More thoughts on Pedigree dogs

I finally watched the whole show, it's good for forcing you to think, if nothing else.

Some thoughts:

Just because a problem is common in a certain breed, doesn't mean simply breeding those dogs outside of their own breed would solve anything. Take cavaliers, a breed I love, but haven't seriously considered because of some very real, very serious health issues. If affected dogs were bred to others, it would introduce those problems to other breeds/mixes.

I walk a lot of dogs, both mixes and breeds and many have health issues. The least healthy dog I walk is a mix, french mastiff mixed with an unknown dog, maybe lab, pitbull or something else. He has very severe allergies, that do impact his quality of life, he's been on medication his whole life and those meds have side effects of their own.

There are some breeds that have issues, and honestly I don't know how you can have a dog of these breeds, that looks remotely like it's standard and not have health issues......this is concerning. Some breeds really have become too extreme, bull dogs and German Shepard come to mind.

Pugs, pugs, pugs.........I have mixed feelings on some things with the breed I love. I've told most people about when I picked out Abby at her breeders. She was so spunky, right in your face, just gave me no choice but to pick her up....and I put her right back down after taking a look at her tiny, tiny nostrils and absolutely flat face. I wanted a pug that looked like a pug, but I wanted a dog that could breathe! Well, she was just meant to be mine, she wouldn't leave me alone and when she finally got tired she curled up on my foot. I was so in love, I forgot all about any rational thoughts and it's good that I did, because she breathes just fine. Hikes for miles, runs for miles, will work all day out in the heat and pants no more than any dog of any breed! So pug's breathing issues must be more related to the soft palate, than the nostrils themselves. The main point I'm making is it is possible to breed a pug with a correct head that breathes well.......many breeders just aren't looking at this enough though.

Pedigree Dogs Exposed

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-1LyjlX4Mp8

I'm still working my way through this, but without watching all of it. I can say it's obviously one sided and has it's own agenda, but it should make you think.

I'll write more after I've finished watching it.

Not intentionally holding out

Really, I'm not trying to hold out on the new breed that's going to be joining us one day, not trying to create suspense, like Barack Obama's been doing lately with the anouncement of his vp candidate, really I'm not.

It feels funny to be thinking of any other breed than pugs, like I'm cheating on the little muffin heads when I go on youtube and watch silly _____ videos.

It doesn't help that I'm planning to bring home a *very* traditional agility breed, and no it's not a sheltie. Like I'm saying the pugs aren't good enough. My pugs are great little agility dogs, I've learned so much from them and continue to learn new things all the time. I've been forced to become a better trainer, to educate myself on jumping, motivation, stress issues. Despite the fact that there is only one MACH pug to date, I still believe any pug that's conditioned properly, and has a good owner/handler with the right attitude and consistency can earn a MACH, ADCH, CATCH, NATCH or any other agility CH titles I'm forgetting : )

Here goes, I've decided to get a papillon, a butterfly, also known as a "squirrel Spaniel" (that last one really cracks me up). I've been stalking them at trials lately, researching like crazy and I think this is a really good choice for us. The pugs seem to like the ones we've met too.

#5

Five dogs? Am I crazy for even thinking about this?

I really, really want to add to the pack, not a pug this time though. My guys really are good. I have the occasional spat between Rudy and Kittie, but they're few and far between. I have the time and money for them.

I like running more than one dog at trials. Kittie's 6 1/2 and Abby's 2 1/2 so if I got a puppy right now (I'll probably have a bit of wait anyway) Kittie would be 8 1/2 & Abby 4 1/2 by the time the puppy would be competing. I really don't know how long Kittie will last, she's a good girl with no real signs of slowing down, but she's not built like Pugsly, she's a heavy boned, cobby conformation bred pug. I'll run her as long as she's having fun and it's good for her, but I don't want to push her beyond what's best for her. I'm hoping she's going to be running for a long, long time!

I may have to change the name of the blog sometime in the future.........

Abby YABTC EX B JWW

Abby's JWW run

Abby YABTC EX Standard

Here's Abby's standard run from the weekend.

Abby's totally awesome agilty weekend

Wow, it's like Abby went and grew up and turned into a real, genuine, pug in a border collie suit agility dog! all in the span of week! She was just great. The only mistakes were mine and she tried her best to cover for me too.

I'll post some video as soon as I get around to downloading it.

How did Kittie do?..........she's still an almost mach dog. Saturday, nothing. Today ran JWW first and she Qd with 2nd place. Standard had some tough spots, but they were no problem.....the little stinker popped out of the weaves!!

I think her mach may be my christmas present, I just hope I don't have to wait until Christmas to get it, you never know though.

This isn't pretty

Had a long, terrible weekend and I woke up to a poop covered pug and crate.......


Went to Cleveland for two days, Kittie ran really well on Saturday, but both she and Abby had bad calls on their dogwalks. I was slightly ahead of both dogs as they came down the ramp, and I turned into them slightly, just like I always do, I saw a foot hit the yellow and I took off, just like I do in every run. The judge's (Blair Kelly) arms went up and we were done. Qd in JWW on a really different style course. The beginning was very demotivating for a lot of dogs, but it didn't seem to phase my girls.


