Blackdogs

Awww. What is the snow-like effect?

What breed do you show?

The lady knew I asked first, she was standing there watching when I did it.

It was probably well over two years ago, actually. It hasn't really been playing on my mind all this time, but I have occasionally thought about it and wondered what the general consensus among breeders was with regards to things like this. I partly asked that because I still remember clear as day approaching two different exhibitors at the Canberra Royal Show years back with a puppy enquiry. Even though judging was well over and I didn't want to touch their dogs, both were really really rude, to the point that my companion on the day was gobsmacked. I shrugged it off but they confirmed the worst stereotypes of the 'purebred' scene for my friend who still mentions it to me every show time and has it as her vision of the show community. Fortunately showies like Keshwar have largely restored my faith in the bulk of exhibitors and most really are helpful and not nasty. But for my friend that is the one and only exposure she has had to showing and it was really terrible PR. It's a shame that your friend was put off by the rudeness of these people. My experience didn't really put me off purebreds, I have two of them from great breeders. :)

It was probably well over two years ago, actually. It hasn't really been playing on my mind all this time, but I have occasionally thought about it and wondered what the general consensus among breeders was with regards to things like this. I can imagine that it would be very waring to have to fend off an inquisitive public when you have a dog that is not great with strangers, so I can see that side of things as well.

You sound like a great breeder and a very tolerant and understanding person. Do you breed or just show?

Lots of interesting responses from people in the show world. Sounds like this woman's attitude was a bit of an aberration, but some show people tire of the attention their dogs' receive. I can understand that. Thanks for the replies.

A couple of years ago I went to the Royal Show to see the animals. This is the only reason I tend to go to the show, the rides and show bags don't really interest me. I particularly enjoy seeing the dogs and will often choose a day that some of my favourite breeds are being shown. If the exhibitor/owner is present I sometimes ask to interact with their dogs, some of them say no, others seem genuinely delighted that I'm showing an interest and agree. I don't expect all people to be okay with me petting their dogs, and it doesn't bother me if they decline, however, on this occasion I was surprised when I got a very hostile reaction. A lady was brushing her GSD in a stall and I asked whether I could pet him/her, as the dog seemed relaxed and content. The lady said 'of course' and then wandered off leaving me with the dog who was soaking up the attention. A lady in the stall next to her however, took this opportunity to berate me. She told me that the dogs were not there for my 'personal amusement', they were there to be shown and that no one should be asking to pet any of the dogs. She told me I shouldn't be touching other people's property and instructed me to leave the dog alone. So. Am I missing something here? Is this the typical attitude of showies towards people who want to inteact with their dogs? Are they just generally too polite to tell the public to piss off when they ask to pet their dogs? Was this a terrible faux pas on my behalf? I know there are a lot of show people in here, I'd be interested in hearing your opinions.

When it comes to desexing, I'm 100% pro-choice. I own two entire animals, but have no intention of breeding. We need more education and less legislation.

Two dogs and a cat here, but the Schipperke = 10 dogs. :laugh:

I think people can use dogs to fill the void of not having children, love them as they would a child and devote themselves to their dogs in the same way, but still cater for all their doggy needs. I don't think calling your dogs your 'children' is a bad thing a long as you unserstand that their needs differ from those of a child.

Seconded.

This isn't really true. They certainly won't cover for diseases that can be vaccinated against, but otherwise you should be fine to get coverage. I have claimed thousands for my entire, unvaccinated dog.

Fixed.

Temple Grandin in her book 'Animals in Translation' has a bit to say about colour. From memory she makes the connection between domestication and white pigmentation, expanding on this to detail the connection between this de-pigmentation and exagerations in domestiacted behaviour that in some cases can be problematic. My anectodal experience doesn't alays support her hypothesis and I know there is more than one gene responsible for the white pigmentation, but it makes for interesting reading.

Done. :)

Fixed it. No, you haven't. Also PIA appears in the list twice Fixed the PIA duplicate. What else needs to be fixed?

Fixed it.

Out of interest.

Ours are almost the same! Toy - Chihuahua Small - Schipperke Medium - Kelpie Large - GSD Giant - Wolfhound :laugh:

You can select one dog from each of the below categories. What would you choose? Toy (eg, Pom, Yorkie) Small (eg, Jack Russell, Westie) Medium (eg, Border Collie, Shar Pei) Large (eg, GSD, Rottie) Giant (eg, Great Dane, Neo Mastiff)

I must have misread. I was under the impression that the 'Black Spaniel' was an attempted break away from the Field Spaniel not a variation of colour within the breed. I wasn't aware that the Field Spaniel still came in black. The more you know.

I wondered that as well, but I don't think so as all the other Spaniel breeds are represented.

Interesting reading about the 'Black Spaniel' in which the author condemns breeding for exaggeration and the health problems associated with this practice. He concludes that this is the reason for its decline in popularity. Seems they were more savvy back then, as there are no Black Spaniels to be found today. http://www.archive.org/stream/newbookofdogcomp00leigrich#page/288/mode/2up