Interesting Conversation At Work Today.

[Gayle.]

I happened to be in the middle of this conversation, which took place between the two women at the desks either side of me. And I'm still shaking my head in amazement.

Lady 1 held up her mobile phone and said to the other one "Awwww, look at these pups, they're so cute and the price on them has just dropped from a thousand dollars to six hundred! They'll get snapped up fast at that price!" and they both proceeded to oooh and aaah over what I eventually realised were byb staffies.

Lady 2 said "My husband has been talking about getting a second dog, I'll see if he wants one". So she got on her phone and rang him and I could hear her saying "Now this will be 100% YOUR dog, darling!".....(good justification there, and if it doesn't work out you just blame the husband for getting the dog in the first place).

So lady number 3 wanders over and they show her the photos and lady 2 explains how she's alerted her husband to this amazing bargain and he's now thinking about it, but then goes on to explain that the "breeder" (choke choke) lives close by so she can collect the pup on her way home from work this afternoon.

Lady 3 says to lady 2 "Isn't your other dog a pain in the arse?" and lady 2 agrees that yes he is. And lady 3 asks "So how is this one going to be any different" and lady 2 says that it will definitely be different because this one is SOOOOO much cuter. And lady 3 gets up and says in disgust as she leaves "Puppies don't stay puppies forever you know, and this one will end up being as much a pain in the arse as the other one" (silent applause under the desk for her good sense).

Well, the afternoon wore on with phone calls being made to husband who decided he definitely wanted the brindle male with the white chest (well at least they weren't blue), and both women kept checking Facebook to see if the "breeder" had returned from wherever it was she'd been so they could phone her....but damn, when they did, brindle male pup had been sold and he was the only male.

But never mind, they'll breed again and there'll be more pups for sale. And in the meantime, maybe lady 3 and I can start a subtle campaign for buying a real staffy from a proper breeder......or going to the local pound and taking her pick from the unbelievable amount of staffies that show up there each week. Or alternately (and preferably).......not getting another dog at all seeing as they can't deal with their current one.

What do other people do when they hear conversations like this in their workplace, without sounding like a judgemental, moralising fanatic?

Edited September 29, 2011 by GayleK

[Sandra777]

Can't help you with not sounding judgemental - I'm the crazed dog lady at work and it's only the fact that I do the payroll that keeps them all liking me

You COULD point out the new BSL laws in Victoria (assuming the pups aren't registered) and keep them up to date with all the dogs being taken and killed.

People like this just drive me crazy.

[Kirislin]

tell them to get back to work! silly cows. I hope you and lady #3 can help them to see the sad truth about backyard breeders and overflowing pounds.

[Gayle.]

Mostly I just keep my mouth shut about the purchases on schnoodledoodles, the advertised litters of unregistered labs etc......I don't want to sound fanatical, because I have to work there and I'd prefer not to be viewed as crazy. They already think I'm a bit weird because I have 4 dogs of the same breed and my life revolves around doing activities such as showing and herding with them. Mind you, some people are extremely interested too.

[Gayle.]

tell them to get back to work! silly cows. I hope you and lady #3 can help them to see the sad truth about backyard breeders and overflowing pounds.

It was their lunch hour, and the rest of the phone calls took place in their tea break. They weren't skiving off work, at least.

[Atanquin]

I tend to join in in the conversation I normally start with " aww they are cute!! What little darlings" then let the other lady talk for a bit then just ask" have you asked about the testing for hereditry deases" then I fid you will normally get hit with a blank look so then I would start talking about them" make sure both parents are health tested other wise your poor pup could get ill and make sure the breeder shows you tests" and go on from there stay friendly maybe talk about your dog or rescues and ask if she would like help looking for a pup

[Talien]

If you've seen my thread about our missing Lab in heat you'll know that there's not much you can do. Sometimes I feel like I am surrounded by "idiots" I use this term because it's forum-safe. I have a lot of other words for it.

I don't know if I am just being judgemental or just expect more from people or what

Take for example:

My Dad: Groenendale (spelling?)

Not bought from a breeder. Many health defects.

Didn't bother to train her. Got upset when she acted up.

