IMHO (In My Humble Opinion)

This page is my expression of what I am observing going on around me both in the larger world and the microcosm of the world of dogs. It is based purely on my personally held opinion of these observations.

I took this page down previously, bowing to a somewhat tyranical and over-bearing person constantly making complaints about the nature of some of my writings. I'm now past caring about that person's paranoia.

Now I realise that I was allowing that person to rob me of my right to free speech. This country is starting to suffer from 'Political Correctness' gone too far. You only have to look at what is happening in Sale to one poor man to see what I mean. I feel it is time to stand up and say 'Ya know what? I have a voice and I'm allowed by law to use it!' And use it I shall. If you don't like it, don't make a point of coming here to read things and finding fault with them. Chances are, as I found out recently, you are mistaken in your thinking and perhaps that guilty conscience of yours is leading you to think I'm writing about one person when I'm not at all. So if you are going to make a complaint about anything I write, make sure you have your facts right - or the shoe may soon be on the other foot.

The times, they are a-changing...

The introduction of DNA sampling and profiling has heralded a new age in the world of dog breeding. We can now work to eradicate those genetic conditions that result in crippling diseases in our dogs and also determine from which breed line and, specifically, with which dog the genetically dodgy gene originates. It also means that we can determine if a dog is a true representative of it's breed or just a damn good 'wannabe'. I know I have encountered dogs when out on walks that I would have sworn on a stack of bibles was this or that breed only to be told by the owner that it was from a completely different and unrelated breed. Now that sort of dog will not be able to contribute, intentionally or otherwise, it's 'genetic diversity' to the purebred gene pool any longer without it being found out. Backyard breeders beware - just because it looks like a particular breed and barks like a particular breed doesn't means it's actually OF a particular breed - you've got to ask the right questions of the owner!!).It will also mean that those rare breeders who were slipping in the odd unregistered dogs into the gene pool will find that they can't get away with it any longer. That going on was one of the worst kept secrets in one of my breeds. Rumours were rife about entire dogs/bitches being rehomed without papers but of 'good type' being used at stud/breeding with the resulting proginy being falsely attributed to a less than spectacular registered sire/dam. Up until now this couldn't be proven. Now it can. I wonder what penalty the KC would impose on such a proven situation? I wonder which poor soul will be the first to discover they've been sold a pig-in-a-poke.

How NOT to do Discover Dogs

Ah, yes, we're rapidly approaching that time of year when so many keen and enthusiastic dog owners traipse down to Earls Court to do Discover Dogs supposedly in support of THEIR BREED - not yours or mine but most emphatically THEIR BREED.. Bags, trollies and all manner of bits and bobs are dragged into the halls to deck the BREED STAND. Some stands manage to achieve a visually pleasing result that invites the would-be new owner to come and enquire about the breed - others, well...not so much. Perhaps the worst ones are the ones which have all sorts of baggage piled up higgledy-piggledy but in full view and little, if anything, that is contempory and hasn't seen better days and should have been binned a long time ago. Badly produced, bland, home-printed leaflets with numerous  spelling mistakes and poor grammar usually fails to impress even the simplest of souls. Equally, someone who's enthusiasm for the breed leads them to loudly expound on the fact that a new owner can expect the dog to bark interminally, chase neighbourhood cats, be territorially aggressive or any of the other down-sides to the breed does little to sell the breed to anyone, let alone the uninitiated but could-be-keen new dog owner. Neither does pebble-dashing someone with the remains of the egg mayo sandwich, much of which is still evident in your teeth, which you happen to be shoving down your throat whilst talking. Another good tactic for putting off anyone who timidly aproaches the stand is to glare at them, almost daring them to say anything to you. And, of course, sitting with your mate, chatting to them whilst studiously ignoring someone waiting to hopefuly have a word with you is sure to have an effect. Maybe not the one that is wanted, but at least you will have even fewer people to compete with should they think of entering the perils of the show ring. Talking so fast that no one can understand a single word you are saying does nothing for public relations - particularly if you happen to be wearing the other half of that sandwich down the front of you at the time. Perhaps the most off-putting person to meet on a breed stand is the person that simply can't listen. They're so intent on telling you what they think you should know rather than answering the question you would like to have the answer for. Each time they manage to evade answering the question you have asked. Eventally, having tried to ask something several times only to have it ignored, you give up, wait until they pause to draw breath and shoot off before they can start again. Then again, perhaps the person that recites the list of their dogs' wins at shows can seriously put off the pet dog owner or anyone thinking of coming into the breed knowing they are going to encounter that pompous braggart. All of these are ways NOT to do Discover Dogs for your breed.

Seriously, the situations above I have seen or experienced at Discover Dogs. Some while I was actually helping out on one of my breed's stand at the time. Any wonder I cringe when Discover Dogs is mentioned.

An interesting addendum to this piece above. Shortly after I put this piece up I received a written complaint from a club I belonged to at the time DEMANDING I remove it as it was their belief that I was writing about one person associated with that club (and it's committee) in particular. Evidently, I am told that they received no fewer than 6 complaints about this piece from 'members' of this club. Interestingly enough, I was given no proof of this and was expected to take this so-called complaint as being truthful and accurate. I'm quite tempted to actually publish this letter in it's entirity just to show how some club's treat it's members and how impossibly rude and stupid some people can be in the dog world. Then again, perhaps doing what I'm doing is the best route - just not bothering to renew my membership with said club until they can get their pathetic act together and try working for the breed they are supposed to be supporting rather than their own selfish ends.

The Professional Complainer

There's alway one, isn't there? In any breed you get that one seriously disliked person who believes it is their mission in life to police everything anyone says or does and go running to whoever they think will listen to them to whine their complaint to. 'He said that, she did this!' I wonder what they think they will achieve? Do they really think anyone actually listens to them? After a while people simply stop listening to them all together. They become some sort of human 'white noise' crackling on in the background. I've come to the conclusion that these poor wee souls are so desperate to be noticed in some way that the only thing open to them is to become this sort of professional complainer. Since they're don't usually have a decent example of their breed to show, they're not exactly welcome in the normal circle of mates around the ring nor are they well tolerated in any breed club organisation, the only way they can direct the limelight towards their miserable exisitance is to kick up a stink about something or someone. So, as we move to the 'Season of Goodwill', show a little compassion toward this person in our breed. Pretend you are listening to their mean-spirited diatribe against someone they imagine has slighted them. Say things like 'Oh, how awful!' and 'Yes, something really should be done!' in as sincere a voice as you can (and preferably with a straight face). Once they move on to their next victim, congratulate yourself - that was your charitable act for the day. Then forget about it. They'll never change so there's no point in thinking anything you say or do will make any difference to them. They sort of like warts, no one wants them but they crop up now and then and the best thing to do is ignore them. Eventaully they fade away.