 20 or so breeds do.
It IS ok to ask them how they feel about rescue, if they're interested in adopting. It's horribly annoying to be the 28th person telling them to adopt. It's awful to be that person who insists on adoption at all costs, trying to think of ways and reasons for them to do it when they have stated they're not interested or that they're looking for particular things. You, at that point, are pushing.
Peer pressure isn't cool. Remember your parents telling you about peer pressure in regards to sex and drugs? Yeah. Pressuring people is bad, Mmmmkay? Guilt-tripping is bad. Bullying is bad.
Know what is awesome though? Being a helpful person. Being insightful. Being respectful. Because I'll tell you a secret.....I get a lot of people thanking me when I'm giving them spiffy information and options they never would have thought of otherwise. So let's help each other while respecting each other choices.
But there is a point where it becomes pressuring, guilt-tripping, and in some cases, down right bullying.
"I want a dog that is good with kids."
"Go to the shelter, take your kids, adopt!"
"I want a dog that is good with cats."
"Go to a rescue, adopt!"
"I want a dog that I can do agility with."
"Shelter, rescue, adopt!"
"I want a dog that is mellow."
"Adopt!"
"I want a dog that won't eat my chickens."
"Adopt!"
Because you know, shelters test dogs regularly for compatibility with livestock. -.-
Because you know, shelters aren't high-stress environments.
Because you know, no one ever returns a dog they've adopted because behaviors have emerged that no one had a clue about.
Fact is, rescues dogs aren't always a guaranteed option.
Shelters and rescues ARE high-stress environments, even at the best of times. Dogs can shut down while they're there. Or! Dogs can become overly anxious and hyper due to lack of stimulation, wrong stimulation, lack of exercise, or just plain stress. They're strictly controlled, yet stressful, environments that are so vastly different from home life that you can't see the dog for what it really is. A kennel isn't going to have drywall that can be chewed through, or couches that the dog can destroy.
Even when shelter and worker volunteers go above and beyond the basics, there is still only so much they can see. Only so much that they notice. Only so much that any given dog will give to them.
It's not a bad thing-it's a complicated thing. It's the reason why I believe that a large number of rescue dogs are best off in hands that have at least some dog experience, flexibility, and the ability to resort to various resources if needed.
Dogs that are still rescues, but have been in foster homes are a step up. Still, there can be quirks that aren't seen depending on how that household runs, which could be very unlike the one the dog ends up in. Plus, the foster home may have very old, quiet cats, and the adopting one may have very active cats that set off prey drive. There may very well be incompatibility.
Where cat-testing is a thing in some shelters and rescues, not all do it. Different animals smell differently, move differently, act differently. There's no guarantee that a cat-safe dog will be fine with rabbits, ferrets, birds, etc. Hell, there's no guarantee that a 'cat'-safe dog will even be fine with kittens because kittens move and smell differently than adult cats (and this is something I've had experience with, not through a rescue dog, but a roommate's dog-fine with adults, not safe with kittens).
And if someone is looking for a dog to be around livestock at the shelter? Oh boy, that's a HUGE gamble. Even if you do find a herding or livestock guardian in the shelter, there are those who just have the wrong drive and are there because they ARE a risk to livestock and got dumped for it. You don't know.
You also don't know what a shelter dog's health is going to be like. No, mixed breeds aren't healthier, they have their own set of common problems and can pop up with uncommon ones just the same. If anything, the early-fixed pups are at a high risk of ACL tears, which makes agility a risk. Not every dog, mixed or not, will have health issues, even when they've had things stacked against them. But it is what it is, which is a question mark with a dog whose history is unknown.
I would love if we could really just magically pull all of a dog's quirks and traits and health out of the air so they could be placed perfectly. I wish we could have that guarantee, but we don't. Sometimes adoptions and trials don't work out. That's ok. Not every and any dog is for anybody who comes along, that is important to note.
So here's the deal. Here is where I have serious issues with a number of pro-adoption/rescue people...
You push. No matter what reasons the original person who was asking for help says, you push. You shove. And sometimes, when they stand firm, insults start getting thrown about. Accusations of them "killing dogs" by going to a breeder. By knowing what they want and are looking for.
Not all dogs are the same. They're dogs, then they're their breeds/mix, then they're individuals. If you expect someone who is wanting a Pug, has researched Pugs for the past year, to go to a shelter and be happy with some random Catahoula mix.....you're risking setting them and whatever dog you have guilt tripped them into getting into failing. That's not nice. It's not responsible or fair or right.
If you tell someone who is looking into a livestock guard to watch their flocks to go to a shelter and adopt whatever, you are RISKING THEIR LIVESTOCK. You! You are risking the death of animals on an unknown because they should save a life. What happens when that saved life takes other lives?
If you bully them into feeling so bad about even thinking about going to a responsible breeder they've been referred to, that they end up adopting a high energy, anxiety ridden dog who eats their walls and doors in the short time they've gone to get the mail...you should be paying for repairs and apologizing.
Because people who want predictability of a certain breed and a good match because they know they can't handle anything that gets thrown at them aren't bad people. If anything, they're more responsible and aware than the people who try to shove the adoption agenda down their throats. It's okay if their wants, needs, and reasons are different than yours.
And before you set off on the "you can find purebreds in rescues!"......Let me fix that for you. "You can find questionable quality purebreds of the COMMON breeds in rescues and shelters". Many of the rarer breeds...not even the national breed club rescues will pull many of them in a year. That's what happens when there's only double digits of a breed registered each year, or even just triple. Most breeds do NOT have the numbers behind them that Labs, Goldens, German Shepherds, or any of the other top 20 or so breeds do.
It IS ok to ask them how they feel about rescue, if they're interested in adopting. It's horribly annoying to be the 28th person telling them to adopt. It's awful to be that person who insists on adoption at all costs, trying to think of ways and reasons for them to do it when they have stated they're not interested or that they're looking for particular things. You, at that point, are pushing.
Peer pressure isn't cool. Remember your parents telling you about peer pressure in regards to sex and drugs? Yeah. Pressuring people is bad, Mmmmkay? Guilt-tripping is bad. Bullying is bad.
Know what is awesome though? Being a helpful person. Being insightful. Being respectful. Because I'll tell you a secret.....I get a lot of people thanking me when I'm giving them spiffy information and options they never would have thought of otherwise. So let's help each other while respecting each other choices.
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