Almost said he was going to put her down because she was so badly behaved, these thoughts only stopped when I advised angrily that it was his own fault for getting a dog and not doing anything with it. That and I threatened to never speak to him again, as teenage girls are wont to do.

My mum and step dad:

Owned two dogs.

GR: Let it get so fat. Sooooooo Fat. Didn't play with him and as such didnt notice the fist sized growth on his chest.

MAL-X: Extremely fat. Trusted a vet. Shouldn't have. (this is not necessarily their fault.)

Then they got another two (I was horrified.):

CSp 1: No Training at all.

CSp 2: Ditto. (seriously, none.)

Friend 1:

Has a bitch that she wont get desexed. On heat and now missing

Friend 2:

Just got a "Miniature" Pug.

Wants to breed it. Backyard bred.

(nothing against "backyard" pups, it's not their -the pups- fault)

I think all in all, I have only 2 responsible dog owners that I know of. One being my sister (curvball!) and the other being my friend beth who owns a LReg Dalmation (he is so cute and well behaved!)

Like I said. I feel like I am probably too judgemental but how hard is it to ensure that you train and properly care for your dog. And if you want to breed that's fine but get help from people smarter than you are in the field and give the pups the best possible chance you can.

Edit: Sorry I should add that while I have attempted to broach these topics my friends get extremely angry saying that I don't get to choose what they do with their dogs, and that it is not my right, no matter how gently I have been.

When it comes to my family, I will NOT compromise. While mum's two cockers are not trained they are NOT fat! (win!) and Dad kept bonnie until she died of a massive hereditary problem at the age of 14 (he had her looked after to great expense by a very good vet so she lasted a lot longer than even I thought she would.)

Edited September 29, 2011 by Talien

[megan_]

Explain vic's new laws and what they mean for byb staffies

[GoldenGirl85]

Yep, definitely try and bring up the new laws in Vic, explain that any non ANKC registered dogs are at risk of being seized...although make sure you mention ANKC, because otherwise the 'breeder' will try and convince them that they are registered...*cough with the council cough*

[poodlefan]

I'm the crazy dog lady who hates pet shop and puppy farm purchases and that's fine by me.

I've helped a colleague source a purebred Boxer and will do the same when someone I work with is ready for a Rhodesian Ridgeback.

Another colleague has a pet shop oodle. It arrived with ring worm. It's had mange and a Uti. They didn't realise that it would come in season so early. She says its 'very naughty' and I've told her given that its had no training, its not fair to blame the dog for its behaviour. Won't be winning any popularity contests in that area anytime soon but it really is just a nightmare from start to finish.

[Atanquin]

I agree with what everyone is saying about the new laws but that might not stop her or her OH going for a different breed so I would give her a bit more info than that like I said jut drop in to a conversation with her about dogs Ans tell her some stories from HD to behavior issuses and yes if she is keen on the staffy then mention the new laws

[Red Fox]

What do other people do when they hear conversations like this in their workplace, without sounding like a judgemental, moralising fanatic?

Tactfully (or not) leave a print-out from the news thread re Vic BSL laws on her desk...

[Gayle.]

Edit: Sorry I should add that while I have attempted to broach these topics my friends get extremely angry saying that I don't get to choose what they do with their dogs, and that it is not my right, no matter how gently I have been.

That's pretty much how I feel.....I *don't* get to choose what people do with their dogs, because they aren't MY dogs and it isn't my right. And I would hate it if someone started moralising to me about my dogs.

I'm not keen on bringing up the health testing angle either, because I really don't know anything about Staffies, and to be honest, pedigree dogs....health tested or not....aren't immune to health problems, and all my colleagues know I lost a much loved pedigree dog to kidney failure only recently.

The new Vic laws is probably the way to go.

[JulesP]

Everyone at my work knew I was the crazy animal lady so they all tended to come to me for advice anyway. I doubt anyone would have just got a dog or horse without speaking to me first. Stopped a couple of people there from getting oodles, helped a couple of people get dogs for themselves or family members.

[MsKatie]

ONe of the kids in my class has been telling me about their Border Collie 'from a farm' that they have just got to breed with their other Border Collie 'from a farm' - they are going to give the pups away. I bite my tongue because it's not the kids fault that their parents are irresposible but all my kids know my views on BYB and that I believe their pets should be desexed.