Sunday, Abby had an off course into a tunnel, but ran well, she was really moving this weekend. Kittie was all set to go, when all of a sudden there was some kind of hold up. So, I'm standing there with a pug who's starting to freak out and I remember the last time this happened, so I want to get her out of the ring, but my leash is gone, by the time I get my leash Kittie's totally flipping out, I get her out of the ring, but there's no time to play with her, give her a treat or anything, now the judge is ready, she's cranky and pissy because I'm not in the ring. The second jump comes down and the double as well, to top it off she seems stressed and worried probably from waiting around, being yanked out of the ring and then immediately brought back in.


What was the hold up for? There was no second bar on the double for half the 8" dogs, no one noticed, until the person ahead of me told the judge after she ran, then they had to inspect the entire course, and who knows what else!


I know this is just so negative, but I left after that. The jumpers course wasn't pretty and I just was not in the mood.

Kittie got sick over night and I had a huge mess to deal with this morning. What a way to start the week.

Public Attitudes

I found this through another forum, it was originally printed in a Canadian Newspaper, I believe.


My pets have won my heart
SPEAKING OUT
Posted By KATHY BAUDER
Posted 17 days ago
I have always been an animal lover. I remember that when I was small I had a pet pig. This little pig would follow me everywhere and would also sleep in my bed. I know some people think pigs are dirty animals, but mine
wasn't, as he used to bathe in my bath-water when I was finished with it.
One night I climbed into bed and there was a huge spider there. When you are four years old, all spiders look huge. I screamed and jumped out of my bed, and my little pig ate the spider, saving my life.
I shared everything with my pig, even my food, not realizing I was contributing to his being sold for slaughter.
I also had a horse who would let me ride him bareback all over the farm. How I loved my horse, but one day he followed me into the house, and the next day my father sold him.
I cried when my pets were taken away from me and promised myself that when I got older, I would never give up on my pets. They would stay with me forever. I guess that is why I now have six dogs, eight birds and two lizards. I just can't seem to part with any of them for fear of them being abused.
I read with disgust the stories about mutilated cats in a Kingston neighbourhood and the dog that was set on fire on Montreal Street. I cringed when I thought of the last moments of these animals' lives and I pray they didn't know what was about to happen.
I do not understand why anyone would want to abuse an animal. Like children, animals depend on humans to give them love, provide them with the necessities of life and clean up after them. If one cannot or will not do these things, then one shouldn't own a pet.
While there are activities for dogs, such as racing and agility or flyball events, I wonder if they are being entered into such events to give them some play time or so their owners can win a trophy. Many of these animals are kept underweight, confined in kennels and not treated as pets. Unlike humans, they have no voice in what they want to do; no voice to complain if they are hungry or to say they want to be free to run and play. Circus animals face this kind of life, too. That is why I do not support the circus.
I own whippets, which, like greyhounds, are well known for their running ability and their slender form. I know my dogs are an ounce or two overweight - OK, maybe a pound or two - but at least no one can accuse me of starving them. I rescued two of these dogs when they were within days of death from starvation. Their ribs were sticking out, their rump bones were standing high and their faces were sunken. I cried when I saw them, but now when I look at them I see beautiful, healthy dogs that look at me with love in their eyes, as if they are saying "Thank you for saving me." While they may not win a trophy, they have won my heart and a safe home until their last day on Earth.
¦ Kathy Bauder is a self-employed hairstylist, mothe

r of four and grandmother of 10. She is a member of the Whig-Standard's Community Editorial Board.
I've experienced this attitude and perception of performance people and their dogs, pretty much any trial with a lot of spectators and you'll hear comments about the weight of dogs. Could that be because the majority of dogs in this country are obese? I'm asked if I "keep them hungry so they perform better?" No, I don't feed breakfast before they run if little dogs are first, but only because I wouldn't want to run with a belly full of food, why would my dogs?

I don't know any highly successful agility competitors whose dogs sit in kennels all day, doing nothing but agility. Virtually everyone agrees that to be successful you *need* a very strong relationship with your dog and that comes from doing things together. I doubt most "pet dogs" live as full a life as my crew do. They get to run and hike off leash, becuase of their training. They love agility! It's not like you can force a dog to sprint around an agility course off leash!

Abby's lame swimming video

Abby's not lame, and neither are her swimming skills, but this video, most definitely is! It's got lame music and apparently I turn into Minnie mouse when I see a pug swim. Abby's extreme cuteness makes up for it though I think.

Two Days

Two days is apparently how long it takes my pack to turn into complete lunatics if they dont get to run. We skipped our usual run/swim in the park on Friday and I foolishly attempted to spend my Saturday like normal non-dog people do....getting the oil changed in my car, eating out at one of my favorite Mexican restaurants and doing some shoe shopping.

Clearly a bad idea. My dogs have lost their minds! It's been non-stop "blender head" (when they roll around, biting each others faces...mine like to flail their little muffin heads back and forth so fast you can barely make out their faces), barking, barking, barking, living room obstacle course: Run full speed in to the room, up on to the club chair, onto the floor, quick lap around the room, take the straight line to the sofa, who cares if the coffee table is in the way, you just use it to launch yourself up to the sofa and then the big air competition off the sofa arm.......woohoo, yahoo!! and some more barking.

We're going on a long, long walk today!