[Her Majesty Dogmad]

Everyone at my work knew I was the crazy animal lady so they all tended to come to me for advice anyway. I doubt anyone would have just got a dog or horse without speaking to me first. Stopped a couple of people there from getting oodles, helped a couple of people get dogs for themselves or family members.

Sounds like me, but that didn't stop a colleague recently dropping grannie's old spaniel cross into the RSPCA when grannie went into a home. When she told me, I explained the dog didn't stand a chance but her parents had been on the phone to the RSPCA every other day demanding to know where the dog was at. They've been given several explanations - last week's was "the dog is being desexed". Then they suddenly rememebered that she was already done (all info given to RSPCA at time of dump). Family WAS in a position to have the dog, they just didn't want it. Now they are all care and concern though. I believe the dog is dead, ethanased because of the mass of dogs being dumped at the Sydney RSPCA constantly - who wants a motheaten old dog. I would have helped if I'd known.

Another colleague bought an oodle from a petshop and the puppy got quite sick, already had a hernia and she was in and out the vets, needed surgery. This is a senior person at work and she ended up taking the petshop to a small claims court or similar and won some money back for vet bills ...

You can only try and educate people but mostly I find, they don't listen or want to know, they want to do whatever they decide without too much thought behind it quite often.

Got another colleague who got an oodle from relatives who bought it on impulse in a pet shop, left outside for 10 hrs a day and then not allowed inside because it wasn't housetrained. She took the dog from them after a few months and now she wants to get rid of it - she won't have it inside either and it does have the company of her dogs but it does bark and wants to come in. Selfish relatives won't want it to come to rescue she said to find a home, they'll take it back??? WTF?? That won't work .... I dread to think of what may happen to the poor little mite.

What do you do with people?

Edited September 29, 2011 by dogmad

[colliehound]

Sigghhhh. Yep - new job and first three people i talk to have designer duds.

One is a dacshund (sp?) cross shitzu - only 10 months old - already had surgery on teeth, jaw, back, etc.

Um - wonder why..............

Haven't said anything yet - but will work on it.

Have photos of my dogs up - looking the picture of health...........slowly slowly.......

[snippet]

We know a neighbours son who bought a golden from a byb and she had $15,000 worth of surgery in her short and painful 12 months of life. They said they were told what happened to her could have happened to any dog from a breeder. Hmmm!!! Lady at library has a labradoodle who is two... hd and sever arthritis. We bought our first two whippets from a byb, and quite frankly I would have bought the whole litter just to get them out of there. Patch has a lot of immune problems and the amount we spent on vets in his first year we could have bought a pedigreed pup. Suprisingly the vet said they were not in that bad condition considering their start in life. Thankfully the lady surrendered the two pups she had kept and the mother so hopefully it won't happen again. After that we stuck to rescued greyhounds and whippets and would never go near a byb again. My friends pugalier has an overshot jaw and is starting to look like a stretch limo pug with long legs and quite a long face. Tried to talk her into buying one from a breeder but as she said she always wanted a pug and she ended up with Samson.

[happypaws]

The thing about dogs is most people don't want to admit they have made mistakes . Some just don't have a clue ... And some have no idea what to do about issues - and fail to acknowledge they they are the cause of issues in some cases.

The laws maybe the way to go with this person ... But I would try to talk about the "pain in the ass" she already has and how some training / help is going to be best - to avoid new pup being in the same way ! And does she have time to exercise two dogs? ( I am thinking that by the sounds , dog number one probably doesn't get walked or if so maybe not enough ) . And even though she may not like the discussion - she will at least think about it .

[SparkyTansy]

Just be careful if directing her to ANKC "breeders" of staffies - we know there are plenty of those about.

I am known as the crazy dog lady at my work also. most people ask me for advice on various dog things. I have a friend who has been looking around to find a dog and I have talked to her various times about going to rescue or a registered breeder... the other day she came and asked me what my thoughts were on a "spanador" that was in the paper. I try and be as nice as possible when things like this come up but inside I am screaming at her because I had already spent that long talking about where to go to get a dog. I think i managed to talk her out of it, but I really do wonder since she didn't listen to me much during our other conversations. I agree, people do what they want to do and only hear what they want to hear.